Thinning hair and hair loss are very common problems women encounter. Major causes of hair loss can range from simple vitamin deficiencies to major health problems.
The Life Cycle of Hair Growth
Each hair follicle has its own life cycle, which is divided into three (3) phases: growing phase, resting phase and shedding phase. Interrupting this cycle can cause mild to severe hair loss.
Common Causes of Hair Loss
1. Stress:
Emotional and physical stress can disrupt the hair cycle, accelerating the transition from resting phase to shedding phase, causing a significant amount of hair loss.
2. Protein Deficiency:
If you are not consuming enough protein, your body is forced to ration the little it has, which will negatively impact the growing phase of the hair.
3. Vitamin A Overdose:
The recommended dose of vitamin A for adults is 5,000 IU per day. Toxicity from vitamin A overdose can cause excessive dry skin and hair loss.
4. Anemia:
Anemia refers to a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to transport sufficient oxygen to the body’s tissues, which includes the hair follicles. This is commonly caused by iron and vitamin B deficiency.
5. Heredity:
Female-pattern hair loss, also known as androgenic alopecia, is very similar to male-pattern baldness. This is when women are predisposed to hair loss based on family history.
6. Hormone Imbalance:
Hormonal fluctuations from puberty, pregnancy and menopause can cause the hair follicles to shrink resulting in excessive shed and slower hair growth.
7. Hypothyroidism:
The thyroid gland, which is located in the neck, produces hormones that are critical to growth and metabolism. An underactive thyroid can produce fewer hormones, leading to a slower metabolic process, which includes the life cycle of a hair follicle.
8. Autoimmune Disease:
Also known as alopecia areata, this is when the body’s immune system falsely identifies the hair follicles as potentially dangerous cells and attacks them.
9. Medications:
Certain medications like blood thinners and blood pressure regulators are known to promote hair loss.
10. Trichotillomania:
This is a compulsive need to pull on the hair, causing bald spots on the scalp.
11. Traction:
Vigorous and tightly pulled hair styles, like tight buns and cornrows often lead to hair loss.
Treating Hair Loss
Hair loss is typically reversible and treatable. Contact our hair loss clinic in Milwaukee, WI. Through testing and thorough examination, our medical provider will determine the cause of your hair loss and recommend an effective treatment plan.
