What might be behind hair loss
Few people envision a
day when they begin to lose their hair.
However, the hair
transplant and restoration
experts at Bosley
note that the majority
of men who experience
male pattern baldness
will begin to notice hair
loss in their mid to late
twenties. By age 60,
roughly two-thirds of
men are either bald or
have a balding pattern.
Male pattern baldness
may be the first thing
people think of in regard
to hair loss, but
people of all ages, including
women, can lose
their hair.
Hair loss that cannot
be traced to male pattern
baldness may be indicative
of a serious health
issue, which only underscores
how important it
is that people discuss abnormal
hair loss with
their physicians as soon
as they notice it.
Isn’t it normal to shed
hair?
Shedding hair is normal.
According to the
American Academy of
Dermatology, it’s normal
to shed between 50 and
100 hairs a day. In addition,
male pattern baldness,
also known as androgenic
alopecia, is not
indicative of a larger
health issue. But the
American Academy of
Dermatology notes
there’s a difference between
shedding a relatively
small amount of
hair each day and hair
loss.
What is hair loss?
Hair loss occurs when
something is stopping
hair from growing. The
medical term for hair
loss is anagen effluvium,
and it will continue until
its cause is addressed
and stops.
What causes hair loss?
T h e Am e r i c a n
Academy of Dermatology
notes that the most common
causes of hair loss
include:
—Hereditary hair
loss: The most common
cause of hair loss across
the globe, hereditary
hair loss affects both
men and women. The
medical term for hereditary
hair loss is androgenic
alopecia, which is
the same term for male
pattern baldness. But
that’s somewhat misleading,
as females also
can have androgenic alopecia.
This occurs
when people inherit
genes that cause their
hair follicles to shrink
and eventually stop
growing hair.
—Overreaction of the
immune system: The
American Academy of
Dermatology notes that
alopecia areata causes
hair loss when the body’s
immune system attacks
hair follicles, which hold
hair in place. Hair loss
resulting from this overreaction
can occur on the
scalp, inside the nose and
in the ears. Some people
with alopecia areata may
lose their eyelashes and
eyebrows.
—Drugs/treatments:
Some cancer treatments
can cause hair loss.
Chemotherapy and radiation
treatment to the
head or neck can cause
people to lose most, if not
all, of their hair within
weeks of beginning treatment.
—Products/personal
choices: The American
Academy of Dermatology
notes that harsh hair
care products may contribute
to hair loss, as
can certain hairstyles.
Over time, coloring hair
or styling it in certain
ways, such as in a perm
or pulling it tightly back,
can damage the hair and
lead to hair loss.
Is regrowth possible?
Whether or not hair
grows back depends on
what caused the hair
loss. For example,
treatment for certain
conditions, including
hereditary hair loss and
alopecia areata, can
help to stimulate regrowth.
In addition, the
American Academy of
Dermatology notes that
hair usually starts to
regrow within months
of finishing chemotherapy
or radiation treatments
to the head and
neck. However, hair
loss that results from
hairstyles that pull on
the scalp is permanent.
Hair loss is often associated
with balding men.
But anyone can experience
hair loss, and recognizing
its causes may
help some people prevent
it from occurring.