Various Hair Loss Causes Leading To Baldness

A receding hairline does not pose any serious health risk to individuals, but it is one of the most dreaded conditions especially to men who see hair loss as a loss of youthfulness and sex appeal.

There are many treatments available to help hair regrowth or at least preserve the hair that is left.  Before considering any of these options, one needs to understand hair loss causes or the causes for thinning hair or receding hairline.

It is very normal for a person to lose between 50 to 100 hair strands a day.  The process of hair renewal will replace hair that has fallen out.  However, people suffer from excessive hair loss at one time in their life and there are many reasons for this.  Most of the  causes are temporary and only a few are permanent.

Some of the more common hair loss causes include:

• Hormonal changes
• Childbirth
• Birth control pills
• Illnesses or Diseases
• High fever, severe flu, severe infection
• Thyroid disease
• Deficient diet
• Medications
• Cancer treatments
• Low serum iron
• Major surgery/chronic illness
• Alopecia Areata
• Scalp Fungal Infection (Ringworm)
• Stress
• Mechanical Damage
• Hair Pulling or Trichotillomania
• Hair Styling

Hormonal changes
Hormonal changes are one of the most common causes of hair thinning and affect both men and women. Men normally have hair loss concentrated in a particular pattern from the front through to the crown area. Women tend to have hair thinning throughout their head without any particular pattern.

This type of hair loss is caused by a hormone DHT or Dihydrotestosterone. Since every individual has DHT produced in their body and only some suffer from hair loss, there has to be another factor involved in hair loss, which has to be identified. This other factor involved in hair loss is the follicles that have a large number of Androgen receptors for the DHT to attach to.

This component is inherited through the genes. To date the most effective preventive measures are anti androgens, drugs that will prevent the production of DHT.

Childbirth
Many women experience hair loss after pregnancy which is caused mainly by the factor that too many hair simultaneously enter the resting phase (telogen). But this can last from one to six months and completely resolves in most cases. This condition is caused by the changes in hormones that take place after a woman’s body recovers from pregnancy.

Birth control pills
Women who suffer from genetic predisposition to suffer from Androgenic Alopecia have chances of hair loss at a much young stage, if they take birth control pills. The hormonal changes trigger the onset of the Androgenic Alopecia. After discontinuing the pill, woman may notice that her hair begins to shed after two or three months. In some cases the hair loss cannot be reversed and the woman may not regrow the hair that was lost.

Illnesses or Diseases
Most hair loss causes are due to some diseases or illness and is often temporary and resolves itself after the body returns to the normal condition. This is because, the hair follicle are very sensitive and does respond to imbalances in the body.

High fever, severe flu, severe infection
Hair loss after a high fever, severe flu or severe infections are temporary and usually corrects itself.

Thyroid disease
Both an underactive and overactive thyroid can cause hair loss. Thyroid disease can be better diagnosed by the physician and hair loss associated with it can be reversed with proper treatment.

Deficient diet
People who eat low protein diets, or have abnormal eating habits, may develop protein malnutrition. In order to help save protein, the body shifts the growing hair into the resting phase. This may lead to massive amounts of hair shedding, and the hair can be pulled out from the roots fairly easily. This condition can be prevented and reversed by including a diet with proper amount of protein.

Medications
Prescription medications sometimes may cause temporary hair fall in a small percentage of people. Drugs that are used for the treatment of gout, arthritis, high blood pressure depression, heart problems or blood thinner and high doses of vitamin A may cause hair shedding.

Cancer treatments
Chemotherapy and radiation treatment causes hair loss by stopping hair cells from dividing. Patients can lose up to 90 percent of their hair but the hair will regrow after the treatment ends. But however there are some drugs available in the market that helps prevent hair loss from occurring.

Low serum iron
Iron deficiency also sometimes produces hair loss. Women who suffer from heavy menstrual periods may develop iron deficiency. This iron deficiency can be corrected by taking iron pills.

Major surgery/chronic illness
People who have undergone major operation or a tremendous shock to the body system may notice increased hair shedding. This hair loss will get reversed itself within a few months time but people who suffer from chronic illness may shed hair indefinitely. Also hair transplantation surgery can actually create additional hair loss or “shock fallout”. Hairs that are lost from shock fallout usually do not regrow.

Alopecia Areata
In this condition, the hair loss is due to the immune system which reacts to the hair follicles as if they were antibodies and shut them down. The hair loss is limited to a coin sized area and all the hair in that area is lost leaving a smooth round patch. In a more severe condition called Alopecia Totalis, all the hair on the entire body is lost, including eyelashes. Treatments include topical medications, certain drugs and light treatment.

Scalp Fungal Infection (Ringworm)
This is caused by a fungus, ringworm which usually begins with small patches of scaling that spreads and results in broken hair, swelling, redness, and even This is contagious is most common in children. .

Stress
Stress can also create hair loss is some people. In most cases, hair loss is temporary if the individual is not predisposed to any genetic or Androgenic Alopecia.

Mechanical Damage
Hair damage can be self inflicted either intentional or unintentional. Hair Styling by braiding, bleaching and straightening can also cause damage the hair and causes hair loss.

Excessive Hair Pulling or Trichotillomania
Excessive hair pulling is a behavioural problem or a bad habit that is done unconsciously. If the behaviour is not stopped immediately, permanent hair loss can occur because of the stress on the hair.  (Please note that this website advocates the promotion of healthy hair and scalp by pulling out and tugging dead hair after the scalp has undergone proper massaging and conditioning.  It presumes you have undergone the recommended conditioning procedure for the scalp, exercising proper nutrition and that you are not experiencing any hair loss disorder stemming from a medical condition or side effect. The pulling action being espoused here being part of a normal hair maintenance procedure is a “gentle” but firm pulling action and not one using excessive force.)

Hair Styling
Using chemical treatments like dyes, bleaches, tints, relaxers, straighteners, and permanent waves may damage the hair and lead to hair loss. But If done correctly done and using reputable products, the chances of damage is very rare.

Hair Braids/Weaves
many men and women braid their hair or do hair weaves. Under normal conditions this causes no problems. But however if the weave is attached too tight or the braids are wrapped too tight, they put a strain on the hair follicle and may result in hair loss.

These hair loss causes listed above may create temporary or permanent hair loss in both men and women. Treating hair loss at the right time may prevent further loss of hair and help then to regrow.