We lose hair for many reasons (emphasis added). Ringworm is one of them. A more common cause is hereditary hair loss. If you’ve recently had surgery, a high fever, or chemotherapy for cancer, it’s natural to lose a lot of hair. Most women experience severe hair loss a few months after having a baby.
Your hair care or too tight hairstyle can also cause your hair loss. Some otherwise healthy people develop alopecia areata, a condition that causes hair loss anywhere on the body. These are the many reasons why we see hair fall out.
With so many reasons, figuring out why your hair is falling out can be challenging. But if you want to do something about it, it’s important to understand why. In many cases, hair loss can be successfully treated, or steps can be taken to prevent further hair loss. The key to getting results is understanding the real cause of hair loss. In this article, we’ll be discussing the different causes and types of hair loss.
Types of hair loss
Hair loss because of aging
Most people notice some hair loss as they age because hair growth slows down. At some point, the follicles stop growing hair, which leads to thinning of the hair on our scalp. Hair also started to fade. A woman’s hairline naturally begins to recede.
Hormonal imbalance
For women, a common cause of this imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It can cause cysts in the ovaries, as well as other signs and symptoms, including hair loss. Stopping certain types of birth control pills may cause temporary hormonal imbalances. Women with hormonal imbalances may experience hair thinning (or hair loss) on the scalp.
Hereditary hair loss
This type of hair loss occurs in both men and women, and it is the most common cause of hair loss worldwide. In men, this is called male pattern baldness. Women may experience female pattern hair loss. The medical term for hair loss in both men and women is androgenetic alopecia.
Whichever term you use, it means that you have inherited the gene that causes the hair follicle (the thing that grows out of each hair) to shrink and eventually stop growing hair. Contractions can start in your teens, but they usually start later in life. In women, the first visible sign of hereditary hair loss is usually an overall thinning or widening. When a man has hereditary hair loss, the first sign is usually a receding hairline or bald patches on the top of his head.
Scalp psoriasis
Many people with plaque psoriasis also develop psoriasis on the scalp at some point. This can lead to sudden hair loss. Once scalp psoriasis has healed, the hair will grow back, but it will take a period of time. By following your dermatologist’s recommendations, you can prevent hair loss.
Scarring alopecia
This occurs when inflammation destroys hair follicles. Once destroyed, the follicle cannot grow hair. Different conditions can cause this. The medical name for this group of disorders is cicatricial alopecia.