Hair Loss Causes

What causes hair loss?

Natural hair shedding is completely normal – the average person loses around 50 to 100 hairs every day without even noticing, as hair regenerates through 3 natural cycles:

Anagen Phase:

When the hair is actively growing. This can be for a period of up to 6 years.
Catagen Phase:

When the hair slowly stops growing which lasts up to one month.
Telogen Phase:

The final part of the hair cycle, the hair rests in position for approximately 3 months, at which point it sheds and the cycles begins again.

The issue arises when the miniaturisation process occurs. Miniaturisation is when over a period of time, the hair follicle grows back but is suffocated by Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which results in the hair follicle shrinking in size. The hair growth cycles continue though the visible hairs will be finer, and eventually the DHT will suffocate the hair follicle to the point it will no longer grow.

The Causes of Hair Loss

Find out more about the symptoms and best treatment options for a range of hair loss causes and begin your journey towards a new you.

Alopecia

Alopecia is the broad term for any form of hair loss, no matter how severe.

Male Pattern Baldness

Hair loss in men can happen at any age with many seeing thinning by the age of 50

Female Pattern Baldness

Most common in women in their 50’s and 60’s as the menopause affects the hormone levels.

Scalp Folliculitis

Is an inflammatory skin condition that affects the hair follicles in the scalp.

Trichotillomania

Pulling out your own hair due to urges and is classified as an Obsessive Compulsive.

Stress Can Cause Hair Loss

The stresses of life affect us not just emotionally, but physically too. While many people associate stress with massive life changes such as a new job or the death of a loved one, stress can manifest itself in many forms and can contribute to physical and emotional illness. Hair loss through stress is difficult to diagnose as there may not be one singular cause for the hair loss, however if you do not show symptoms of any of these other conditions, and your hair loss has a sudden and rapid onset, stress could be the cause.

Cancer Treatment

Aside from the obvious emotional and physical toll cancer can take on the body, hair loss as a result of treatments is common, in particular with Chemotherapy, as the therapy works to attack the rapidly growing cancerous cells in the body. An unfortunate side effect of this treatment is that it also attacks the cells which create hair. Once treatment has commenced total hair loss can progress in a matter of weeks, so if you are concerned about losing your hair once a diagnosis has been made it makes sense to explore your options. Hair replacement systems are an excellent choice as they are custom made to your requirements and can bring a little bit of normality to an otherwise traumatic time.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer and are concerned about hair loss, please see our Charity & Funding page to see if you qualify for a free hair replacement system.