Understanding the Diseases That Cause Hair Loss

Your hair is your crowning glory, and seeing strands or chunks of them on your pillow or the bathroom floor can instantly ruin your mood. If you thought only your world had come crashing down due to hair loss, you would be surprised to know that nearly 35 million men and 21 million women suffer from it! When it comes to hair loss, you are surely not alone! There are many physical factors and illnesses that cause hair loss. But, before that– what really is hair loss?

Hair loss, also known as alopecia, is a condition where there is an interruption in the body's normal cycle of hair production. You will be surprised to know that hair loss occurs from all parts of the body but more commonly affects the scalp. On average, your scalp has around 1,00,000 hair strands going through the cycle of growth, rest, fall, and regeneration. If the follicle gets damaged during this life cycle, you will notice your hair fall more quickly than they are regenerated.

Let's delve a bit deeper into understanding diseases that cause hair loss and what you can do to reduce it!

There are multiple causes, including some illnesses that cause hair loss. Some of them include:

• Heredity

Hair loss can occur in both men and women. While men may suffer from male pattern baldness, women experience female pattern baldness. What's different? Well, they are the same condition called androgenetic alopecia. Irrespective of the term used for hair loss, both are governed by genes that you inherit from your parents. Your genes determine when your hair follicles will begin to shrink and stop growing hair.

• Age

With age, your body begins to slow down, and the story of your hair is no different. Most people start to experience. hair loss as they age. This is primarily because hair growth slows down, and at some point, their hair follicles stop growing hair. This results in thin hair and a receding hairline in both men and women

• Stress

Though the exact mechanism of how stress causes hair loss is not known, current research states that chronic stress increases the levels of certain hormones that may cause hair loss.

• Cancer treatments

Hair loss is very common and apparent in people undergoing cancer treatments like chemotherapy. The drugs used for treating the big 'C' affect the hair follicles during the active phase of treatment. Hair usually regrows after treatment is stopped.

• Hormonal imbalance

Hair loss is very common in women who suffer from hormonal imbalance conditions like PCOS and those who take birth control pills. Hormonal imbalance leads to hair loss and thinning of hair.

• Harsh hair care products

Harsh hair care products and treatments like straightening, perming, etc., can damage your hair follicles temporarily or permanently. This can lead to hair loss.

• Scalp infection

The scalp is the skin of your head and is as susceptible to infections as other parts of your body. Scalp infection can result in dryness or inflamed areas. Any scalp infection can affect the health of your hair follicles, leading to hair loss. In most cases, resolving the infection can stop hair fall.

• Medications

Some medications cause hair fall as a side effect. If you notice excessive hair fall after starting a new medication, speak to your doctor about it.

• Scarring alopecia

This condition is characterized by damage to hair follicles as a result of inflammation. Since the hair follicles are damaged, they cannot regrow hair. There are many conditions and diseases that cause scarring alopecia.

Of the many reasons that directly cause hair loss, many people suffer from diseases that lead to hair loss. Some of these include:

• Lupus erythematosus

This autoimmune disease affects the skin. It causes inflammation of the scalp and scarring. Hair does not grow in the scarred area of the scalp, resulting in irreversible hair loss.

• Alopecia areata

Also an autoimmune disease, alopecia is characterized by the body's immune system attacking the hair follicles resulting in hair loss. It also prevents the growth of new hair, resulting in balding.

• Thyroid disorders

The thyroid gland is vital to our existence and governs many body processes, including metabolism. People with thyroid disorders may experience excessive hair loss and thinning. Finding hair in clumps when you comb or brush them may be a sign of thyroid disorder.

• Sexually Transmitted Infections(STIs)

When sexually transmitted infections like syphilis are left untreated, they cause patchy hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, and other parts of the body.

• Trichotillomania

Also called hair-pulling disorder, trichotillomania is a mental health disorder in which people with the condition keep pulling their hair out. This results in loss of hair on the scalp and the rest of the body. While hair does regrow from the follicles, chronic and repeated hair pulling can damage the follicles and cause permanent hair loss.

• Eating disorders

While people with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are already concerned about how they look, little do they realize that their eating disorder also eats away their hair. The growing phase of the hair cycle is prematurely terminated in eating disorders due to starvation, lack of nutrients, gastric abnormalities, and reduced performance of the vital organs.

Hair loss can be worrying, and it is normal for people to look for ways to reduce it. Here are some tips to reduce hair fall:

• Use mild, gentle hair care products

One of the first places to begin taking care of your hair and preventing hair loss is switching to mild, gentle hair care products. Since harsh chemicals can damage your hair follicles, use products that do not traumatize or harm them.

• Avoid harsh chemical treatments for your hair

Hair treatments like straightening, smoothening, coloring, etc., use harsh chemicals on your hair. If you are experiencing hair fall, you must stay clear of these treatments and the chemicals used in them.

• Eat a healthy diet

We are what we eat, and this holds for your hair too! Inadequate intake of certain nutrients can result in hair loss. So, if you suspect a nutritional deficiency to be behind your hair loss, you must ensure you are eating a healthy, balanced diet.

• Don't tie your hair behind tightly

Frequently tying your hair behind tightly can result in a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. When this happens frequently, it can result in permanent hair loss. If you are doing this, avoid tying your hair tightly. Let your hair loose and give the follicles a breather and watch your hair loss reduce.

• Avoid using hot irons and perming tools on your hair

Hair curling tools, perming tools, and hot irons heat up your hair and damage your hair follicles, causing hair loss. If you wish to prevent hair loss or reduce it, it may be best to avoid using these tools or undergoing any hair treatment that uses these tools on your hair.

Though there are several causes of hair loss, many of these can be treated to restore your crowning glory. However, the key to managing and treating hair loss is identifying its cause and tackling it at the root. Following a healthy lifestyle and safe haircare products go a long way in keeping your hair on your head! If you suffer from any of the illnesses that cause hair loss, you must see your dermatologist immediately.