What causes hair loss?

Why do we lose hair?

Hairloss may occur for one or several of many different reasons. Amongstthe most common would most certainly be: due to certain illnesses orinfections, suffering prolonged vitamin, protein or iron deficiencies, due to a thyroid gland disorder (which may in turntrigger inadequate stimulation of the activity of certain bodycells). It may also just as commonly be caused as a side effect ofmedication or certain types of treatment (chemotherapy, radiationtherapy, and so forth), or by exposure to types of toxic substances(such as thallium).

Withall of the above mentioned, hair loss does not occur immediately,though. The hair loss stops immediately, but the dead hairs remain inthe hair follicles for about another three months or so – when theybegin to fall out from their roots, one by one.

Otherfactors which, too, may upset the state of a person's hair, mayinclude: major illnesses, injury, very highfever, major surgery, severe bleeding or even significant amounts ofemotional stress.

Aswith the above, the symptom of hair loss occurs only after threemonths after which hairs may remain to fall from the sufferer's headfor a couple of weeks. This is not a temporary condition because thehair's roots are not damaged, and new hairs will start to grow whenthe trauma is over.

Theappearance of new hair may take a while since scalp hair only growsabout an inch per month.

What needs to be knownabout cancer treatment and hair loss?

Whetherthe means may be chemotherapy, drugs or radiation, anticancertreatments are designed to destroy rapidly growing cells. And sincethe hair roots consist of very active cells, they too will be verysusceptible to this treatment.

Sothankfully, and due to this fact, cancer therapy has no permanenteffect on the patient's hair condition, as it is reestablished sosoon as the course is over.

What are the causes ofpatchy hair loss?

Patchhair loss may be caused by ringworm or Alopecia areata.

Ringwormoccurs in children and it is very contagious. On the other hand it isnot much of a health issue. Anti-ringworm treatment is used so soonas the diagnosis has been set.

Alopeciaareata involves a patch appearing at one place, then as it begins togrow up, another appears in another area. The underlying skin isnormal and healthy and there is currently no cure for this condition.It usually clears up completely on its own within a year or so.

How about balding men?

Thisone is influenced by male sex hormones and it is a relatively normalcondition for a great number of men (to certain extents). There isalso an inherent factor which regulates this type of hair loss. Itmay be inherited from either sides of the family (both the mother'sand the father's), and it may affect both men and women even thoughit is very rare in women.

Theextent of hair loss may vary drastically, and the first and mildestof symptoms are evident soon after puberty.