There are too darn many!
You’d be amazed by all the things that can make your hair fall out! Human hair is very strong, but the hair follicles are susceptible to damage. It’s vital you understand all the hair loss causes that could lead to your losing hair. Here are a few of the most common:
- Stress — Physical trauma or emotional stress can cause your hair follicles to enter the “shedding phase”, causing the hair to fall out. Hair loss is noticeable after physical trauma, but can also occur in cases of extreme emotional stress.
- Insufficient protein — Your hair follicles need protein to produce more hair, and a protein deficiency can lead to a lack of keratin. The result: your hair stops growing, and may even begin to fall out.
- Pregnancy –– Hair loss is common with pregnancy, due to the trauma of childbirth. Thankfully, the hair loss will usually be minimal, and your hair will grow back in a few months.
- Pattern baldness — Both male and female pattern baldness are caused by hormonal imbalances. Men are more likely to suffer from a receding hairline, but women can also begin to lose their hair as early as their 20s and 30s.
- Vitamin A overdose –– There is such a thing as too much Vitamin A! Excessive Vitamin A intake can trigger hair loss, so it’s important to keep your intake to less than 5,000 IU per day.
- Hypothyroidism — If you have an underactive thyroid, your body won’t be making enough hormones, leading to hair loss. Thyroid medication to correct hormonal balances will usually suffice to restore hair growth.
READ MORE: Thyroid Hair Loss is a Thing: Here’s What You Need to Know
- Hormonal changes –– The drastic changes in hormones caused by menopause, quitting birth control pills, or changing your contraceptives can lead to hair loss.
- Vitamin B deficiency — B vitamins play a role in your metabolism, but a lack of them can lead to hair loss. Thankfully, it’s easy to get more Vitamin B: just eat more meat!
- Lupus — Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that can cause your immune system to attack your hair, leading to scarred follicles that are unable to grow new hair.
- Anemia –– A lack of iron leads to an undersupply of red blood cells, which in turn makes your body unable to deliver nutrients to your hair follicles. It’s estimated up to 10% of women under 50 suffer from anemia, which could lead to hair loss.
- Chemotherapy — Cancer chemo drugs destroy more than just the cancer cells in your body, but they destroy any rapidly-growing cells. This usually includes hair cells.
- Autoimmune disorders –– Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system basically attacks your hair follicles and hair, treating them as invading pathogens. This leads to total hair loss, and can extend to all the hair on your body.
- Excessive styling — If your hair is always pulled tight in a braid or corn rows, you may pull on the hair so much that you actually tug it loose. Excessive styling and treatment of your hair can lead to severe hair loss.
- Drastic weight loss –– Sudden, extreme weight loss can cause your hair to thin and fall out, especially if you lost weight as a result of a crash diet. This type of hair loss is the result of nutrient deficiencies.
- PCOS — Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the result of hormonal imbalances, particularly an excess of androgens. Most hormone-related hair loss is caused by high androgen levels.
