The Many Causes of Hair Loss in Men and Women

While Alopecia or male pattern baldness is the most common form of hair loss, think Prince William, Billy Corgan or Hugh Laurie, it is certainly not the only culprit behind hair loss and whether you hide it, regrow it or embrace and love it it’s always good to know what it is you are dealing with and while hair loss has traditionally been thought of as a male problem it is becoming more and more common in women as well. Here are some of the most common causes behind hair loss.

Stress

While usually only temporary, excessive stress due to illness, finances, work or family can interrupt your hairs natural growth cycle. Called telogen effluvium, the stress can cause large areas of hair to go into a resting phase and eventually fall out. Don’t worry though once the stress goes away the hair will usually grow back.

Poor Nutrition

Your diet doesn’t just affect your health it affects your hair growth as well. People who suffer from anorexia or excessive dieting can experience significant thinning of their hair because the body is not getting enough nutrients and protein for proper hair growth. This hair loss is usually reversible once a proper diet is maintained.

Medication

Certain types of medications can have a negative effect on hair growth. Chemotherapy is the biggest contributor buy far but certain types of birth control to blood thinners have also been known to cause baldness. Usually this type of hair loss is reversible once you stop taking the medication.

Androgenetic Alopecia

While usually referred to as male pattern baldness, this can affect both men and women and is the leading cause of hair loss in men. Caused by hormones and genetic factors baldness occurs when over time the hair follicle shrinks producing smaller and thinner hair until it stop producing hair altogether.

Excessive Hair Styling

Also called alopecia hair loss can occur when hair is over exposed to harsh chemical or excessive pulling. Damage from flat irons or hair dyes is usually reversible but if the hair follicle becomes damaged the effects can be permanent.

Trichotillomania

This is a mental disorder in which people pull out their own hair during times of stress or emotional upheaval. It is a type of impulse control disorder that causes people to continue to pull and twist their own hair even after it starts to thin and fall out. It affects about 4% of the population and is four times more common in women than in men.

While there are many treatments for hair loss; everything from transplants to wigs to medication there are also many who decide to wear their hair loss proudly just look at some of our most famous celebrity men.