Hair Loss / Alopecia

Hair loss is typically related to one or more of the following factors: 

• Family history (heredity): Age-related hair loss, clinically known as androgenic or male-/female-pattern alopecia, is the most frequent cause of baldness. This condition affects both genders in distinct but predictable patterns – male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness, respectively, manifest through a receding hairline for males to thinning along the scalp crown for females. Typically gradual in onset, this type of hereditary shedding can be difficult to manage once it has taken hold.

• Hormonal changes and medical conditions: Hormonal changes due to pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and thyroid problems can cause either permanent or temporary hair loss. 

• Alopecia areata (an immune system-related disorder resulting in patchy hair loss), scalp infections such as ringworm and trichotillomania – a condition causing one to pull out their own hair – may also be responsible for widespread baldness.

• Medications and supplements: Hair loss can be a detrimental effect of certain medications, including those used to treat cancer, arthritis, depression, cardiovascular issues, gout and hypertension. 

• Radiation therapy to the head: The hair may not grow back the same as it was before. 

• A very stressful event: Following sudden trauma such as an intense emotional shock or physical injury, many individuals have reported a considerable reduction in the amount of hair they have. Thankfully this kind of balding is only short-term. Nevertheless, certain hairstyles and treatments can end up causing long-lasting damage to your scalp – extreme hairstyling that pulls your hair tight, like pigtails or cornrows, may result in traction alopecia; absorbing hot oil for styling and chemical perms could also lead to permanent hair loss if scarring has been caused.

Male Pattern Hair Loss (MPHL): Male-pattern hair loss is often the most common cause of baldness in men, and it generally presents itself during your 40s or 50s; however, for some people, the process starts even earlier. Male-pattern alopecia can become increasingly apparent–often beginning as a receding hairline at the crown of your head. Indeed, by age 50, approximately half of white men have been exposed to signs like thinning scalp patches or full balding due to this condition.

Taking action early on can help reduce further hair loss and even cause some men to regrow the lost locks. Those who saw the best results with treatment began addressing their hair thinning soon after noticing it.

Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL): is a condition that millions of women suffer from and is the most widespread cause of hair loss among them. Usually beginning in middle age, around a woman’s 40s, 50s or 60s, some cases may start sooner than expected.

FPHL is not just a condition that causes hair loss but one in which the pattern of hair thinning gradually intensifies over time. You may notice your part getting wider or an obvious recession near your temples; if left untreated, it can lead to widespread thinning across the scalp. It’s important to note that FPHL is hereditary and triggered by hormones after menopause – so early detection and treatment are key for successful results! With timely intervention, you minimize further damage while having an opportunity to regrow lost strands – the earlier, the better.

If doctors are suspicious that the hair loss might be caused by an underlying health problem, a nutritional deficiency or hormonal irregularity, they may propose one or more blood tests.

• Iron Deficiency:  Insufficient iron quantities can majorly contribute to hair loss. An easy and reliable way for doctors to assess the quantity of stored iron in your body is by conducting a ferritin test, which measures the amount of protein present in one’s bloodstream.
  
  
• Thyroid Disease: Hair loss could be an indication of a thyroid disorder like hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid gland produces too many or too few hormones that aid in regulating metabolism. The exact correlation between hair loss and thyroid disease remains unknown; however, some studies suggest that certain hormones produced by the body due to these conditions may lead to the destruction of hair follicles.
  
  
• Androgen Excess: Women with a lack of volume in their hair and no signs of baldness may be dealing with an overabundance of hormones known as androgens, which includes testosterone. Symptoms that can point to an excess level include hair loss, patches of facial or chest/stomach growths, irregular menstrual cycles, and acne – all valid reasons for undergoing a blood test to measure the amount present in your system.