Drugs/Medications/Radiation - Included are anticoagulants,
antidepressants, contraceptive pills, amphetamines, some
arthritis medications, some antibiotics, some blood thinners,
medicines for gout, drugs derived from vitamin-A, certain
drugs for ulcers, beta blocker drugs for high blood pressure.
Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy
halt the growth phase of hair follicles which results in
a sudden hair loss as those follicles all shed their hair
at about the same time.
Heredity
- Androgenetic alopecia is the term used to describe a genetic
predisposition in men and women for pattern baldness or
pattern hair loss. Although there is a dominant tendency
for male pattern baldness, female members of a family can
be transmitters as well.
Hormonal Imbalance
- If the male and female hormones, androgens and estrogens,
are out of balance, hair loss may result. Also an overactive
or underactive thyroid gland can contribute to hair loss.
Illness and Severe
Infections - These can include scalp fungal infections,
Thyroid disorders, Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Diabetes,
Lupus.
Immune System Disorder
- Alopecia areata is an immune system disorder which causes
hair follicles to stop producing hairs. Advanced forms of
the disorder are identified by the terms alopecia totalis
when all head hair disappears, and alopecia universalis
which results in all body hair disappearing. |
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Menopause - Due to hormonal changes after menopause,
some women find their hair begins to thin. There are a variety
of treatments available involving hormone replacement therapy
(HRT). There may be side effects in some cases and experimentation
may be necessary under the guidance of a physician.
Poor Blood Circulation
- Poor blood flow to the scalp, insufficient nutrients in
the blood, or poor drainage of waste products through the
lymphatic systems can all contribute.
Pregnancy
- Three to six months after delivering a child, many women
notice a degree of hair loss as the hair goes into a resting
phase because of the physiological impact of the pregnancy
on the body.
Pulling
- Traction alopecia is the term used to describe loss of
hair from constant pulling, as with tightly braided hair
styles such as pony tails. Also the improper use of curling
tongs or rollers can tug the hair so it weakens.
Sebum Buildup
- Sebum buildup in the follicles attacks the hair bulb,
the rounded area at the end of a hair strand which is rooted
in the follicle. Sebum causes the hair bulb to shrink so
the hair is not as well rooted. After the hair falls out
the new hair strand growing in that follicle is weaker and
thinner and the process is repeated until the hair follicle
is so damaged it dies. (Sebum is a fatty substance secreted
from the sebaceous glands most of which open into hair follicles.)
Stress and Nervous
Disorders - Telogen effluvium is the term used
for a slowing down of new hair growth because of sudden
or severe stress. The stress triggers a large number of
hair follicles to enter the resting stage, so a few months
after the stressful event, those follicles shed hair at
about the same time.
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