Primary Causes of Hair Loss

Hair loss is a common phenomenon. It is not limited to any particular race or culture; rather it is more of a universal problem. Mild hair loss is not that obnoxious, but excessive hair loss may require proper medical attention. There are various causes of hair loss and several factors may actually contribute to excessive hair loss. Let us explore some of them here in this article. nnHeredity Heredity factors can be a real cause of hair loss problem. The most common of all types of hair loss problems is Androgenetic alopecia, which refers to the predisposition of baldness. However, the role of heredity in hair loss is not simple. The genetic propensity along with the prevalence of androgen hormone and ageing plays the significant role in developing baldness. nnMajor Illness Major illnesses such as typhoid, malaria can result in excessive hair loss. If someone undergoes through chemotherapy, it results in tremendous hair loss, and in most of the cases, it is incurable also. Apart from that, surgical intervention can be considered as one of the major causes of hair loss. A temporary condition for hair loss may be induced due to stressors experienced at the time of illness. nnHormonal Dysfunction Dysfunctions associated with hormones may play major role in premature hair loss. Many of the important hormones are secreted from thyroid gland. Individuals having hyperactive or less active thyroid gland may experience hair loss problems. This type of hair loss problem can be solved with thyroid treatment. The imbalance occurred in sex hormones, androgens and estrogens, is believed to be one of the main causes of hair loss. Many women experience hair loss problems during pregnancy as well as prior and post delivery stages. It all occurs due to hormonal imbalance within the body system. nnMedication There are certain medicines that may promote hair loss. However, in most of the cases, this is temporary. When you stop taking particular medications promoting hair loss, the problem alleviates. Blood thinners or anticoagulants, gout medicines, chemotherapy, steroids, interferon, excessive amount of vitami A, birth control pills and antidepressants are the medications which are considered as the causes of hair loss. nnPsychological Factors Stress is a significant factor that promotes hair loss. Studies reveal if someone is not experiencing any apparent factors that may contribute to hair loss, but is undergoing through stress, he or she may experience hair loss problems. Essentially, stress is related to two types of hair loss problems – Telogen effluvium and Alopecia areata. Apart from that, psychological dysfunction may contribute to hair loss such as trichotillomania. nnInfection Different types of fungal infections can be the causes of hair loss. Especially in children, it is quite common to see hair loss problems due to fungal infection on the scalp area. However, this type of fungal infection can be treated using antifungal medications. nnInternal Health Hazards The diseases like lupus or diabetes may cause hair loss problems. In these cases, hair loss is considered as one of the early warning signs of the diseases. So if you are loosing your hair without any apparent reason, it is always advisable that you must not neglect the situation and immediately ask for guidance from expert health practitioners. nnImproper Hair Care Last but not the least, improper hair care can contribute to major hair loss, hence it can be considered as one of the main causes of hair loss. If you tie your wet hair or pull your hair with tight hair rollers, you may experience traction alopecia, a type of hair loss. If you stop pulling your hair before it is too late and prior developing any scar on the scalp area, it has the possibility that your hair may grow back naturally. However, if you develop scar, it has a high chance that you loss your hair on the scarred area forever. Chemical treatment associated with permanents, also known as ‘perms’, may cause to severe hair loss for some people, leading to experience scarring and inflammation on the affected areas.