WHAT ARE THE MAIN CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS 

Hair loss is a part of your hair’s natural growth cycle; you should expect to shed some hair daily. Most patients see their hair regrow and continue to have a full head of hair. However, disease, hormonal fluctuations, stress, ageing, and genetic diseases can disrupt your hair’s growth cycle. Though new hair strands don’t always regrow, more hair falls off. Hair loss can affect adults of either gender or children, and various types of hair loss exist. You can experience hair loss from your entire body or simply your head. Up to 100 hair strands are lost daily by most healthy individuals. You shed hair strands and replace them with new ones as part of your hair’s development cycle.

Causes of hair loss

 The causes of hair loss are numerous. Among the most typical are:

• Genetically caused hereditary hair loss and fungus-related scalp infections.
• Hairstyles (such as braids, hair extensions, or tight ponytails) that pull the hair tightly.
• Alterations in hormones (such as menopause, pregnancy, or childbirth).
• Medical care (including prescription drugs and chemotherapy).
• Nutritional deficits, particularly from consuming insufficient amounts of protein or iron.
• Illness of the thyroid.

Health issues are the causes of hair loss

Anaemia, eating disorders, lupus, diabetes, thyroid disease, and iron deficiency anaemia can cause hair loss. If the underlying cause is cured, hair usually grows back unless follicular diseases, lichen planus, or certain types of lupus leave scars.

Eat a diet. A diet that is extremely low in calories or poor in protein may also result in temporary hair loss. Learn about the foods that can help stop hair loss.

Vitamin deficiencies.

Hair loss has been linked to deficiencies in iron, zinc, and vitamins A, B, C, D, and E.

Hormonal imbalance

A common cause of hormonal imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It leads to cysts on a woman’s ovaries, along with other signs and symptoms, which can include hair loss. Some types of birth control pills can cause a temporary hormonal imbalance. Women who develop a hormonal imbalance can develop thinning hair (or hair loss) on their scalp.

Nutritional deficiencies

Nutritional deficiencies can cause hair to fall out. Extreme diets that are too low in protein or specific vitamins, such as iron, can sometimes cause excessive hair shedding.

Remedies

Self-care

The following lifestyle habits may help with hair loss:

Limiting sources of stress, practising stress-relieving techniques, such as massage, aromatherapy, or relaxation therapy, eating enough calories and a nutrient-rich diet that includes proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, avoiding smoking and second-hand smoke

The following habits may also help limit hair loss or increase hair volume:

1. Avoiding tight hairstyles,
2. Air-drying hair or using the lowest setting on a hair dryer,
3. You are restricting the use of curling irons, flat irons, or other heating processes that can damage the hair,
4. You avoid at-home colouring, perming, or chemical straightening products, use lightweight shampoo and conditioner to prevent weighing down the hair, use a leave-in conditioner or detangler to reduce tangles and breakage, and comb or brush the hair as gently as possible.
5. It’s critical to safeguard your scalp if you have excessive hair loss.
6. When you’re in the sun, cover your head with a hat, scarf, or other headgear; exposure increases the risk of skin cancer.
7. How individuals perceive hair loss varies based on the nature of the loss and the underlying factors. 

How can I stop losing hair?

While there is no way to stop all forms of hair loss, there are things you can do to minimise the loss and maintain the health of your hair. To stop hair loss:

• Consume a balanced diet with adequate protein, iron, and calories.
• Look for strategies to handle stress.
• Handle any medical issues, such as thyroid illness that may cause hair loss.
• Steer clear of tightly pulled-in haircuts.
• When receiving chemotherapy, consider wearing a cooling cap.

You may want to ask your healthcare provider about the cause of your hair loss and whether you need to change any of your current medications. What are the best treatments for your type of hair loss? Can you have a hair transplant? Is there a treatment that will help you regrow hair?

A person should contact a doctor for a blood test to check whether they have a nutritional deficiency that could be causing their hair to fall out.