Hair fall is one of the most common problems faced by majority of us. Hair loss is most commonly seen in women as compared to men.
The root cause of fair fall may vary from vitamin deficiency to an underlying health condition and the treatment completely depends upon its causes. The below are some of the ordinary as well as unfamiliar reasons for hair loss.
Top reasons behind hair loss & thinning
Pregnancy
Many women experience hair fall during the phase of pregnancy, however the majority of them face hair fall in the post pregnancy period. This is due to the physical and hormonal changes in the woman’s body caused by the physically traumatic experience of delivering a baby.
Excess vitamin A
According to the American academy of dermatology overconsumption of vitamin A through medications, supplements or any other form can lead to hair fall.
On an average, an adult and a child above 4 yrs require 5000 IU of Vitamin A but certain supplements and medicines can contain 25000-10000 IU, which is enough to cause severe hair loss.
Anemia
Anemia is caused due to the deficiency of iron in the human body. Iron is a vital nutrient to human body as it performs many important functions of the body including hair growth.
Hence, people with anemia suffer from hair thinning amongst which majority are women. Research states that every one among ten women in the age group of 20-50 years suffer from anemia.
Hair loss related to alopecia areata
An overactive immune system results in a condition called alopecia areata in which, the body gets confused and targets hair like a foreign object by mistake, which leads to hair fall.
People belonging to any age group or gender can face this condition, however in majority of cases it happens before the age of 30 years.
There is no specific reason for this condition but expert’s state that stress and hereditary factors can cause alopecia areata. In worst condition individual can even lose all the body hair.
Lupus
Just like alopecia areata, lupus is an autoimmune disease. Lupus is a long-term disease in which the healthy tissues of the body are attacked by the immune system of one’s own body due to which it causes hair fall.
Approximately 1.5 million people are suffering from this condition all around the world. However, it mostly affects women during their pregnancy and post pregnancy period.
Extreme hairstyles or over styling
Your hairstyle or styling habits can also be one of the main reasons for hair fall. Excess use of heat machines, chemical based hair colours, hair sprays etc., contain harsh chemicals that adversely affect your hair roots.
Therefore, dermatologist advice using heat machines only once a week. Also tying your hair extremely tight and repetitive chemical hair treatments can lead to severe hair thinning.
Vitamin deficiency
Lack of certain vitamins like vitamin B and iron can be strongly responsible for hair loss. Deficiency of vitamin B is easily curable through simple supplements or balance diet. Lack of iron however leads to anemia, which further leads to excessive hair fall and thinning.
Hereditary factors
Your genes and hereditary factors can facilitate hair loss. If your family has a history of losing hair at certain age then there are high chances that you may go through the same situation.
Hormonal changes in women
Women go through hormonal changes in different phases of life. Pregnancy, post pregnancy, menopause, consumption of birth control pills etc., bring hormonal changes in women, which lead to hair fall. Due to all this, the hair follicles minimise resulting in hair thinning.
Physical and emotional stress
Physical stress can strain your body and result in hair thinning. Even though emotional stress cannot be the only reason for hair fall but can surely add on to the primary cause of your hair loss and worsen it.
This is the reason why many people suffer from severe hair fall after some traumatic life events such as death of loved one, divorce, major accidents etc.
Side effects of certain medicines or treatments
Not many people are aware that certain medicines or treatments can facilitate hair loss. These medicines generally include blood pressure and blood thinning medicines called beta-blockers. Many antidepressants medicines also contain beta-blockers, which lead to heavy hair loss.
Hypothyroid
In this condition, an individual’s body does not produce required thyroid hormones, which further leads to severe hormonal imbalance. Thyroid controls the functioning of many important systems in your body.
Lack of thyroid hormones lead to slow functioning of these systems. This is mainly the reason why people with hypothyroid face hair thinning and slow hair growth. Hypothyroidism is more common in women in comparison to men.
Ageing
As a person grows old his bodies, ability to regenerate and renew cell depletes. Some researches state that hair loss in older women is mainly due to low level of progesterone and estrogens, which lead to thinning of hair follicles.
However, both men and women face hair thinning or hair falls between the ages of 50-60, which is very common.
Unfamiliar reasons
Trichotillomania
It is impulses control disorder in which individual continuously plays and pulls his/her own hair. This act of constantly pulling of hair weakens your hair roots, which lead to hair thinning. Trichotillomania is four times common in women as compared to men.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Due to hormonal imbalance and increase in male hormones, called androgens there is generation of ovarian cyst in women. Apart from various symptoms like weight gain, irregular or no periods etc., hair thinning is also a very common sign of PCOS or PCOD.
Consumption of anabolic steroids
Many athletes or bodybuilders consume anabolic steroids to get bulky muscles in short span. Consuming this steroid for a long time will weaken your hair roots and lead in hair thinning.
Unhealthy scalp
While you are busy, finding the main cause for your hair fall don’t forget to check your scalp health! Certain inflammations in your scalp may lower your hair growth level and lead to hair loss. Dandruff, ringworm, fungal infections, psoriasis etc., are some of the scalp skin conditions that trigger hair fall.
There can be many more direct or indirect reasons for hair loss besides the above ones. Hence, it is advisable to maintain good scalp and hair health by avoiding harsh hair products, having a balanced diet and maintaining healthy and stress free lifestyle.
