Understanding Why You Have Hair Loss

Your hair has a normal pattern of growth that lasts for approximately 2 to 6 years. Each individual hair on your head grows approximately 1 centimeter (cm) each month during this growth period. Not...

Your hair has a normal pattern of growth that lasts for approximately 2 to 6 years. Each individual hair on your head grows approximately 1 centimeter (cm) each month during this growth period. Not all of the hair on your head is in a “growth period”. Some hairs are in a “resting period”. After resting for about 2 to 3 months the resting hair falls out. This is why when your hair is healthy you still experience loss of hair, which can be observed on your hairbrush or in the shower drain. You can see this normal hair loss on a daily basis and have it be a normal occurrence. However excessive hair loss can occur in children, teens, men and women. It is difficult to understand why you may have hair loss and not others around you. This article should help you to better understand the causes for unusual hair loss.

There are many possible causes for hair loss including stresses such as a physical injury or major trauma such as surgery; hormonal problems can also cause hair loss such as an overactive or under active thyroid. Another hormonal-connected hair loss scenario is when a woman is 3 months postpartum and notices gobs of hair in her hairbrush. This is due to hormones in her body that during pregnancy suppressed the resting and falling out part of the cycle and now that the baby has been born and hormones are back to non-pregnant levels the cycle is back to normal and the hair that should have fallen out is now falling out all at once, giving the impression that you are having a hair loss problem when in reality it is just the hair that did not fall out during your pregnancy finally releasing from your scalp and falling out. Certain medications can also cause hair loss such as anticoagulants (blood thinners), medications used in the treatment of gout, and those used in chemotherapy. Sometimes birth control pills or antidepressants can have hair loss as a side effect and some individuals who take too much vitamin A can experience hair loss.

Infections such as fungal infections can cause hair loss especially in children. There are also certain diseases in which individuals who have these diseases may experience hair loss such as those suffering from diabetes or lupus.

There is a type of hair loss called, traction alopecia, which is caused by wearing pigtails, cornrows, or hair rollers too tight in your hair. The pulling on the hair can cause scarring and possible permanent hair loss.

Your doctor can help you to understand why you have hair loss by examining your scalp, and finding out what kind of diet you have had lately as well as if any medications you may have been taking may have contributed to your hair loss. If you are female, your doctor will ask about your menstrual cycle, any pregnancies you have had and if you are in menopause or not because the answers to these inquiries can give possible clues as to why you may be experiencing hair loss.

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