Studies show that over 30 million women in the country are experiencing hair loss, with 70% being African American. It is normal to lose between 50-100 hairs a day. However, most people suffer from excessive hair loss at one time in their life. Many reasons include: medication, exposure to chemicals, radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal and nutritional factors generalized or local skin disease, thyroid disease, and stress.
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Hormonal
Hormonal changes have the biggest impact on hair loss (stimulate hair growth and cause hair loss) Affects both men and women. Men generally have hair loss concentrated in a specific pattern from the front through the crown. Women tend to have thinning throughout their head without being in any specific pattern. This type of hair loss is caused by the androgen DHT, or dihydrotestoterone. Everyone has DHT that is produced by their bodies and only some people suffer from hair loss, so there has to be a factor involved. This other factor is having follicles that have a greater number of Androgen receptors for the DHT to attach to. This is the component that is inherited through the genes. To date, the most effective preventative treatments are the anti androgens, drugs that prevent the creation of DHT.
Childbirth
Many women experience a loss of hair after pregnancy. This is caused by many hairs simutaneously entering the resting (telogen) phase. Within 2-3 months after giving birth, some women will otice large amounts fo hair coming out in their brushes and combs. This can last 1-6 months, but resolves completely in most cases. This condition is caused by the hormonal changes tha take place after a woman's body recovers from pregnancy.
Birth Control Pills
Women who have a genetic predisposition to suffer from Androgenic Alopecia can have it occur at a much younger age by takig birth control pills. The hormonal changes that occur trigger the onset of the Androgenic Alopecia. If a woman has a history of female pattern loss in her family she should advise her doctor before going on the pill. After the discontinuation of the pill the woman may notice that her hair begins shedding 2-3 months later. This may continue for 6 months when it usually stops. In some cases the process cannot be reversed and the woman may not regrow some of the hair that was lost.
The follicle is sensitive and it does respond to imbalances in the body. Most hair loses caused by disease or illness is temporary and resolves itself after the body has returned to its health.
Thyroid Disease
Both an overactive thyroid and underactive thyroid can cause hair loss. Can be diagnosed by your physician with lab tests. Hair loss associated with thyroid disease can be reversed with proper treatment.
High fever, severe infection, severe flu
Sometimes 1-3 months afer a high fever, severe infection, or flu, a person may experience hair loss, this is usually temporary and corrects itself.
Deficient diet
Some people on low proten diets, or have severely abnormal eating habits, may develop protein malnutrition. To help save protein the body shifts growing hair into the resting phase. If this happens massive amonts of hair shedding can occur 2-3 months later. A sign of this is if the hair can be pulled out by the roots fairly easily. This condition can be reversed and prevented by eating the proper amount of protein.
Medications
Some prescription drugs may cause temporary hair shedding in a small percentage of people.Example medication used for: gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems. high blood pressure or blood thinner. High doses of vitamin A may also cause hair shedding.
Cancer treatments
Chemotherapy and radiation treatment will cause hair loss because it stops hair cells from dividing. Hairs become thin and break off as they exit the scalp.The hair will regrow after treatment ends and some patients choose to get wigs before treatment. There are some drugs in development to help prevent this hair loss from occuring.
Low serum iron
Iron deficiency occasionally produces hair loss. Women who have heavy menstrual periods may develop iron deficiency. Low iron can be detected by lab test and corrected by taking iron pills.
Major surgery/chronic illness
Major operation- a tremendous shock to the system- may notice increased hair shedding within 2-3 months afterwards.This condition revrses itself within a few months but people woh have severe chronic illness may shed hair indefinitely. A relatively unknown fact is that hair transplantation surgery can actually cause additional hair loss or "shock fallout". Hairs lost form shock fallout usually don't regrow.
Alopecia Areata
Believed to be caused by the immune system reacting to hair folicles as if they were antibodies and shutting them down. Usually limited to a coin sized area and all the hair in the area is lost leaving a totally smooth round patch. In a more sever rarer condition called Alopecia Totalis, all hair on the entire body is lost, including the eyelashes. Treatments include topical medications, a special kind of light treatment or in some cases drugs.
Fungus Infection (Ringworm) of the scalp
Caused by fungus infection, ringworm( which has nothing to do wit worms) begins with small patches of scaling that can spred and result in broken hair, redness, swelling and even oozing. This contagious disease is most common in children and oral medication will cure it.
Stress
Can cause hair loss in some people. Usually 3 months after the stressful event has occured and it may take 3 months after the stress period has ended for the hair growth to resume. Temporary in most cases, if the person is not predisposed to genetic Androgenic Alopecia, if they are stress may trigger the onset of genetic hair loss or may worsen existing Androgenic hair loss.