Non-genetic Hair Loss Causes
There are two main categories of non-genetic hair loss - anagen effluvium
and telogen effluvium. Anagen effluvium usually involves chemotherapy or medications known to cause hair loss.
Telogen effluvium is the most common and involves an increase in hair follicles which
enter the resting stage. Telogen effluvium is most commonly caused by:
- Physical stress: surgery, illness, anemia, rapid weight change.
- Emotional stress: mental illness, death of a family member.
- Thyroid abnormalities.
- Medications: High does of Vitamin A -- Blood pressure medications -- Gout medications.
- Hormonal causes: pregnancy, birth control pills, menopause.
- When the above causes of telogen effluvium are reversed or altered you should see the return of normal hair growth.
Diet Considerations
Women appear to be more subject to hair loss due to dietary reasons than men. Low iron
levels are the most common dietary reason women experience hair loss, although other
vitamins and minerals may be involved. Excessive Vitamin A intake can lead to hair
loss. Some have reported that zinc can interfere with iron absorption as well.
Physical And Emotional Stress
Both emotional stress as well as physical stress (accidents, surgery, physical illness,
etc) can cause hair loss. The hair loss usually occurs 3 months after the event that
caused it and may take 3 months after the event ends to resume.
Hormonal Consideration
Hair loss frequently occurs when the body's hormonal levels are noticable altered. This
can occur due to pregnancy, going on or off birth control pills, or during menopause.
This type of hair loss is usually temporary.
Genetic Hair Loss
Female pattern loss is a genetic predisposition to hair loss caused by an abnormal reaction to normal hormone levels or a normal reaction to abnormally elevated hormonal levels. Pattern loss is the most common form of hair loss in both men and women and usually can only be treated by medication.
Alopecia Areata is another common form of genetic hair loss. Alopecia areata causes patchy hair loss in spots all over the scalp. Alopecia Areata may eventually lead to Alopecia Totalis and Universalis, which cause total hair loss on the head and body respectively. Alopecia Areata is often triggered by stressful events. It may reverse itself on its own or through the use of some medications. Stress management is recommended to prevent future occurances.
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