Losing Hair : Why am I losing my hair?! This common question is often exasperatedly asked by both men and women. Unfortunately, the answer to the query is rarely simple
Stress
You’ve probably heard the saying, “I’m so stressed I’m pulling my hair out!” But hair loss and stress can be linked without us forcibly pulling our strands out by their roots. During times of stress, whether acute or chronic, Telogen effluvium can cause hair to shed at an accelerated rate.
Note: Stress on the body does not only come from emotional occurrences, but can be from physical ones as well, such as surgery or an illness.
Hereditary
Both men and women develop this type of hair loss, which is the most common cause of hair loss worldwide. In men, it’s called male pattern hair loss. Women get female pattern hair loss. Regardless of whether it develops in a man or woman, the medical term is androgenic alopecia.
No matter which term you use, it means that you’ve inherited genes that cause your hair follicles (what each hair grows out of) to shrink and eventually stop growing hair. Shrinking can begin as early as your teens, but it usually starts later in life.
In women, the first noticeable sign of hereditary hair loss is usually overall thinning or a widening part.
When a man has hereditary hair loss, the first sign is often a receding hairline or bald spot at the top of his head.
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.
Inflammation
There’s a lot of talk about inflammation, which is really just a fancy word for swelling. It’s important to remember that inflammation is not always bad. In fact, it is needed as a part of our body’s immediate healing process for everything from a cut to an infection. But inflammation in the body can also be triggered by stress, unhealthy dietary choices, poor sleep habits, and lack of exercise, to name a few. Often these factors are found to stimulate chronic inflammation, which can contribute to hair loss.
Hair Products With Heavy Chemicals
You want Instagram-worthy hair, we get it! But applying chemicals to the hair via products (especially coloring or bleaching agents) can lead to damage known as traumatic alopecia. Harsh chemicals in everyday hair care products can also cause irritation and inflammation to both the scalp and hair follicle. Whenever possible, choose products with more natural ingredients. Look for keywords on labels such as “organic,” “non-GMO,” and “paraben-free.”
Overstyling
Still falling into the category of traumatic alopecia, some examples of overstyling include applying extreme heat and twisting (e.g., hot rollers or a curling iron) and pulling the hair into constrictive hairstyles or braids. The latter can also lead to traction alopecia: When hair is forcefully pulled from the scalp into tight braids or styles, strands become damaged and can fall out. So be gentle and always use a heat protectant.
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.
Vitamin/Mineral Deficiency
Our bodies are made up of vitamins and minerals, and when we are deficient in one or multiple nutrients, hair loss can happen. To boot, both hair structure and hair growth can be affected by nutritional deficiency. Having insufficient or low stores of factors such as vitamin D, iron, zinc, selenium, biotin, and amino acids (which are the building blocks of proteins) can trigger a decrease in hair growth.