What causes hair loss?

Hair loss has many causes. What’s causing your hair loss can determine whether your hair:

falls out gradually or abruptly.

Requires treatment to regrow

Needs immediate care to prevent permanent hair loss

Causes of hair loss

Hereditary hair loss

The most common cause of hair loss in both sexes, this condition affects both men and women. For men only, see “male pattern baldness.” Female-pattern baldness affects women. Androgenic alopecia is the medical term for hair loss that occurs in both men and women.

No matter which term you use, it refers to a genetic predisposition for hair follicles to gradually deteriorate and stop producing new hair. Although the onset of wasting can occur as early as the teen years, it more commonly occurs in middle age.

Thinning all over or a widening part are the first telltale signs of hereditary hair loss in women. A receding hairline or bald spot on top of the head is often the first symptom of hereditary hair loss in men.

Is regrowth possible? Yes, treatment can help stop or slow hair loss. It may also help regrow hair. The earlier treatment is started, the better it works. Without treatment, you will continue to lose hair.

Hereditary hair loss

The most common cause of hair loss in both sexes, this condition affects both men and women. Male-pattern baldness is a condition unique to men. Female-pattern baldness affects women.

Age

Because hair growth slows with age, most people experience some hair loss at some point in their lives. Hair thinning happens when hair follicles stop producing new hair. The hair’s natural colour begins to fade as well. The hairline of a woman gradually moves backwards over time.

Is regrowth possible? Caught early, treatment helps some people regrow their hair.

Age

With age, most people notice some hair loss because hair growth slows.

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder characterised by the gradual loss of hair due to the immune system’s attack on hair follicles. Hair loss can occur anywhere on the body, including the scalp, the nasal passages, and the auricle. Eyebrow and eyelash loss is a common problem.

Is regrowth possible? Yes. If your hair fails to grow back on its own, treatment may help stimulate regrowth.

Areata alopecia

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder characterised by the gradual loss of hair due to the immune system’s attack on hair follicles.

Therapy for Cancer

All or nearly all of your hair may fall out within a few weeks of beginning chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the head or neck.

Can new growth develop?

Regrowth of hair following chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the head or neck typically begins within a few months of treatment completion.

Medication to stimulate hair growth is available from dermatologists.

Do we have any means of stopping it?

A cooling cap worn before, during, and after chemotherapy could help keep hair from falling out.

Radiation therapy for cancer

All or nearly all of your hair may fall out in the first few weeks of chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the head and neck.

Childbirth, illness, or other stressors

A few months after giving birth, recovering from an illness, or having an operation, you may notice a lot more hairs in your brush or on your pillow. This can also happen after a stressful time in your life, such as a divorce or the death of a loved one.

Is regrowth possible? If the stress stops, your body will readjust and the excessive shedding will stop. When the shedding stops, most people see their hair regain its normal fullness within 6 to 9 months.

Childbirth, illness, or other stressors

Hair care

If you color, perm, or relax your hair, you could be damaging your hair. Over time, this damage can lead to hair loss.

Is regrowth possible? You can change how you care for your hair, which can prevent hair loss. Once you damage a hair follicle, hair cannot grow from that follicle. Having many damaged hair follicles creates permanent bald spots.

Hair care

If you color, perm, or relax your hair, you could be damaging your hair. Over time, this damage can lead to hair loss.

hairstyle pulls on your scalp.

If you often wear your hair tightly pulled back, the continual pulling can lead to permanent hair loss. The medical name for this condition is traction alopecia.

Is regrowth possible? No You can prevent hair loss by making some changes.

Hairstyle pulls on your scalp

If you often wear your hair tightly pulled back, the continual pulling can lead to permanent hair loss.

Hormonal imbalance

A common cause of this imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It leads to cysts on a woman’s ovaries, along with other signs and symptoms, which can include hair loss. Stopping some types of birth control pills can cause a temporary hormonal imbalance.

Women who develop a hormonal imbalance can develop thinning hair (or hair loss) on their scalp.

Is regrowth possible? Treatment may help.

Hormonal imbalance

A common cause of this imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It leads to cysts on a woman’s ovaries, along with other signs and symptoms, which can include hair loss.

Scalp infection

A scalp infection can lead to scaly and sometimes inflamed areas on your scalp. You may see what look like small black dots on your scalp. These are actually stubs of hair. Some people develop a bald spot.

Is regrowth possible? Yes, treatment can get rid of the infection. Once the infection clears, hair tends to grow.

Scalp infection

A scalp infeciton can lead to scaly and sometimes inflamed areas on your scalp.

Medication

A possible side effect of some medications is hair loss. If you think a medication is causing your hair loss, ask the doctor who prescribed it if hair loss is a possible side effect. It’s essential that you do not stop taking the medication before talking with your doctor. Abruptly stopping some medications can cause serious health problems.

Is regrowth possible? Yes.

Medication

A possible side effect of some medications is hair loss. If you think a medication is causing your hair loss, ask the doctor who prescribed it if hair loss is a possible side effect.

Scalp psoriasis

Many people who have plaque psoriasis develop psoriasis on their scalp at some point. This can lead to hair loss.

Is regrowth possible? Hair tends to regrow once the scalp psoriasis clears, but this takes time. By following these dermatologists’ tips, you may be able to prevent hair loss.

Scalp psoriasis

Many people who have plaque psoriasis develop psoriasis on their scalp at some point. This can lead to hair loss.

Pulling your hair

Some people pull on their hair, often to relieve stress. They may be unaware that they’re pulling their hair. The medical term for this is trichotillomania.

Is regrowth possible? If you haven’t destroyed the hair follicles, yes. For your hair to regrow, you have to stop pulling it.

Pulling your hair

Some people pull on their hair, often to relieve stress. They may be unaware that they’re pulling their hair.

Scarring alopecia

This condition develops when inflammation destroys hair follicles. Once destroyed, a hair follicle can not grow hair.

Diverse conditions can cause this. The medical name for this group of conditions is cicatricial alopecia.

Is regrowth possible? Once a hair follicle is destroyed, it can not regrow hair. Catching this condition early can prevent further hair loss.

Scarring alopecia

This condition develops when inflammation destroys hair follicles. Once destroyed, a hair follicle can not grow hair. Diverse conditions can cause this.

A sexually transmitted infection

Left untreated, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) can lead to hair loss. Syphilis is such an STI. Left untreated, syphilis can cause patchy hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, beard, and elsewhere. Other STIs can also cause hair loss.

Is regrowth possible? After treating the STI, the hair often starts to regrow..

A sexually transmitted infection

Left untreated, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) can lead to hair loss.

Thyroid disease

If you have a problem with your thyroid, you may see thinning hair. Some people notice that their hair comes out in clumps when they brush it.