What Can Cause Hair Loss?

Have you washed your hair in the shower and recognized strands of hair on the walls or the floor of the shower? This is called shedding and is normal. Well, it could be normal. It could also be something else…hair loss. And it is the type of hair loss that results in thinning or balding. Honestly, it is the kind of hair loss to hate. It is the kind of hair loss that makes you want to cover your head with many hats. 

Hair loss is a widespread problem and common hair condition that affects both men and women. You can lose hair over time or lose hair in large chunks. You can lose hair only on the scalp, or you can lose hair on other parts of the body (arms, legs, or face). Hair loss can be permanent or temporary and can be the result of: 

Baldness generally refers to excessive hair loss from the scalp. Some people select to let the hair loss run its course without treatment and hiding it under hats (which can also be a reason why some suffer hair loss – even if not significant). 

Here are other causes of hair loss:

Seasons Change and So Does Your Hair

There are a couple of times a year that few people notice faster hair loss. In general, this is spring and fall, but the other seasons are not necessarily immuned from causing hair loss either. However, most of the time, people are more inclined to have these seasonal sheds around the same time every year. Therefore, you most likely already know when you will see significant hair loss. And, the seasonal loss  usually doesn’t last long..

Medical Causes and Medications

Some medications taken to treat disorders or illnesses can cause shedding or hair loss. You will commonly see an indication of this in the literature that came with the drugs prescribed. Your doctor or pharmacy might also mention this possible side effect for you. Also, sometimes starting or stopping a new medicine can cause a bit of shedding.

And numerous medical conditions can negatively affect your hair. These situations are often hormonal, metabolic, or autoimmune. Some illustrations of these kinds of problems are menopause, lupus, alopecia areata, diabetes, menopause, and alopecia areata hypothyroidism. Sometimes you will see info about vitamin deficiencies or anemia that cause hair loss, but this is quite uncommon

Telogen Effluvium (T.E.)

Also, whenever you have an illness or stress on your body, you may be diagnosed with what is called telogen effluvium. With this scalp disorder, you can have a very dramatic and sudden shedding that is almost impossible to miss or ignore.

 You will see a lot of hair in the drain, on clothing, and on the floor and it happens for a range of reasons. Examples of causes of ET are surgery, stress, illness, childbirth, or sudden hormonal or health changes.

Skin Disorders or Allergies

There are several dermatological medical conditions such as bacterial infections, eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and fungal overgrowth that contribute to hair loss. 

Hormonal Issues and Androgen Sensitivity

Every time hormones fluctuate (increase or decrease), you may notice hair loss. It is especially true for those who are hormonally vulnerable or tend to notice changes in their skin or hair at different times during their hormonal cycles. It is also the purpose why it can sometimes be seen in adolescence or early or late in pregnancy. It is not infrequent for people to see hair loss when hormones drop due to illness, such as hypothyroidism. But definitely, the most common hormonal issue related to hair loss is sensitivity to androgens.

There are so many contributions to hair loss that it is a wonder people can attain hair on their head. Hair naturally sheds and sometimes it shed for any of the reasons above. The good thing is when hair loss is significant you can get a hair transplant instead of wearing hats while it continues to fall out. And no worries, you can still put a hat even if you had a hair transplant. So if you are wondering “can you wear a hat after a hair transplant?” The answer is typically yes, but please consult your physician.