There are several causes of hair loss in adults and children, from
hereditary hair loss or hair thinning, poor diet, hormonal imbalances,
side effect of medication and disease.
Below are many factors that can lead male pattern baldness, thinning hair in women, and hair loss in children.
- androgenic alopecia
- nutritional deficiency
- stress and anxiety
- poor diet
- diseases
The most common cause of hair loss in men and women is androgenic
alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness in men or hair thinning
in women. While the most common form of male pattern baldness is found
in the crown area of the head, women tend to suffer from thinning
hair. This is where the hair follicles go to sleep and stop producing hair. As hair falls out, it is not replaced with new healthy hair.
5 Causes of Hair Loss
Androgenic Alopecia
Androgenic
refers to the influence of androgens (male hormones), and genetic
predisposition to balding. While genetics, hereditary baldness or
thinning hair are likely indicators of your developing hair loss,
family history of balding is not always enough to predict that you will
experience male pattern baldness.
Men and women produce
androgenic hormones, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), androsteinedione, and
testosterone. For men, these hormones are produced the testicles and
adrenals. For women, the ovaries and adrenal glands are responsible
for the production of hormones that control hair growth. Exposure of
DHT to genetically susceptible hair follicles, can lead to male pattern
baldness or thinning hair, called ndrogenic alopecia. There is no exact
age when male pattern baldness begins, but it can start in males as
young as their late teens.
Nutrition Deficiency
Poor diet is one factor that can cause
hair loss. People with poor diets tend to eat foods high in trans
fats, cholesterol and sugar
that are devoid of sufficient levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals
and nutrients that sustains and nourished the hair and hair follicle.
Poor nutrition can damage hair and hair follicles, or prevents
efficient blood flow from nourishing cells in the scalp.
If the
follicle “goes to sleep” or becomes blocked, this can lead to hair loss
in men or thinning hair in women. With the growing epidemic of obesity in children
and adults, the lack of nutrition is leading to damaged or thinning
hair at any age that can eventually lead to hair loss in men, women and
children.
Stress and Hair Loss
If you are wondering if stress can cause hair loss. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic,
says yes stress can cause hair loss. Stress itself does not cause
hair loss, but rather contributes hormonal changes or disorders that
result in hair loss. Stress can lead to Alopecia areata, which is a condition where the white blood cells attach healthy hair follicles, causing the hair to fall out
It may start as a spot of thinning hair, and can progress to noticeable
bald patches on the scalp. Another form of stress-induced hair loss
is Telogen effluvium. In this condition, stress
causes the hair follicles to go into a resting period, and the hair may
begin to fall out in clumps when washing or combing your hair. A third
form of stress related hair loss is a psychological disorder called
Trichotillomania, in which the person can’t stop pulling hair out of
their head, eyebrows, eyelids or other parts of their body.
Medical Conditions that Cause Hair Loss
There are several
medical conditions that can cause hair loss. This includes stress,
anxiety, thyroid disease, low testosterone, diabetes
and diseases. People with liver disease, kidney disease and lupus can
cause hair loss in men and women. Adult women and teen girls can have
hair loss due to a hormone imbalance called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
Prescription medication come with side effects. Some medications for
depression, acne, pregnancy and hormonal imbalance can cause hair
loss. This is called drug induced hair loss,
referred to as Telogen effluvium or Anagen effluvium, depending on the
stage of the hair growth cycle the hair loss occurs. One of the most
destructive medications can cause hair loss is chemotherapy, which is
used for the treatment of cancer. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune
disease that can lead to hair loss on the scalp and sometimes on the
body. With this condition, the immune system actually damages the hair follicles. Alopecia areata can start as small bald patches and can progress to total baldness.
Trichotillomania and Hair Loss
Trichotillomania is a
psychological impulse disorder in which a person pulls his/her own hair
out. The most common areas for hair pulling are the scalp, eyelashes,
and eyebrows. A person with trichotillomania cannot control or resist
the urge to pull out his or her body hair. symptoms of
Trichotillomania that might occur with this disorder include:
- A sense of tension before pulling hair or when trying to resist the urge to pull hair
- A feeling of relief, satisfaction, and/or pleasure after acting on the impulse to pull hair
- Presence of bare patches where the hair has been pulled out
- Presence of other associated behaviors such as inspecting the hair root, twirling the hair, pulling the hair between the teeth, chewing on the hair, or eating hair (called trichophagia)
In children, this disorder affects both males and females. In adults,
this condition is more prevalent in women than men. People may wear
hats, scarves or wigs to hide the bald spots where hair has been pulled
out. The causes of Trichotillomania are not fully understood, but it
is believed to be causes by biological and behavioral factors. A
doctor who suspects his patient has this disorder will generally refer
the patient to psychologist, psychiatrist or other medical professional
specially trained to diagnose and treat this type of impulse disorder.
How to Treat Hair Loss
Accept in cases where hair loss is
due to chemotherapy or a medical condition causing a patient to pull or
cut their hair, doctors will prescribe a hair loss treatment
that will help regrow hair. Please consult your physician or
pediatrician if the hair loss patient is a child, or you suspect a
medical disorder that is causing hair loss.
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