There are a number of factors that can cause sudden hair loss and these can range from psychological to physical. It can be a difficult condition for people to deal with and can cause low self-esteem.
Some of these conditions are only temporary and people should see hair starting to thicken or regrow.
Other reasons for sudden hair loss can be more difficult to deal with as they result in the permanent loss of hair. In this situation many people will look in to treatments that are available to restore lost hair.
Reasons for Temporary Hair Loss
There are a variety of causes that can result in a person experiencing temporary hair loss and these can include:
- Pregnancy – Pregnancy causes an imbalance of hormones both during the pregnancy and after giving birth. This may result in some hair loss and thinning, but this is usually temporary and hair will start to regrow once the hormones reach their correct level.
- Inadequate Diet – There are a number of nutrients that the body requires to keep hair healthy and people can unknowingly be lacking these nutrients. A lack of protein in the diet can cause hair loss and it is important for vegetarians to ensure they make up for the lack of protein they would gain through eating meat, in another way. Iron and a number of other vitamins and minerals are also essential to healthy hair and people who crash diet will often find that they have some degree of hair loss.
- Improper Hair Styling – Many people use hair straighteners and curlers on their hair and this can cause sudden temporary hair loss due to the heat damaging the hair follicles. Hairstyles such as braiding and having hair tied back tightly can also result in this type of hair loss because of the strain that is put on the scalp while the hair is pulled back.
- Medical Conditions – Some of the medical conditions that can lead to temporary sudden hair loss are diabetes and thyroid conditions. Medications such as the birth control pill and hormone replacement therapies can also result in sudden hair loss as they affect the hormonal balance within the body.
Reasons for Permanent Hair Loss
Many people will suffer from differing severities of hair loss during their lifetime and many of these conditions are temporary. However, a number of these conditions can become permanent if not treated correctly and conditions such as Androgenetic Alopecia are permanent and cannot be cured.
- Traction Alopecia – This is the medical term for people who apply strain to certain hairs through hairstyling. Many women who have their hair tightly braided or pulled back in a tight ponytail may find that the tension put on the hair results in the hair falling out and not growing back. Although this is usually a temporary condition, if the stress on the hair is not relieved and the person carries on styling their hair in the same way, it can become permanent.
- Androgenetic Alopecia – This is genetic form of hair loss and can be found in both men and women. It is usually more noticeable in men and many people are not aware that women can suffer from this condition. The result of this condition is pattern baldness and is usually found at the front of a man’s hair line as well as the crown. In women it often starts at the parting and they will only loose hair from the top of the head. This is the most common type of hair loss that people who invest in a hair transplant suffer from.
- Radiation Therapy – Not all radiation therapies will result in permanent hair loss. However, if the treatment is given around the head or the neck, patients may experience hair loss that is permanent.
Preventing Hair Loss
People can take steps to prevent hair loss, although even if these steps are taken it will not guarantee that hair loss will not happen. There are a number of preventative steps that can be taken at no real cost and these include:
- A nutritional diet – Nutrition is one of the most important factors in preventing hair loss, as there are a number of vitamins and minerals that the body needs for healthy hair. People should ensure that their diet is full of vitamins and minerals such as Iron and Protein.
- Care for Hair – Using heated appliances such as hair dryers can damage hair, as can hair dyes and styling the hair in a way that puts stress on the hair follicles. Where possible people should avoid using these products and methods too often to keep hair healthy.
- De stress – Stress can lead to severe hair loss in some cases, so it is important to de stress and relax to keep hair happy.