The Horrors of Hair Loss and Its Causes

Hair Loss is a crucial problem that some men and women face each day especially after they shower or brush their hair. It is practically normal to lose around 50 or 100 strands every day but more than that will surely be freaky.  Every hair strand that you see in your brush and your shower drain is a painful reality. It comes in many names like “follicly challenged” or “dreaded shred”.

Whatever you call it, hair loss is far from pleasant. Of course, it is not a deadly condition but they say that when you have a hair loss problem, you are literally married to each strand. Losing them would be akin to losing a loved one.  

Hair Loss Pattern for Men and Women

In usual cases, men and women have distinct patterns of hair loss.  However, both sexes manifest this hair loss usually as a genetic predisposition to the hormone DHT. When this hormone rise, hair follicles dry up and cause detrimental effects to hair growth.

Think of “receding hairline” for males and “thinning hair” on the central area of the scalp for females. This is the common pattern of hair loss for both sexes. Although in rare cases, it may manifest in opposite patterns.

Common Causes of Hair Loss

While it is true that men lose more hair than women (with a lot more emotional impact!), thinning hair and hair loss also affect women physically and emotionally.  Here are some of the usual causes of hair loss for both sexes:

  • Stress

Any form of stress will cause temporary hair loss termed as telogen effluvium. Basically,  it means that the usual hair cycle is shocked and disrupted because of the stress that the body is undergoing. This will push more hair into the shredding phase instead of the growth phase. Once the stress is gone, hair will grow back.

  • Too Much Vitamin A

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, overdoing Vitamin A supplements may trigger hair loss. It is important to note that the limit is only 5,000 IU per day for adults.

  • Deficient  in Protein

Hair is primarily composed of a protein called keratin. When you do not have enough protein, your body tries to conserve and shuts down hair growth.  The manifestation of hair loss with protein deficiency can usually be observed from 2 to 3 months after the drop in intake.

  • Male Pattern Baldness

This type of condition is quite common especially when men reach the age of 60. A combination of genes and male sex hormones results in the usual pattern of “receding hairline” in the temples.

  • Heredity

Female hair loss called androgenetic alopecia is caused by heredity. If you are a woman and you come from a family with the same problem, there is a big possibility that you will also experience thinning hair. Hair loss is a hereditary trait that you would not wish to inherit!

  • Vitamin Deficiency

Anemia (Iron Deficiency) and Vitamin B Deficiency, may cause those strands to fall. The body usually goes into survival mode when vitamin deficient. When this happens, it sends the remaining nutrients to vital organs for survival and hair growth is not part of them.

  • Autoimmune Disorders

The immune system gets confused. This overactive immune system sees the hair as a foreign object and destroys it.

  • Hormonal Problems

Conditions like hypothyroidism and polycystic ovarian syndrome cause some imbalance in the hormones that affect hair growth among other symptoms.

  • Overstyling

If you are fond of hair treatments and frequent hair styling then you may want to lie low for a little while. These practices may actually damage the hair root, which may make it impossible for the hair to grow back.

  • Aging

The normal process of aging often comes along with a lot of unavoidable symptoms like hair loss. Although it is apparent that the body may no longer have enough nutrients to keep the strands from falling, experts say that the cause is unknown.

Hair loss is a problem not openly discussed unless it is visibly apparent.  People will try to search for solutions by themselves instead of consulting the experts. For men, it may be as horrific as having erectile dysfunction with the consequent emotional burden. Women may find it a little less bothersome unless it becomes so serious that it has a major aesthetical blow to her image. One thing is for sure, hair loss should not be taken lightly. Although it is a part of life, we may just have to find ways to live with it or preserve the remaining strands.

“Hair Loss is God’s Way of Telling Me I’m Human” – Bruce Willis

As it turns out, hair loss is not that awful! Even Bruce Willis regards it as a “divine” reminder of how it is being human!

If you need help with hair loss, let us help you. Saw Palmetto is a natural supplement that could do wonders for your hair and other health problems.

 

References:

Health.com. (2016). 21 Reasons Why You're Losing Your Hair. [online] Available at: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20727114_2,00.html [Accessed 10 May 2016].

Hairlossfixes.com. (2016). Hair Loss Freakout | HairlossFixes. [online] Available at: http://www.hairlossfixes.com/hair-loss-freakout/ [Accessed 10 May 2016].

The Belgravia Centre. (2016). The Belgravia Centre. [online] Available at: http://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/the-difference-between-male-female-pattern-hair-loss-419/ [Accessed 10 May 2016].

WebMD. (2016). Women and Hair Loss: The Causes. [online] Available at: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/features/women-hair-loss-causes?page=2 [Accessed 10 May 2016].

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