Wednesday, November 07, 2007

What Causes Hair Loss?

Lets discuss the main causes of hair loss, because once cause of hair loss is identified, one is better equipped to make an informed decision and take reasonable steps to stop and reverse the process. When this happens, one cause of hair loss is resolved: stress.

Hair loss is a natural daily phenomenon, re-growth is generally a given. But this shedding of hair cannot be the main cause of hair loss. Every strand of hair on a human head is genetically programmed to a cycle that includes growth, stabilization, aging and shedding. On the average, a human head sheds about 50 – 125 (depending on gender) but most of them will come back after the resting stage as the follicle itself is not destroyed. Trouble begins when the loss exceeds re-growth, or the re-growth is weak and unhealthy. These are the main causes of hair loss.










Other causes of hair loss are as follows:

Genes
Genes can give you stunning looks but may also be a cause of hair loss for you. In a vast majority of cases, hair loss is hereditary, passed down the genes from either side of parentage. Some studies indicate that baldness from the maternal side has a greater chance of it being passed along.

Here is the most common explanation how genes can be a cause of hail loss:
During the fetus formation stage, some hair genes make hair follicles susceptible to a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone, more commonly referred to as simply DHT. When this link is established, the follicle starts to shrink, sprouting thinner and weaker hair at every cycle. Eventually, the follicle or root dies and baldness is complete.

Stress, Trauma, Diet
Other causes of hair loss could be surgery, medication, high level of work or family related stress and diet or nutrition changes all these can contribute to hair loss. These causes of hair loss are generally short lived and hair growth is restored once the situation normalizes. In any case, the above mentioned causes of hair loss rarely contribute to baldness.
Please click on other links on this site to read and determine various hair loss and causes of hair loss discussed and explained by gender and group.