HairLoss Causes: Health Issues

Lisa    Causes and Types of Hair Loss     hair loss causes, health issues hairloss

As promised in the last post about the benefits of scalp massage, today I will discuss hairloss causes due to some health issues.  Let’s be honest here, we all want a beautiful head of hair….but should you start to experience hair loss, don’t assume it’s genetics or age.

There are several health issues that can be attributed to losing or thinning of hair. Listed below are some of them. Obviously there are other symptoms with these health issues, but if you experience hairloss WITH any of these, it’s probably a good idea to go see your doctor.

It’s also a good idea to mention here that men and women can have different health issues in this area. For today, I am going to address both men and women.

Health Issues Related To Hairloss

These health issues found at The Mayo Clinic site.

• Pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). In male- and female-pattern baldness, the time of growth shortens, and the hairs are not as thick or sturdy. With each growth cycle, the hairs become rooted more superficially and more easily fall out. Heredity likely plays a key role. A history of androgenetic alopecia on either side of your family increases your risk of balding. Heredity also affects the age at which you begin to lose hair and the developmental speed, pattern and extent of your baldness.
• Cicatricial (scarring) alopecia. This type of permanent hair loss occurs when inflammation damages and scars the hair follicle. This prevents new hair from growing. This condition can be seen in several skin conditions, including lupus erythematosus or lichen planus. It’s not known what triggers or causes this inflammation.
• Alopecia areata. This is classified as an autoimmune disease, but the cause is unknown. People who develop alopecia areata are generally in good health. A few people may have other autoimmune disorders, including thyroid disease. Some scientists believe that some people are genetically predisposed to develop alopecia areata and that a trigger, such as a virus or something else in the environment, sets off the condition. A family history of alopecia areata makes you more likely to develop it. With alopecia areata, your hair generally grows back, but you may lose and regrow your hair a number of times.
• Telogen effluvium. This type of hair loss is usually due to a change in your normal hair cycle. It may occur when some type of shock to your system — emotional or physical — causes hair roots to be pushed prematurely into the resting state. The affected growing hairs from these hair roots fall out. In a month or two, the hair follicles become active again and new hair starts to grow. Telogen effluvium may follow emotional distress, such as a death in the family or a physiological stress, such as a high fever, sudden or excessive weight loss, extreme diets, nutritional deficiencies, surgery, or metabolic disturbances. Hair typically grows back once the condition that caused it corrects itself, but it usually take months.
• Traction alopecia. Excessive hairstyling or hairstyles that pull your hair too tightly cause traction alopecia. If the pulling is stopped before there’s scarring of your scalp and permanent damage to the root, hair usually grows back normally.

Other causes of hair loss

• Poor nutrition. Having inadequate protein or iron in your diet or poor nourishment in other ways can cause you to experience hair loss. Fad diets, crash diets and certain illnesses, such as eating disorders, can cause poor nutrition.
• Medications. Certain drugs used to treat gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems and high blood pressure may cause hair loss in some people. Taking birth control pills also may result in hair loss for some women.
• Disease. Diabetes and lupus can cause hair loss.
• Medical treatments. Undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy may cause you to develop alopecia. Under these conditions, healthy, growing (anagen) hairs can be affected. After your treatment ends, your hair typically begins to regrow.

While you can contribute a lot of hair loss issues to genetics, it’s always a smart idea to have more knowledge at your fingertips.

Before you go, have you had any health issues that caused hair-loss and if so, can you share with us?

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