Losing a lot of hair can be caused by disease, medicines, inherited factors, stress, aging, or injury. Genetics is the most common cause of hair loss. You inherit the tendency to lose hair from one or both of your parents. This is called female-pattern hair loss or male-pattern hair loss.
Androgenetic alopecia is the medical term used for this type of hair loss. In this type of hair loss, the growth of your hair is affected by your genes. Genes trigger a sensitivity of hormones called androgens, including testosterone, which causes shrink of hair follicles. The openings that hair grows from are called hair follicles.
Shrinking follicles produce thinner hair and over time none at all. Generally, men develop bald spots on the top of the head or the forehead area, while women usually have thinner hair on the top of the head. About half of all people in the world have inherited hair loss from their parents.
Hair loss can occur as shedding, in which clumps of hair fall out, or as thinning, in which you may not notice hair falling out. Inherited hair loss, better known as androgenetic alopecia, is the most common type of hair loss. Men tend to lose hair on top of the head and on the front of forehead and hairline.
Over time, only hair around the sides, ears, and the back of the head remains. Women who suffer from this condition usually have gradual thinning throughout the scalp, but this mostly happens on the top of the head. Other causes of hair loss may have distinct patterns.
Conditions such as alopecia areata, in which our immune system attacks hair follicles, or trichotillomania, compulsive pulling of hair, result in obvious patches of hair loss. In addition, some medicines and stress result in clumps of hair falling out. Hair loss can result in feeling unattractive and loss of self-esteem, since hair is an important part of our appearance, especially in women and teens.
What increases your risk
Factors which increase risks of hair loss are:
1. Illness or disease. Certain illness or diseases can cause hair loss. The illness may include high fever or a severe infection. The diseases may include thyroid diseases such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, lupus, or ringworm of the scalp, known as tinea capitis.
2. Genetics. It is likely that you will lose hair if one or both of your parent have.
3. Hair care and styling. Some hair styles or hair care can damage you hair and cause hair loss.
4. Medicines and medical treatments. Some medical treatments or medicines can cause scalp problems and hair loss.
5. Age. A lot of people have some hair loss before they turn age of 50.
Hair loss which is caused by stress, lack of protein or iron, medicines, or hair care may be prevented. You may prevent or reduce hair loss if you reduce stress, avoid certain medicines, get adequate iron and protein in you diet, and use hairstyles which won’t damage your hair.
However, inherited hair loss or androgenetic alopecia cannot be prevented. Early
treatment is the only way to accomplish prevention. Also, keep in mind that sometime what you think may be hair loss is in reality just hair breakage which is caused from overuse of curling irons, dyes, styling products and hair dryers.
Treatment of the illness is the best treatment for you hair loss, if your hair loss is caused by an illness. There are many different therapies to stop hair loss and regrow hair, but you should talk about this with your physician to decide which one is for you.
Treatment options are wigs and hairpieces, grooming techniques, surgery, and medications. Styling and washing the hair won’t cause additional hair loss. In case of more severe hair loss, hairpieces and wigs can provide great results if you’re willing to try them.