What Causes Hair Loss?

The entire month of August is dedicated to hair loss awareness and highlights the need for us to be talking more about hair and the impact hair loss can have in our lives. Losing your hair can be an emotional struggle. It can affect the well-being of both men and women and can happen for a variety of reasons.  There are many factors that can cause hair loss.  Styling practices, diet, medical treatments, pregnancy, hormonal imbalances, and more all can be reasons for hair loss.  It's important to note that not all hair loss is permanent.  Below are some reasons why hair loss can happen:

Styling practices - Braids, Cornrows, Weaves, Tight Ponytails, and Buns

Did you know that your hairstyle could be to blame? That's right - braids, cornrows, and weaves, tight ponytails/buns can all lead to hair loss. Here's a closer look at why: These hairstyles can put a lot of tension on the hair follicles. Over time, this can damage the follicles and lead to hair loss. In addition, braids, cornrows, and weaves can also trap dirt and oil against the scalp. This can clog the pores and lead to irritation. In some cases, it can even lead to fungal infections. All of these things can contribute to hair loss.

Diet - Nutrient Deficiencies

Restrictive diets can cause hair loss because of the sudden change in your body's nutritional intake. When you go on a restrictive diet, you're typically cutting out a lot of essential nutrients like protein, fatty acids, and zinc.. And this can lead to a whole host of health problems, including hair loss.

Your hair is made up of protein, so when you don't get enough protein in your diet, it can lead to hair loss. Restrictive diets can also cause your body to go into "starvation mode," where it starts to break down muscle for energy. These deficiencies, especially if maintained over a period of time, can lead to a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium.

Medical Treatments

There are a number of medical treatments that can cause hair loss. Chemotherapy, for example, kills cells that divide rapidly, including cancer cells. Unfortunately, it also kills healthy cells that divide rapidly, such as those in the hair follicles. This can lead to temporary or permanent hair loss.

Other medical treatments that can cause hair loss include radiation therapy, which damages the cells in the hair follicles, and certain medications. If you notice hair loss and are taking medication, it is important to talk to your doctor about possible alternatives.

Hair loss can also be caused by certain medical conditions, such as alopecia areata, which is an autoimmune disorder that causes patchy hair loss.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of great change for a woman’s body, and her hair is no exception. While many women enjoy thicker, glossier locks during pregnancy, some experience the opposite effect. Pregnancy-related hair loss is usually temporary and nothing to worry about, but it can be upsetting and even traumatic for some women.

There are a few different reasons why pregnancy can cause hair loss. One is simply the increased amount of hormones circulating in a woman’s body during pregnancy. These hormones can throw off the normal balance of hair growth and shedding, leading to more shedding than usual. This is usually nothing to worry about, as the hair will grow back once the hormones return to normal levels after pregnancy.

Another reason for pregnancy-related hair loss is that pregnant women often experience lower iron levels than non-pregnant women. Iron is essential for healthy hair growth so that lower levels can lead to thinning hair. This type of hair loss is usually temporary and can be treated with iron supplements.

Finally, some women experience hair loss after giving birth due to the stress of childbirth and the hormonal changes that occur afterwards. This type of hair loss is also usually temporary, but it can be more severe and take longer to regrow lost hair.

Hormonal Imbalances

Hormonal imbalances can cause hair loss in many ways. For example, an imbalance can cause the body to produce too much of the hormone testosterone. Testosterone levels that are too high can lead to hair loss on the scalp and other parts of the body. In addition, an imbalance can also cause the body to produce too little of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen levels that are too low can also lead to hair loss.

There are several other hormones that can play a role in hair loss as well. For example, thyroid hormones regulate the growth of hair follicles. If the thyroid gland produces too much or too little of these hormones, it can cause hair loss. Similarly, imbalances in the levels of the hormones cortisol and DHEA can also lead to hair loss.

In most cases, hair loss due to hormonal imbalance is temporary and can be treated successfully. However, in some cases, the hair loss may be permanent.

Whatever your hair loss type and stage is, Don’t give up, Seek a solution that works for you. If you think medical reasons cause your hair loss, speak with your physician and ask what options are available for you.