Loosing Hair - Reasons and Solutions

It is normal to shed a certain amount of hair every day. If hair falls out in more significant amounts than usual, it can cause distress and worry. A doctor will want to explore these before recommending the appropriate treatment.

1. Androgenetic alopecia

Androgenetic alopecia is another term for male or female pattern baldness. It is a very common cause of hair loss. Male tend to lose hair from the temples and crown of the head whereas, in females, hair usually becomes thinner all over the head.

2. Pregnancy

Some women may experience excessive hair loss shortly after giving birth. This is due to a decrease in estrogen levels. This type of hair loss is a temporary condition and usually resolves itself within a year or sooner.

3. Anagen effluvium

Anagen effluvium causes large amounts of hair to fall out rapidly during the anagen (growth) phase of the hair cycle. The condition may cause hair to fall out from the head, as well as from other parts of the body, including the eyebrows and eyelashes.

4. Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that causes hair to suddenly fall out. The immune system attacks the hair follicles, along with other healthy parts of the body. Hair may fall out in small patches on the scalp, or it may affect the entire scalp as well as eyebrows and eyelashes; may fall out in small chunks.

5. Medications

Certain medicines have side effects that can cause hair to fall out. Examples of medicines that can cause hair loss include blood thinners such as Warfarin, retinoids used to treat acne, beta-blockers, antidepressants including Prozac and Zoloft, and cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as Lopid.

6. Nutritional deficiencies

Nutritional deficiencies can cause hair to fall out. Extreme diets that are too low in protein and certain vitamins, such as iron, can sometimes cause excessive hair loss.

7. Ringworm

Ringworm is a fungal infection that can affect the scalp, or more capitis, can cause temporary bald areas on the head. Symptoms include a small spot that keeps growing, causing scaly, bald patches of skin, brittle hair that breaks easily, and ring-like patches, with a red outside and the inside of the circle matching the skin tone.