What are the Causes of Hair Loss?

There are many reasons why we lose our hair.  For starters, you may be taking medication that could be one of the causes of hair loss.  Some of these medications include, but are not limited to, anti-cancer drugs, chemotherapy, anti-acne drugs, blood pressure medications, mood stabilizing drugs, Epilepsy medications, lipid lowering drugs, blood thinning medications, drugs used to treat gout and Parkinson’s disease and many others.  This side effect of hair loss may start soon after you start taking the drug, or it could take some time before you start losing hairs, depending on the medication.  It’s a good idea to find out the side effects of various medications.

Some skin disorders such as certain types of psoriasis and eczema may also cause temporary or permanent hair loss.  Alcohol and tobacco abuse can also cause hair loss, by causing stress to the hormones and weakening the hair follicles ability to grow new hair, also making it easier for hairs to fall out.

Aging is another among the causes of hair loss.  Most men and some women start to notice thinning hair and receding hair lines by the age of 45.  Genetics plays a role in this as well.  If your fathers, grandfathers or uncles are bald, chances are good that you will follow in their footsteps.  While it is less common for women to go bald, some do.  Women can also experience thinning hair and not complete baldness.

Recommended Products

Hair styling habits such as the constant use of curling and straightening irons, using hair dryers, wearing the hair in ponytails, using chemical treatments and also wearing hats can be causes of hair loss.  These things can cause stress to the hair and the follicles, make hair weak and able to break more easily.  This is why men who wear baseball caps all the time will usually end up with thinning hair and eventually going bald.

Alopecia is the official medical term for hair loss, or baldness.  The permanent type is called androgenetic alopecia, and just means that it usually happens in males and the condition is usually genetic.  There are also several medical terms for the temporary types of alopecia.