What Causes Hair Loss

What Causes Hair Loss?

Hair loss impacts millions of men and women of all ages. Excessive shedding can be frustrating and impact self-confidence. What causes hair loss?This post explores the various factors behind thinning hair and excessive daily shed.

Genetics and Pattern Hair Loss

The leading cause of hair loss stems from heredity. Male and female pattern baldness runs in families. It develops after puberty due to hormones and genes.

Male Pattern Baldness
Testosterone converts to DHT, which attacks hair follicles. DHT causes follicles to shrink, drastically shortening the growth phase. What causes hair loss?Hair strands become microscopically fine before falling out.

Female Pattern Hair Loss
High androgen levels disrupt the hair growth cycle. Excess shedding starts with a widening part line. Over time, the middle scalp progressively thins in a diffuse pattern.

Pattern hair loss is progressive and gets worse over time without intervention. Medications like minoxidil and finasteride help slow it and regrow hair.

Hormonal Fluctuations

Shifting hormones account for other major hair shedding triggers apart from genetic pattern loss.What causes hair loss? Excessive daily shed and thinning often accompanies hormonal imbalances or changes.

Pregnancy/Postpartum
Estrogen fluctuations during and after pregnancy cause major hair cycle disruptions. Increased shedding begins two to four months postpartum as hair cycles reset.

Menopause
Declining reproductive hormones prompt diffuse thinning in many women. Follicles shrink from shifting estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels.

Thyroid Disorders
Hypothyroidism often produces dry, brittle hair prone to excess shed. Hyperthyroidism initiates a resting hair phase, prompting thinning.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
High androgen levels disrupt hair growth cycles, resulting in thinning and excess shedding.

Other Hormonal Conditions
Adrenal disorders, pituitary tumors, anorexia, and ovarian issues also impact hair density due to hormonal disruptions.

Treating the underlying hormonal imbalance often sees hair regain its full volume and thickness over time.

Stress and Hair Cycles

Physical and emotional stress taxes the body, causing hair to prematurely enter a shedding phase known as telogen effluvium. Handfuls of hair may slough off with brushing or shampooing.

Surgery, illnesses, trauma, emotional upheavals, and major life stressors create metabolic disturbances. This shock triggers hair follicles to push into the resting state simultaneously.

About three months after the initial incident, heavy shedding occurs as those resting strands fall out. Thankfully, telogen effluvium is temporary if stress resolves. Hair growth cycles normalize within 6-12 months.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Hair follicles consist of the body’s hungriest cellular units. They require ample protein, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids to operate optimally. Nutritional insufficiencies prompt excessive shed.

Iron Deficiency
Low iron depletes red blood cell counts and obstructs oxygen supply to hair follicles. Strands rapidly thin and shed as a result.

Protein Insufficiency
Hair strands consist of nearly all protein. Without sufficient amino acids like keratin and collagen precursors, hair struggles to regrow.

Vitamin Deficiencies
Lack of vitamins C, D, zinc, biotin, riboflavin, and others interrupts hair growth cycles and follicle production.

Eating Disorders
Caloric restriction, bingeing/purging behaviors, and nutrient deprivation stemming from eating disorders frequently trigger hair shedding.

Proper supplementation and restoring nutritional balances prompts regrowth over several months.

Medications

Certain medications deplete vitamin and mineral reserves key for hair creation. Others initiate excessive shedding after starting or stopping suddenly:

Blood Thinners/Blood Pressure Drugs
Anticoagulants like warfarin and heparin block nutrients required for new growth.

Antidepressants
Drugs like Prozac may prompt shedding upon starting or stopping dosages.

Acne Medications
Compounds like isotretinoin deplete vitamin A, triggering hair cycle disruptions.

Chemotherapy
Cell-attacking chemo drugs kill off rapidly dividing hair follicles, causing dramatic shed.

Thyroid Medications
Correcting thyroid function via medication may initially prompt thinning before regrowth starts.

Medical Conditions

Illnesses and diseases stemming from hormonal and autoimmune disruptions influence hair’s growth cycles in various ways.

Thyroid Disorders
Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism lead to significant hair shedding and thinning.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Excess androgens from PCOS cause female pattern hair loss.

Lupus
In this autoimmune disease, antibodies mistake hair follicles for threats and attack them.

Diabetes
Persistent blood sugar spikes stress and damage hair follicles. The result is thinning hair over time.

Treating the underlying condition and restoring systemic balances naturally revives hair growth patterns for regrowth.

Hairstyling Behaviors

Harsh hairstyling habits create physical trauma that obstructs healthy hair cycles and prompts excess shedding.

Tight Hairstyles
Chronic tension from tight braids, ponytails, buns, and extensions incites gradual traction hair loss.

Excessive Heat Styling
Intense heat from blow dryers, flat irons, curling wands saps hair’s moisture and elasticity, increasing breakage.

Overprocessing Hair
Chemicals in dyes, bleaches, perms, relaxers, and keratin treatments damage strands and follicles.

Aggressive Brushing
Detangling too forcefully snaps strands and traumatizes follicles.

Less abrasive styling and avoiding unnecessary chemical/heat exposure keeps hair and follicles healthy.

Hair Aging

As people age, lengthened telogen (resting) cycles and miniaturization of follicles sets in. This slows growth with each passing decade.

By age 50, over 50% of adults see noticeable degrees of hair thinning from this natural aging process. Hair density and shaft diameters diminish while shedding increases.

Genetics ultimately influence the extent of age-related hair loss per individual. However, balanced nutrition and gentle grooming minimize exacerbations.

Dealing With Excessive Shedding

First, identify the primary trigger for thinning hair. Work to resolve any underlying hormonal imbalances, deficiencies, medical conditions or lifestyle factors linked to shedding.

Washing and styling gently reduces physical hair trauma. Using volumizing shampoos, conditioners and styling products enhances visible thickness too.

Consider medications for hereditary or hormonal hair loss if appropriate. Minoxidil prompts regrowth for many. Finasteride blocks DHT for male pattern baldness.

With patience and consistency in managing the root cause, many cases of excessive shedding and thinning significantly improve or even fully reverse over time. Don’t lose hope in reviving lush, fuller hair.

In conclusion, hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors. These include genetics, hormonal changes, certain medications, poor nutrition, stress, and underlying medical conditions. It is important to identify the root cause of hair loss in order to address it effectively.

Consulting with a healthcare professional or dermatologist can help determine the cause and guide you towards the appropriate treatment options. Taking care of your overall health, maintaining a balanced diet, managing stress levels, and using gentle hair care practices can also contribute to promoting healthy hair growth and preventing excessive hair loss.