By J.R. Ballister
There are several reasons why people may experience hair loss and we'll look at them here. However, it's important to remember that not all causes will result in hair loss for all people, and it's also possible for hair loss to be due to more than one cause.
Before we look at causes of hair loss that may cause problems, let's look at "normal hair loss" and hair in general.
Normal Hair Loss
An average head consists of 100,000 to 150,000 hairs, which grow ½ an inch every month. Hair grows due to rapid cell division at the base of the follicle and gets pigmented or coloured when it is pushed upwards out of the follicle.
Normal hair loss is a part of the natural hair life cycle. Normal hair loss is caused by genetic factors, androgens and age. Other factors include general bad health, side effects of medications, and skin diseases.
Hair loss may be a result of heredity and this affects many men in particular. Every day an individual sheds 100 to 300 hairs daily as a natural process. Each hair goes through a growth cycle before normal hair loss occurs. The normal growth cycle consists of three stages:
1) Anagen stage
2) Catagen stage
3) Telogen stage
Anagen stage
Hair will stay in this phase for two to four years. Each hair will grow 15 cm per year.
Catagen stage
Hair spends two to four weeks in this transition phase.
Telogen stage
The telogen phase is also called the resting phase. This lasts about three months allowing the hair to detach itself prior to falling out.
In cases of normal hair loss - around 100 strands per day - there is no need to panic, and remember that normal hair loss may increase as age advances. But if there is an excessive hair loss, it should immediately be discussed with your physician.
Treatments that are available depend on the type of hair loss. Sometimes correcting a hormone imbalance may prevent further hair loss. Rogaine (Minoxidil) may help to correct common baldness.
Other reasons for hair loss include chemotherapy regimes used in cancer therapy, and anticoagulants. The hair usually returns to normal once the medication has been stopped.
Causes Of Hair Loss
Now let's look at reasons why, other than through normal hair loss, a person may lose their hair. The main reasons for hair loss include:
- Toxic substance
- Severe radiation
- Illness and infectious diseases
- Heredity factors
- Ageing
- Hormonal Imbalance
- Nervous disorders
- Poor nutrition
Common reasons for hair loss in an individual vary and can include genetics, pregnancy, diet, improper hair care, cancer treatment and illness.
Hair loss can be inherited from the mother, the father, or from both parents. Experts say that hair loss may be inevitable if your family has a history of it.
As an aside, although hair loss can run in the family, scientists claim it can be cured by gene manipulation. Men with genetic predisposition for hair loss may have sensitive areas in the scalp for male sex hormones. As age advances, these sensitive areas suffer from severe biological imbalance. The male hormone DHT is the culprit which ruins the hair. Slowly, over a prolonged period, the follicles wilt and finally the hair become thinner and shorter.
Male pattern baldness is noticeable among many men, and is marked by thinning hair near the forehead and at the crown. If it is not stopped with a suitable medication, it can eventually remove all the hair from top of the head.
Chemotherapy regimes used in cancer therapy, and anticoagulants often result in hair loss as the therapy attacks all cells, not just the cancerous ones. The hair usually returns to normal once the medication has been stopped. although some treatments can permanently damage the hair cells.
Other reasons for hair loss include too much vitamin A and anti-depressant therapy.
Physical reasons for hair loss include over or under-active thyroids, certain fungal infections and hormonal imbalances. Even underlying problems such as lupus or diabetes may result in excessive hair loss.
Pregnant women may notice hair loss problems within a period of about 3 months after delivery. During pregnancy, high levels of hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, that hair falls out and the normal growth and loss cycle starts again.
Improper hair care can also be one of the causes of hair loss. Excessive combing or brushing, hair styles such a ponytails or braids, which pulls at the hair, and last but not least, the over usage of chemicals such as bleaches and dyes. Although these are the reasons for hair loss due to improper hair maintenance, physiological imbalances such as excess production of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) can also be responsible. An excessive level of DHT influences the growth cycle of hair by restricting the availability of nutrients to the hair thereby causing excessive hair loss..
Deficiency in protein and iron can also cause hair loss because these two are the most important components that strengthens the hair to make it grow. The hair loss is noticed extensively only after the body recognizes the deficiency. This happens after about three months of deficiency. This can easily be prevented by the dietary inclusion of proteins and Iron.
Hair loss due to improper nutrition is more common among women because they are more into fad diets which can lead to eating disorders that cause under nutrition.
Medications prescribed for blood pressure, arthritis, gout depression, and birth control pills are also among the reasons of hair loss. Stopping the medicine and select another type of medicine and contraceptive is the best way to treat this condition.
The side effects of certain medications such as isotretinoin and lithium and other diet pills that contain amphetamines are known to cause hair loss especially among teens.