Millions of Americans experience hair loss every year. It is a fact of life, but it does not have to be permanent. While hair loss is more common in men, it also affects a great deal of women. Fortunately, once you diagnose the cause of hair loss, it can be treated effectively. Keep reading to discover common, and less common, causes of hair loss in men and women.
What Causes Hair Loss in Men?
The primary cause of hair loss in men is genetics. In fact, hereditary hair loss, otherwise known as male pattern baldness, is responsible for hair loss in men over 90% of the time. One of the most important steps in treating hair loss is identifying the cause of the hair loss.
Fortunately, it is very easy to tell if a man is losing hair based on hereditary influences. Men with male pattern baldness have a U-shaped pattern of hair on their head due to the combination of a receding hair line and losing hair at the crown of their head.
Genetic Hair Loss
By the time men reach the age of 60, two-thirds of them are already balding. But depending on their genes, they can start losing hair in their teens and early 20s. This balding is caused by faulty progenitor cells, responsible for making hair. Male pattern baldness is not caused by an inadequate number of these cells. Instead, it is because these cells are not fully matured.
Men's hair loss has long been blamed on the genes of their mothers. It is true that the primary gene resulting in baldness is on the X chromosome and this can only come from the mother. The shocking truth about male genetic baldness is if the father is bald, his son is far more likely to develop male pattern baldness.
Medications
While most men experience hair loss due to genetic factors, there are other causes of hair loss in men. For example, prescription medications for heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other medical conditions have the side effect of hair loss.
What Causes Hair Loss in Women?
Sometimes, hair loss in women is rooted in genetics. More commonly, medical conditions or medical treatments cause hair loss in women. For example, chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer treatment often leads to hair loss. Prescription medications can also cause hair loss.
Stress
Stress is a common, but often overlooked, cause of hair loss in women. This stress can be either physical or emotional. For example, significant, rapid weight loss can cause enough stress to your body to result in hair loss. Similarly, inadequate nutrition can lead to hair loss, because your hair needs adequate nutrients to grow.
On the emotional side of the coin, trichotillomania is a stress condition characteristic of a person pulling and twisting on their hair. This leads to significant scarring which inhibits the growth of new hair.
Postpartum Hair Loss
Postpartum alopecia is a condition that affects up to 90% of mothers. The extremely high levels of estrogen and progesterone result in your hair staying in a continued growth stage. Following the birth of your child, your hair goes into the telogen, or resting, phase for a few months.
Six months after giving birth, your hair loss should slow to its usual rate of 80 hairs daily. If it doesn't, come in for a consultation to learn what hair loss solution is right for you.
Solutions for Hair Loss
While hair loss is a fact of life, you do not have to settle for it. There are effective methods for treating it to achieve your desired look. At New Look Institute in San Jose, we provide you the most effective hair loss solutions based on the type of hair loss you are experiencing. It all starts with your free initial consultation. Contact us today to discover the best hair loss solution for your unique needs.
