Reasons and triggering factors that cause hair loss

http://www.leimo-hairloss.co.uk



Hair loss is a natural part of the body’s process of renewal. As some hair falls out, new growth replaces it. However, this process may be accelerated by a number of conditions.

An average of 50-100 hair shafts can fall out on a daily basis, so it is not necessarily a worrying sign to see hairs falling out. However, you need to be alarmed when you lose more than a hundred hair shafts.There are various reasons and triggering factors that cause hair loss, let’s take a look at some of the most common causes of hair loss among men and women.

Hormones (DHT)

This is the most common cause of hair loss which affects both men and women all over the world. Men generally have hair loss concentrated in a specific pattern from the front through to the crown. Women tend to have thinning throughout their head without being in any specific pattern. DHT or dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is believed to be the cause of 95% of hair loss. It is a byproduct of 5 alpa reductase combined with testosterone. Some hair follicles are especially sensitive to DHT and they shrink; this is more likely to happen to follicles on top and front of the head.


Stress (Mental/Physical)

Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. Mental or physical stress can be one cause of temporary hair loss. Usually, stress-induced hair loss is visible after 2-3 weeks of the stressful event. The reason for this is that the hair follicles enter the Telogen phase prematurely, this causes them to stop growing new hairs and to shed hairs. Usually the hair loss will recover completely once the body is freed of stressful activities.

Drugs

The most common medications that cause hair loss are those used in chemotherapy especially for treating cancer. Most cancer medications are aimed to stop cell proliferation (spreading of the cells). The following are some drugs which may cause hair loss:


•lipid-lowering drugs (clofibrate, bezafibrate)•calcium antagonist (amlodipine) and inhibitors for blood pressure or heart failure (captopril, enalapril, lisinopril)•drugs for treating gout (allopurinol)•drugs which are treatments for stabilizing moods (lithium, valproic acid)•anti-cancer, anti-acne, anti-malarias and anti-thyroid drugs•epilepsy drugs (valproate sodium, vigabatrin)

Genetics

It is more than likely that if you have any relatives who are bald then this is likely to be a cause of hair loss in you. This can be inherited from either the father’s side or the mother’s side. Some people have a built-in trigger that causes the follicles to grow smaller and even shut down with age.

Aging

Hair loss increases likelihood with age. Studies showed that by the age of 35, 40% of men have noticeable hair loss; while by the age of 60, 65% of men suffer from hair loss. Also as we grow older, our hair tends to become thinner and finer giving more of an appearance of hair loss.


Menopause

Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when menstrual periods permanently stop, also called the “change of life.” Menopause symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, irregular vaginal bleeding, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, urinary incontinence, weight gain, and emotional symptoms such as mood swings. After the menopause, thinning of the hair is more pronounced; by the age of 50, more than 50% of women have thinning hair.

Malnutrition

The lack of nutrients in the diet can cause hair loss. Anemia (lack of iron) can cause hair thinning. Several other nutrients are also key factors in the production of healthy hair. This type of alopecia can easily be reversed by proper diet and taking vitamin supplements.

Childbirth

It is common for women to lose a great quantity of hair for some months after childbirth. This is a natural process and resolves completely in most cases.

Health & Medicine

Reasons and triggering factors that cause hair loss