Causes of Hair Loss

Hair loss, whether we’re talking about noticeable thinning or complete baldness, can be the result of many things. Depending on the person, hair loss can occur naturally, as a side effect of an underlying health problem, or for several other reasons. Regardless of the nature of your hair loss, it’s very important to understand the cause of your issue in order to fully understand it and find an effective treatment option. Some of the most common causes of hair loss include:

Genetics

Also known as Androgenic Alopecia, both men and women can genetically inherit hair loss from their parents or grandparents. This is the most common type of hair loss and is commonly referred to as male or female pattern hair loss. In these cases, the hair follicles (what each hair grows out of) will naturally begin to shrink over time and eventually stop growing hair entirely. While it typically begins later in life, natural hair thinning can start as early as during the teenage years for some people.

Age

Hair loss that occurs with age typically begins slowly, as the growth of the hair naturally begins to diminish. At a certain age, hair follicles will stop growing, which can cause the hair on the scalp to thin and the hairline to recede.

Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases can cause hair loss for men, women, or even children. Alopecia areata is probably the most common of them and it occurs when the immune system begins to attack hair follicles, causing hair loss. Although for most people, alopecia areata is temporary and usually causes circular patterns of hair loss in the scalp. For others, this hair loss can be permanent leading to hair loss on the scalp, and in rare cases the eyebrows, eyelashes, inside the nose, or ears. Other autoimmune diseases that can cause hair loss include:

• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• Lupus
• Graves’ disease (and other types of hyperthyroidism)
• Scleroderma

Hormonal Issues

An excess in production of male sex hormones (androgens) can lead to hair loss such as androgenetic alopecia. For women, androgens can weaken hair follicles, which can cause thinning and excess hair shedding. In some cases, this hormone imbalance can be exacerbated by changes in estrogen levels that occur as a result of using birth control or during menopause. In men, increased levels of a specific androgen called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) can shorten the lifespan of hair follicles and lead to hair loss.

Other common potential causes of hair loss may include:

• Medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and prostate cancer
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women
• Thyroid issues
• High stress levels
• Lack of essential nutrients including protein, biotin, zinc, and iron
• And more

Although not all hair loss can be corrected with surgery, our experts specialize in restoring hair with the help of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). This specific type of hair transplant procedure is incredibly effective for helping naturally restore and regrow their hair with less post-treatment recovery time than the average hair transplant.

For more information on hair loss and how we can help, contact KA Hair Aesthetics to schedule a consultation appointment today!