Hair loss - Symptoms and causes (2023)

FAQs

What is the main cause of hair loss? ›

The most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition that happens with aging. This condition is called androgenic alopecia, male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness.

There are a wide range of conditions that can bring on hair loss, with some of the most common being pregnancy, thyroid disorders, and anemia. Others include autoimmune diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and skin conditions such as psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis, Rogers says.

What causes FPHL (Female Pattern Hair Loss)? Genes: Your family's genes can cause thinning of hair along the top of your head. Aging: Hormone changes as you age can cause balding. Menopause: This type of hair loss often gets worse when estrogen is lost during menopause.

If you notice sudden or patchy hair loss or more than usual hair loss when combing or washing your hair, talk to your doctor. Sudden hair loss can signal an underlying medical condition that requires treatment. If needed, your doctor might also suggest treatment options for your hair loss.

Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease. This means that your immune system mistakenly attacks a part of your body. When you have alopecia areata, cells in your immune system surround and attack your hair follicles (the part of your body that makes hair).

There are various treatment options for female hair loss, including topical medications, such as Rogaine. Other options include light therapy, hormone therapy, or in some cases, hair transplants. Eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also help keep hair healthy.

Is it reversible? While some forms of AFAB hair loss are temporary, female pattern baldness is permanent and irreversible without treatment. However, proper treatment can stop the hair loss and potentially help regrow some lost hair.

Vitamin D deficiency is the leading cause of hair loss. Researchers are still looking into whether it can cause alopecia areata. Symptoms of this deficiency include fatigue, high blood pressure, mood changes and chronic pain among others. The best sources of vitamin D are avocados, eggs, nuts, fish, and chia seeds.

Is there a blood test for hair loss? ›

If your dermatologist suspects that the cause of your hair loss could be a disease, vitamin deficiency, hormone imbalance, or infection, you may need a blood test or scalp biopsy. These tests can be done in your dermatologist's office.

It's normal to shed between 50 and 100 hairs a day. When the body sheds significantly more hairs every day, a person has excessive hair shedding.

How much B12 should I take daily for hair growth? The lowest amount recommended that should be traceable in your body is 2.4 mcg. While you are looking for a difference in your hair growth you can increase this dosage to 3 mcg and beyond.

However, vitamin B12 may give you the appearance of fuller and thicker hair because the increase in oxygen to hair follicles can help stimulate the replacement of lost strands. Vitamin B12 may also help give your hair an overall healthier appearance since intake of enough B12 is responsible for stronger hair shafts.

The hair at the front of your hairline might also be more fragile than usual and break off. Jagged, short hairs at the front of the scalp are collectively known as “lupus hair.” Hair loss is an early sign of lupus. If you get a diagnosis and treatment in time, you may slow the disease's progression.

Yes. Your immune system can impact hair growth, positively or negatively. There is a correlation. Healthy and active immune cells ensure hair regeneration, while defective immune cells can impair growth and trigger hair loss.

Inflammation — which is a hallmark symptom of lupus — is often widespread. When it develops around the scalp and hair follicles, hair loss can occur. It's important to note that inflammation caused by lupus doesn't only affect hair on the scalp. It can also cause loss of eyebrows, beards, and eyelashes.

Hair loss is a relatively rare side effect, but a variety of medications may cause it: beta-blockers, blood thinners, antidepressants, cholesterol-lowering drugs, certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and hormone-related drugs like thyroid meds, hormone replacement therapies or steroids.

Here's the hard truth: Little can be done to permanently change the diameter of individual hair strands. Thickening products can do wonders to temporarily plump hair strands, but when it comes down to it, fine hair is genetic and can't be changed.

What does alopecia start like? ›

Symptoms of alopecia areata

The main symptom of alopecia areata is hair loss. Hair usually falls out in patches on the scalp. These patches are often several centimeters or less. Hair loss might also occur on other parts of the face, like the eyebrows, eyelashes, and beard, as well as other parts of the body.

Though the symptoms of alopecia areata typically do not cause physical pain, many people with the condition say that it causes emotional, or psychological, pain. This type of pain is as serious (and can feel the same) as physical pain and can lead to feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety.

Baldness, also known as alopecia, is hair loss, or absence of hair. Baldness is usually most noticeable on the scalp, but can happen anywhere on the body where hair grows. Treatment for baldness depends on the type of baldness and its underlying cause. Most forms of baldness have no cure.

The most common genetic condition is known as female-pattern hair loss, or androgenic alopecia. Women with this condition might notice a widening of the part at the top of the head, often beginning when a woman is in her 40s or 50s. You might experience this if you inherit certain genes from one or both parents.

Physical and psychological fatigue, closely linked to stress and burnout, can have an impact on hair loss. We explain everything. Fatigue associated with an emotional shock can lead to reactional hair loss, known as “acute telogen effluvium”. It usually appears three to four months after a triggering factor.

Does vitamin D deficiency cause hair loss? Research shows that a lack of vitamin D in your body can lead to hair loss. One role vitamin D plays is stimulating new and old hair follicles. When there isn't enough vitamin D in your system, new hair growth can be stunted.

Hair loss is a well-known sign of zinc deficiency. Although zinc deficiency is not common, restoring zinc may help reverse hair losses in those who are deficient (Almohanna, 2019). This mineral is an essential part of cell growth, protein synthesis, and the immune system.

There are several hormones which you can screen in case of having massive hair loss. They are Prolactin, Testosterone, DHEA, luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone. Thyroid Level Test: This is another most important test which you can go for; they are T3, T4, and TSH.

The TSH test

When the body produces too much or too little thyroid hormone this may lead to hair shedding. The single best test for thyroid problems is a blood test for “TSH” or thyroid stimulating hormone.

What can a dermatologist do about hair loss? ›

Prescribing Hair Loss Treatment

There are two FDA-approved treatments available for male pattern hair loss: topical minoxidil and oral finasteride. Minoxidil can be obtained over the counter without a prescription, but finasteride will require a prescription from your dermatologist.

Although hair re-growth may be possible, you should also know when to seek professional help. If the reason for thinning hair is genetics, it will not grow back on its own. To grow back a healthy, full head of hair, you'll need to take action, and that involves reviewing different hair loss options.