Clinical Causes of Hair Loss

Men and women alike suffer from hair loss owing to lifestyles, health conditions, and hereditary and sometimes unidentified causes. Hair loss problems can affect one’s overall mental well-being, making people succumb to added distress. Even though hair loss is more prevalent in older persons, it can also affect children. As per dermatologists, it is quite normal to lose 100-200 hair strands per day, and it is barely visible with over a million hair on our scalps. This regular hair loss is a part of the hair cycle, and the lost strands are regained naturally. However, full-blown, evident hair loss resulting in balding areas on the scalp becomes a major cause of concern. Individuals suffering from such hair loss definitely want to understand the causes before looking for effective treatments.

In this blog, we present a dermatologist’s view of the clinical causes of hair loss. Read on.

New hair usually grows to replace the hair that has fallen out, but this does not always happen. Hair loss can occur gradually or suddenly, and hair loss can be permanent or transient.

It’s impossible to keep track of how much hair is lost on any given day. If you find clumps of hair in your brush or a considerable amount of hair in the drain after washing your hair, you may be losing more hair than is expected. You can also see bald spots or thinning hair.

If you notice you’re losing more hair than usual, you should speak to a doctor about it. They can figure out what’s causing your hair loss and make therapy recommendations.

One or more of the following factors are commonly linked to hair loss:

Family History or Genetic Hair Loss

An inherited disease that comes with ageing is considered one of the most common causes of hair loss. Androgenic alopecia, often known as male-pattern baldness or female-pattern baldness, is a condition that affects both genders. In men, it manifests as a receding hairline and bald spots, whereas in women, it manifests as thinning hair along the centre of the head.

Medical Conditions or Hormonal Hair Loss

When it comes to hormonal changes, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and thyroid disorders are just a few factors causing partial or total hair loss. Alopecia areata, an immune system ailment that causes patchy hair loss, scalp infections like ringworm, and trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder, are some examples of medical conditions that can cause hair loss too.

Medications

Certain medicines, such as those used to treat severe conditions like cancer, arthritis, depression, heart issues, gout, and high blood pressure, can cause hair loss as a prominent side effect.

Post Pregnancy Hair Loss

During pregnancy, almost all hair is maintained in the growing phase due to the surge of hormones in the body. When your hormone levels return to normal after childbirth, your hair makes up for the lost time by falling out in considerably larger clumps than usual. Your hair loss is probably not more than you would have lost during the previous nine months; it only appears that way because it’s all happening at once. Most post-natal women perceive it as sudden hair loss.

Post-pregnancy hair loss can begin as soon as your baby is born, and it can last for up to a year. It usually peaks around four months, so if your baby is a few months old and you’re still losing clumps of hair, it’s always advisable to see a doctor.

Stress Hair Loss

It’s common knowledge that hair loss is linked to emotional stress or anxiety. Between the stressful event or experience and your hair falling out, it usually takes around 3 months.

With stress, the body goes into a protective mode where essential functions are maintained and non-essential, like hair growth, are not prioritised. Hence in stressful periods, hair undergoes shock, and the hair cycle is affected, causing hair fall.

Once the stress is over, all body functions return to normal, allowing your hair growth to return to normal too.

Unless there is some underlying disease factor causing your hair loss, you may be able to regrow your hair after that period, provided there are no other factors.

Most hairs on your head are in what is known as the resting stage during this period. This does not imply that your hair follicles are dead or that your hair will eventually cease growing. After your stress levels have returned to normal, your hair growth and regrowth pattern should return to normal in a few months.

Treatments and Hairstyles

Frequent hairdressing or hairstyles that pull your hair tight, such as ponytails or braids, can lead to traction alopecia, a kind of hair loss where there is an injury to hair roots due to constant pulling. Warm/heat-based hair treatments, permanent straightening, permanent curling and formaldehyde-based treatments can also cause hair loss. Hair loss could be severe if scarring develops.

Treatment options and their effectiveness depend on the type of hair loss you are suffering from. In almost all cases, hair loss can be stopped, or the process can be paused – preventing further worsening with a thorough consultation and diagnosis with an experienced dermatologist or hair loss specialist.

Also, a few types of hair loss, such as alopecia areata (patchy alopecia) or telogen effluvium (seasonal shedding), may completely recover on their own.

It is always advisable to get your hair loss checked by a dermatologist to find the best possible and customised treatment.

Dermatologists or trichologists can treat baldness with medications. The following are the most prevalent choices:

Minoxidil

Many people find that minoxidil-containing products help them regrow their hair, decrease the rate of hair loss, or do both. Hair restoration and prevention of additional hair loss will take at least six months of treatment, and it could take a few months to see if the treatment is effective.

Finasteride

It’s a medication that you take once a day. Many men who use finasteride notice a reduction in hair loss, and others even notice new hair growth. It could take a few months to see if it works for you. To keep any benefits, you’ll need to keep taking it. Finasteride may not be as effective in males over the age of 60.

Other Medications

If an underlying disorder, like any hormonal imbalance, is the cause of your hair loss, you’ll need to seek therapy for that condition. In cases of any nutritional deficiencies leading to hair loss, your doctor will suggest dietary changes with supplementations.

If you or your child are experiencing recurrent hair loss and would like to seek treatment, consult a dermatologist. At HairMD, our experts facilitate a customised plan for patients to resolve their hair loss problems. Book your appointment today and enjoy healthy and beautiful looking hair!