What causes hair loss aside from genetics?

July 30, 2009 Dr. Mike 21 comments

causes hair loss none

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Written by twocrafty65 about 3 years ago.

Hair Loss and Its Causes
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What is the normal cycle of hair growth and loss?
The normal cycle of hair growth lasts for 2 to 6 years. Each hair grows approximately 1 centimeter (less than half an inch) per month during this phase. About 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is growing at any one time. About 10 percent of the hair on your scalp, at any one time, is in a resting phase. After 2 to 3 months, the resting hair falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place.

It is normal to shed some hair each day as part of this cycle. However, some people may experience excessive (more than normal) hair loss. Hair loss of this type can affect men, women and children.

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What causes excessive hair loss?
A number of things can cause excessive hair loss. For example, about 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary.

Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. If your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, your hair may fall out. This hair loss usually can be helped by treatment thyroid disease. Hair loss may occur if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance. Correcting the hormone imbalance may stop your hair loss.

Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after they’ve had a baby. This loss is also related to hormones. During pregnancy, high levels of certain 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 cycle of growth and loss starts again.

Some medicines can cause hair loss. This type of hair loss improves when you stop taking the medicine. Medicines that can cause hair loss include blood thinners (also called anticoagulants), medicines used for gout, medicines used in chemotherapy to treat cancer, vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills and antidepressants.

Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children. The infection is easily treated with antifungal medicines.

Finally, hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes. Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important to find the cause so that it can be treated.

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Can improper care of my hair cause hair loss?
Yes. If you wear pigtails or cornrows or use tight hair rollers, the pull on your hair can cause a type of hair loss called traction alopecia (say: al-oh-pee-sha). If the pulling is stopped before scarring of the scalp develops, your hair will grow back normally. However, scarring can cause permanent hair loss. Hot oil hair treatments or chemicals used in permanents (also called "perms") may cause inflammation (swelling) of the hair follicle, which can result in scarring and hair loss.
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What is common baldness?
The term "common baldness" usually means male-pattern baldness, or permanent-pattern baldness. Male-pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men. Men who have this type of hair loss usually have inherited the trait. Men who start losing their hair at an early age tend to develop more extensive baldness. In male-pattern baldness, hair loss typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on the top of the head.

Women may develop female-pattern baldness. In this form of hair loss, the hair becomes thin over the entire scalp.

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Can my doctor do something to stop hair loss?
Perhaps. Your doctor will probably ask you some questions about your diet, any medicines you’re taking, whether you’ve had a recent illness and how you take care of your hair. If you’re a woman, your doctor may ask questions about your menstrual cycle, pregnancies and menopause. Your doctor may want to do a physical exam to look for other causes of hair loss. Finally, blood tests or a biopsy (taking a small sample of cells to examine under a microscope) of your scalp may be needed.

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Is there any treatment for hair loss?
Depending on your type of hair loss, treatments are available. If a medicine is causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different medicine. Recognizing and treating an infection may help stop the hair loss. Correcting a hormone imbalance may prevent further hair loss.

Medicines may also help slow or prevent the development of common baldness. One medicine, minoxidil (brand name: Rogaine), is available without a prescription. It is applied to the scalp. Both men and women can use it. Another medicine, finasteride (brand name: Propecia) is available with a prescription. It comes in pills and is only for men. It may take up to 6 months before you can tell if one of these medicines is working.

If adequate treatment is not available for your type of hair loss, you may consider trying different hairstyles or wigs, hairpieces, hair weaves or artificial hair replacement.

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Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.

Source
American Academy of Family Physicians
Written by Trish about 3 years ago.

STRESS
Written by minnie about 3 years ago.

pulling it and cancer
Written by xoitfa about 3 years ago.

lack of iorn
Written by ***HDK*** about 3 years ago.

ageing
Written by The NutGobbler Shops @ Goodwill about 3 years ago.

First answer is correct! Stress causes hair loss, and also not taking very good care of your hair.
Written by chao w about 3 years ago.

cigarettes and stress
Written by Bud's Girl about 3 years ago.

Stress, medications the person is on, over-processing the hair.
Written by alison about 3 years ago.

Vitamin B deficiency.
Written by djkay about 3 years ago.

Stress and certain medications, such as blood thinners.
Also seborrea, excess oil production in the scalp prevents hair from growing and facilitates the lost of hair.
Written by ROOR about 3 years ago.

Wearing hats
Written by Ana E about 3 years ago.

too much dammage from Ironing, Blow drying, or over exposure from the sun
Written by truthseeker about 3 years ago.

stress
after pregnancy, the change in hormones will cause hair to fall out
malnutrition
some people actually pull out their own hair
Written by cmr about 3 years ago.

stress, hormonal changes, allergies ……….
Written by jemba about 3 years ago.

stress causes hair loss and lots of things like stress ages you …and make your imune system low or whatever…
Written by whiz about 3 years ago.

u can loose hair if u r under alot of stress, and u can loose your hair if u gots cancer
Written by January Baby about 3 years ago.

Too much heat, not washing it enough, combing it throughout the day, using the wring hair products, and brushing/combing it too hard. Also, from stress, bad nerves, or any kind of disease that causes hair loss such as lupus…
Written by justbeingher about 3 years ago.

The breakdown of testosterone in the system. It is toxic to hair follicles and kills them over time.
Written by abbs about 3 years ago.

stress and your diet they things you eat. Also if you do not have all the vitamins your body needs.
Written by Ciarlene about 3 years ago.

Hair loss can come from poor care and/or old age. If you clean and take good care of your hair (like not putting LAYERS of gel or spray or whatever product in your hair,) it should be nice and "firm."
Written by Ryan C about 3 years ago.

What really causes hair loss is a hormone called DHT. It latches on to the hair follicles and I guess you could say it kills it. Propecia and Rogaine help fight this. The other main factors include stress and a poor diet. If you are any other medication, this could cause hair loss as well.

Here is a place you can go and get some information.

http://www.hairlossspecialist.com

I hope that this helps