Here's a broad overview of the causes of hair loss. Hair loss occurs when a hair follicle loses its ability to cycle through the hair growth phases correctly. If left untreated, this cycle disruption can result in the death of the hair follicle. Once the hair follicle dies, hair won't grow back. Below are a few reasons why a hair cycle gets disrupted.
Stress, & Poor Mental Health
When your stress levels are high you can trigger a condition called telogen effluvium, which causes the hair to enter the resting stage and to remain there for large periods of time.Poor mental health can also lead to a condition called trichotillomania. This condition leads to an urge to pull out your own hair to deal with stress or frustration. Chronic, ongoing, unaddressed stress can also push the body into alopecia areata, discussed below.
Disruptions to Physical Health
Many who fell victim to the Covid-19 pandemic found they began losing their own hair in clumps during or after the disease.
The truth is any high-fever disease or massive physical trauma can trigger telogen effluvium. The body itself is stressed, and may be directing its resources away from your hair and towards other organs in more critical need of repair.
Extreme weight loss or diet changes can trigger telogen effluviam as well. So can abrupt hormonal changes, iron deficiencies, hypothyroidism, or hyperthyroidism. Finally, hair loss is the side effect for many medications.
We can help you deal with the results, but you should always consult with your primary care physician if you suspect a physical cause for hair loss. Don’t leave the underlying problem unaddressed, as it could be quite severe.
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Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases such as alopecia areata or lichen planopilaris (LPP) cause a misdirected response from your immune system. The bodily mechanisms responsible for healing attack the skin or hair instead.
When your immune system attacks hair follicles, hair can fall out suddenly. These diseases are often accompanied by one or many balding patches, a general thinning of your hair, redness, or scalp itchiness.Autoimmune diseases can prevent you from being a good candidate for some hair loss services. Talk to your clinician during your free consultation to find out what’s available to you.
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Fungal Infections
Ringworm is a fungal infection that can appear anywhere on the skin.
If it develops on the scalp, it can cause itchiness and patches of hair loss known as tinea capitis.
Typically, ringworm begins as a tiny blister that slowly expands in size, leaving behind scaly spots of temporary baldness. The fungus enters the hair fibers in the affected area. The hair then becomes brittle, and breaks off.
Affected regions become itchy and inflamed. You’ll see scaly patches that are red around the exterior, with a more normal skin tone in the center. This infection creates the appearance of a ring.
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Bacterial Infections
A bacterial infection like a staph infection can cause chronic folliculitis. This condition leads to the excessive inflammation of the scalp and hair follicles. This condition can lead to permanent hair loss if left untreated.
Left untreated, it can even lead to dissecting folliculitis, also known as dissecting cellulitis or perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens (PCAS). Chronic inflammation spreads through the follicles, resulting in scarring alopecia.
Fortunately, those who seek antibiotics quickly enough can generally rescue their hair without additional interventions.
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Public Pools
Want to keep viruses, bacteria, and fungi out of your hair so you don’t risk hair loss?
Be careful where you swim.
If a hot tub or pool isn’t maintained well you could literally dip your head right into an environment that’s teeming with infection factors.
If you aren’t sure how the pool or jacuzzi is being maintained, just hang out with your head above water. Many people do, and nobody has to know you’re worried about what the place might do to your hair.
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Genetics
Androgentic alopecia is the culprit behind male and female pattern hair loss. Sometimes, the problem is just in your genes.
Worse, it can skip generations, which means you can suffer from baldness even if your father or grandfather don’t.
Male pattern baldness is closely related to testosterone. Testosterone has many functions in the body, including the regulation of hair growth. When you have male pattern baldness, your hair is susceptible to absorbing significant amounts of dihydrotestostrone (DHT) which disrupts the dermal papilla’s signalling abilities.
DHT also causes imbalances in calcification regulators, causing damaging inflammation, tissue fibrosis, excessive calcification, and the loss of blood flow. The result? A damaged hair growth cycle that can’t repair itself. Eventually hair follicles stop receiving both nutrients and oxygen, and die.
In some extreme cases you’ll see excess calcification and fibrosis. The tissue hardens and creates a claustrophobic environment for the hair follicles. The effect is a bit like having weeds in a garden: allow them to grow uncontrollably, and all the surrounding plants die off. The reasons are the same: the weeds are eating up all the nutrients, and there aren’t enough for all the plants to survive. Thus, they begin to die off.
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Hair Loss Treatment
The good news about hair loss? It's usually treatable.
The best way to figure out what's causing your hair loss? Speak to a hair loss expert.
Don't stress over your lost hair. At MAXIM Hair Restoration, we offer non-surgical and surgical hair restoration options to help you look and feel your best. We'll help you choose the right services for your condition, age of hair loss onset, the progression of your hair loss, and your gender.
Contact our offices to schedule a free consultation today. Call (802) 370-3227, or fill out our contact form.