Hair loss is usually considered a by-product of ageing which is why it is common among older people. However, there are cases where this condition is observed among the younger generation. There are several factors that can cause hair loss, some of which are preventable. Here are a few such factors:
Family History
Hereditary is the most common cause of hair loss. People who have the hair loss gene usually experience the thinning of their hair as they get older. For men, hair loss usually occurs when their hairline recedes to the back and bald spots are seen all over the head. For women, hair loss usually occurs when the crown of the scalp thins out. There are also genes that make a person sensitive to certain hormones that affect hair growth.
Stress
Stress may also cause your hair to fall off. Fortunately, this condition is only temporary, just like most stressful situations. There are two stress-induced conditions that cause hair loss: telogen effluvium which forces your follicles to rest and not produce new hair strands and trichotillomania which is a condition where people pull their hair off when they are too stressed. Any kind of homemade hair loss treatment may work for either condition.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is one of the ways of treating cancer. However, it’s not just the cancer cells that are killed by doses of radiation entering the body. Healthy cells such as those on a patient’s head may also be affected by the procedure. Usually, hair grows back months after radiation therapy but it gets thinner than before. But if the patient receives a high dose of radiation, the hair might never grow back.
Hormonal Changes
This is another reparable hair loss factor and is common among both men and women. Both an imbalance of testosterone and oestrogen may cause your hair to thin out, but recent studies show thyroid issues are also linked to hair loss. Pregnant women, who are much more likely to have a hormonal imbalance, could also experience hair loss while expecting a baby but such imbalance can be rectified after birth.
Certain Medical Conditions
There are medical conditions that are mostly related to hair loss. Aside from the previously mentioned stress-induced conditions, there are other disorders that lead to hair loss. Alopecia areata, for example, is a disorder where the immune system attacks the hair follicles itself. Ringworm infections, meanwhile, leaves scaly bald spots, indicating that the fungus had infected the hair fibres and broke them off.
If you feel like you are experiencing signs of hair loss due to these factors, you may talk to an expert for further assessment. Any homemade hair loss treatment may work but only if your condition is treatable, so a doctor’s opinion is needed before you try putting chemicals on your head.