Both men and women can lose their hair.  While most blame it on age, there are some surprising reasons why people experience hair loss. Here are ten surprising reasons – other than bad luck – why we might lose our hair.

1. Hormones

Hormones are powerful and can cause changes in the body that result in hair loss. Pregnant women or those on birth control pills are both susceptible to hormone changes that can affect change in hair follicles. Menopause will also bring about hormonal shifts when androgen receptors are activated on the scalp and hair falls out.

2. Diabetes

People with diabetes might notice that their hair is thinning or that it is falling out in patches. This is due to a condition that often accompanies diabetes. Alopecia areata causes the immune system to reject and then to attack hair follicles.

3. Thyroid Disorders

An underactive thyroid, also known as hypothyroidism, can cause hair to fall out. The thyroid fails to produce the right amount of hormones, which are critical for growth.

4. Heredity

Your genes are a factor and – surprise! – it’s your mom who carries the male pattern baldness gene in the family. The female version is called androgenetic alopecia, which is noticeable when hair starts to thin along the part line.

5. Autoimmune disease

An overactive immune system targets hair and triggers the fallout.

6. Stress

Our bodies react to stress in various ways and in some cases, the body’s response, especially physical stress, is to slough of hair. Telogen effluvium is the process by which the body experiences such a shock and is fooled into launching into one of its natural life cycle phases:  growth, rest or shedding. A physical trauma will cause your body to shed hair, but as the body recovers, so will the hair.

7. Vitamins

Taking vitamins has a purpose, but taking too many or too few can be dangerous to your health and also to your hair. Vitamin B deficiency, for instance, can cause hair loss. On the other hand, the opposite is also dangerous in regards to taking in too much Vitamin A, as hair loss will be the result.

8. Diet

A severe dietary change can affect your hair, causing it to fall out. Harshly restricting protein and calories, having an eating disorder, or replacing meals with supplements can over time have a negative effect. Reversing the hair loss is possible, with a return to a well-balanced diet.

9. Anemia

Hair loss is a definite sign of anemia brought on by an iron deficiency. When faced with a lack of iron, your body will enter survival mode, rerouting all of its energy into supporting your body’s vital functions.

10. Medications

Medications, especially beta-blockers that treat blood pressure and also blood thinners can have an adverse effect on your hair, causing it to fall out. The same is true of chemotherapy.

If you notice that your hair is thinning or falling out in patches, talk with your doctor about what might be causing the loss. Thinning hair is often a sign of a bigger problem that needs to be addressed, perhaps a chronic illness that requires a diagnosis. In most cases, hair loss is a symptom.

One solution is to take charge of the situation and contact the skilled hair restoration professionals at MAXiM Hair Restoration.  MAXiM Hair Restoration has plastic and hair transplant surgeons who artfully create an attractive hairline for people with hair loss every day. We have convenient locations throughout the U.S. including New York, Long Island, Connecticut, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Newport Beach, and the Washington, DC, area, as well as international locations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Manila. Chances are there is a MAXiM center near you.  Contact MAXiM today for a free consultation to find out if you are a candidate for a hair transplant or other hair restoration solution.