Hair Loss - The Top 7 Causes and What You Can Do About It

Hair loss is always something people do not want to deal with. Perhaps seeing extra hair in the shower or on the brush is what alerted them to their hair loss. Or, maybe a friend or family member has made a comment as to how thin the individual's hair has become. Regardless of how it came to be noticed, hair loss means something. Here are a few things to look into regarding why hair loss happens and if there is something that can be done about it.

1. Medicines are often a large cause of hair loss. Such medicines as blood thinners, birth control pills, and antidepressants can cause hair loss. Chemotherapy drugs, gout drugs, and even high doses of vitamin A can cause it. To stop the hair loss, the drugs must be stopped. Usually normal hair growth will return at this point.

2. Hormones are a large cause of hair loss as well. Often this will be due to the over-activity or the under-activity of the thyroid gland. This creates an imbalance of such hormones as androgens and estrogens and leads to hair loss. Treatments for thyroid disease often fix this problem and hair loss stops.

3. Pregnancy. Often times, the levels of hormones in the pregnant women's body are so high that they do not allow the normal growth cycle of hair to continue. This means that during pregnancy, women lose less hair. About 3 months after pregnancy, though, many women experience high levels of hair loss that is just the hair that never fell out during pregnancy. Hair loss will soon stop and regular hair cycles will begin again.

4. Illness and Surgery. Often times, 3 or 4 months after a major illness or surgery, people will experience hair loss. This is due to the stress that the body was under. It is usually temporary.

5. Infection. Fungal infections of the scalp are also a cause of hair loss. Treatment here is antifungal medications. This is often found in children.

6. Underlying Disease. Diseases like lupus and diabetes often have early symptoms of hair loss. For this reason alone, individuals at a risk of these diseases should contact a doctor right away if they are losing hair.

7. Improper care can also lead to hair loss. People whose hair is pulled back tightly such as in pig tails and cornrows often experience hair loss. The hair will grow back if the pulling is released before scarring can occur. If scarring has occured, it may be permanent.

Lastly, male pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men. Unfortunately, it is hereditary. Men normally experience hair loss at the top of the head and develop a receding hair line.

About the author: John Howard runs an information website at Smart Hair Loss Choices. You can find up to date information on hair loss, its causes, and treatments at his website. © 2005 John Howard All Rights Reserved. This article may be published in web based or email form as long as this credit box is attached and the URL is active.