Understanding Hair Loss: Causes, Health & Potential Solutions

There are many reasons people lose hair, including sickness, hormones and genetics. The follicle, from which your hair grows, is the area that is alive and growing. By the time hair grows to the surface, it's already dead.

Sickness

• According to WebMD, the main reason hair falls out due to sickness is an autoimmune disease. Just like rheumatoid arthritis attacks the joints, one's own immune system attacks hair follicles.

Overall Health

• If you fail to eat healthy food, poison your body with drugs, or consume too much alcohol, your hair can fall out. A poorly functioning thyroid also can result in hair loss.

Male Pattern Balding

• Genetics is the main cause of hair loss in older men. This is called androgenetic alopecia and having a history of it on either side of the family can increase the risk of balding.

Hair Loss in Children

• Ringworm (tinea capitis) is a fungus that can cause kids to lose their hair. It is highly contagious and appears as patchy bald spots with red flaky scales.

Hormones

• During pregnancy, a woman's hormones slow down, putting their hair in a long resting phase. This means pregnant women lose less dead hair than usual. Around 12 weeks after a woman gives birth, hormones start returning to normal and hair returns to the shedding phase.

Hair Loss in Babies

• Baby hair loss is hormonal as well. In their first six months, babies can experience hair loss called telogen effluvium.