Determine the Culprits behind your Hair Loss

Hair is important to many of us. It is so important that people would be willing to pay anything for its maintenance, which is why the beauty and medical industries have earned billions of dollars from shampoos, treatments, and all other hair care products and services. Losing one’s hair can be devastating, especially if you have been taking good care of it. It makes you question whether you did something wrong or it makes you blame a parent for passing it down to you.

Some might scoff and say that hair loss is not a disease; it is simply something that happens to some people. However, they do not take into consideration that a disease might be the cause of hair loss, or that it can be depressing to experience it. But what is hair and how exactly does it grow? A good understanding of it will help you zero in on the reasons behind your hair loss problem.

The human body produces hair because it needs to protect the scalp from sunburn, keep your head warm during the cold season, and provide the skull some natural cushioning. It is actually a lot like your nails and is a part of the skin. On average, the human head has about a hundred thousand hair follicles, which you can simply describe as your hair factory.

There are three phases of a hair follicle, the first of which is the anagen phase, which is the stage when active hair growth takes place. This lasts for approximately three years. The second phase is the catagen phase, and it is a time when the hair follicle is no longer producing hair. It usually lasts for 14 to 21 days.

The third phase is called the telogen phase, and this is when the root of the hair starts to dislodge from the follicle and then falls off. On average, hair grows half an inch per month and can grow from 1 and 1/2 to 3 feet before it starts to fall out.

Hair loss becomes a problem when the anagen phase lasts for a shorter length of time than before. The pattern of hair loss may be different in men as compared to women. Usually, men experience a thinning on the crown, with the sides of the head still retaining more volume.

As for women, hair thinning takes place all over the head; this is why most women do not notice that they are actually losing a lot of hair until they actually check in the mirror or the moment they realize their ponytail is getting thinner. 

There are five main reasons why hair loss occurs:

Reason 1: Your Genes

Statistics show that 98 percent of men who have male pattern baldness have naturally acquired it from their ancestors. As for women, it was close to 50 percent. Most men who have inherited their baldness would usually notice it at around the age of 30.

Reason 2: Your Habits

If you constantly wear a hair turban, tie your hair up in a tight ponytail or braid or use strong chemicals on your hair regularly, you are aggravating the hair follicles and cause hair breakage. Trichotillomania, which is an obsessive compulsive disorder, is when a person cannot help but pull his or her hair out. If left untreated, it could lead to traction alopecia, which will scar the scalp and cause permanent hair loss.

Reason 3: Hormones and/or Diseases

Hormonal fluctuations and diseases are common triggers of hair loss.  

For instance, if you notice that your bald spots are circular, you have alopecia areata, sometimes called spot baldness, which is an autoimmune disease. In severe cases, it can lead to complete hair loss, not just on the head but all over the body.
Another type of hair loss that is caused by illness (from high fever to cancer) or hormonal changes (such as from childbirth) is called telogen effluvium. It can also be caused by medication, postsurgery and anesthesia, and stress. This is when most of the hair follicles enter the telogen phase at once.Tinea capitis, which is a fungal infection that settles on the scalp, also causes hair loss. You will know that you have it when you have dandruff, a scaly scalp or blisters.
Thyroid problems such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism will also cause hair loss, possibly due to the hormonal changes in the body because of these autoimmune diseases.
Other diseases that trigger hair loss are psoriasis, diabetes, anemia, and malnutrition (sometimes due to bulimia and anorexia).  
Look into Nutrition for Healthy Hair Growth

Reason 4: Medication

If you are taking any of the medicines in the list below, your hair is more likely to shed faster.
Acne medications
Anti-depressives
Anti-inflammatory drugs
Blood thinners
Beta blockers
Birth control pills
Gout medications
Ulcer medications
Cholesterol-lowering drugs
Seizure medications

Reason 5: Stress

While small level of stress alone does not cause a significant amount of hair loss, it can worsen genetically predisposed hair loss. Chronic stress, however, is a different story and does lead to telogen effluvium.

Oftentimes, the reason for losing one’s hair is a combination of different factors. 

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