WHY HAIR LOSS?

What is the most common cause of hair loss?

In 95 percent of all hair loss cases, the most common hair loss cause is due to an inherited baldness known as androgenic alopecia. Over 66 percent of men and over 20 percent of women experience this type of hair loss called “male-pattern baldness” or “female-pattern baldness.” 

Taking the numbers further, more than 30 million women in the United States suffer hair loss thinning hair or baldness in some form.  One in five women suffer from female hair loss.  The 1999 survey by AC Nielsen in Singapore showed that hair loss affects  21 percent of women.  Despite hair loss research efforts, to date, hair loss cause still remain in question. 

What is Telogen effluvium?

Telogen effluvium is a common type of hair loss caused when a large percentage of scalp hair are shifted into "shedding" phase and later the re-growth stage occurs.  Stress such as chemotherapy causes a hair loss.  Cosmetic alternatives, such as hair replacements or wigs, can help conceal female hair loss with great success! 

What medical & health conditions cause hair loss?

In addition to male pattern baldness, excessive hair fall could also result from: alopecia areata or other medical conditions, crash dieting, damaging hair care practice, hormonal changes or thyroid abnormalities, serious illness, and severe emotional stress.  Read discussion on men's health & hair loss or women's health & hair loss for more in-depth information.

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According to doctors research, the following causes are attributed to hair loss in man and woman:

• Androgens and estrogens imbalance may cause baldness thinning hair in women.
• Hormone glands over or under activity may cause hair loss such as in Thyroid disease.
• The use of steroids may accelerate the effects of testosterone on men's baldness.
• Medication may contribute to the question of "hair loss, why me?"
• Disease may cause hair loss such as scalp disease or as a by product of a disease such as or ovarian tumors or auto immune disease such as Lupus.
• Hair loss due to trauma, physical or emotional including surgical procedures burns, scarring from accidents and severe emotional stress.  Telogen effluvium is a common condition where hair loss is sudden, usually traced to some sort of stress on your system.  In most cases it is a temporary telogen effluvium, where hair will grow back after the stress subsides. 
• Improper hair care is a factor in hair lost.
• Severe weight loss due to crash dieting, bulimia, protein deficiency, essential fatty acid or zinc deficiency, low levels of iron and the amino acid L-lysine may effect hair loss.

Where to find a doctor or health care provider?

Did you know...  If you see sudden male hair loss, you should first check with your family doctor or internist.  A dermatologist will treat skin infections that cause hair loss.  It may be necessary for you to see an endocrinologist for hormone imbalances, namely androgens. A doctor can offer medical treatment to improve the hair loss condition.

If an excessive hair loss is noticed, it is important to seek a doctor's medical advice early to check on a possible cause for the individual hair loss.  Correct diagnostic taking corrective adverse events on hair loss are especially critical at the onset of hair loss symptoms to prevent scarring and large balding areas from being a permanent damage.  Female hair loss page goes in-dept on the importance of seeking a doctor’s help and properly evaluated on the onset of hair loss in women.  Male hair loss page deals with hair loss in men.