Most Common Causes of Hair Loss
Androgenetic alopecia: Also called male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness, this is far and away the most common cause of hair loss, affecting 50 million men and 30 million women in America. Although more common in men, it occurs in women as well, and tends to follow different patterns for each gender. For men, it can start as early as the teens, and usually follows a distinct pattern of hair loss. Meanwhile, with women it usually starts after menopause and occurs in an overall thinning of the hair, instead of pattern of receding hairline. Although it’s believed that androgenetic alopecia is strongly linked to hormones and genetics, we still don’t have a lot of information about the exact process and how to reverse it. Fortunately, there are treatments that can restore lost hair, slow hair loss, and even encourage new growth.
Telogen Effluvium: Triggered by trauma or extreme stress, this hair loss can happen in clumps at a time and be really scary for individuals. It can be triggered by childbirth, sudden extreme weight loss, surgery, or death in the family. This occurs between 3 and 6 months after the actual event, when something in your body signals the hair to shed instead of grow. The good news is, this condition is usually temporary, and can be recovered from and avoided if those stressful and traumatic events are also avoided in the future.
Alopecia Areata: This condition is believed to be an autoimmune disease, much like rheumatoid arthritis. In this case, though, instead of recognizing the joints as a foreign body and threat and attacking those, the immune system goes after hair follicles. About 2 in 100 people experience it, and it’s manifest by very specific, circular patches of hair loss. Sometimes it’s temporary and can be recovered from. Other times, it leads to complete baldness. This affects men, women, and children too.
Medications: Some medications, especially those that interrupt or alter our normal hormone balance, can cause hair loss. Medication for cancer, arthritis, depression can all cause hair loss, as can birth control, pregnancy, and menopause treatments.
Traction Alopecia: This type of hair loss is caused by direct damage to the hair follicles. Usually, it’s due to extremely tight hairstyles that can cause damage to the hair follicles, such as cornrows, extensions, and tight ponytails, or even extremely heavy hair and hair accessories that cause hairs to pull far too tight. It can be halted and recovered from if the stress on the hair is lightened, but in some cases it causes scarring that makes it hard for hair to grow back.
Since, for the most part, hair loss patterns are dictated by hormones and genetics, it can be frustrating and feel hopeless. However, there are solutions! Contact us for a consultation today, where we’ll meet with you to determine a personalized care plan. Click here for more information about hair loss causes and procedures that can restore hair and halt hair loss.
