Diseases that Cause Hair Loss

Causes of sudden hair loss

Causes of sudden hair loss are something everybody will despise.  Hair diseases and hair loss are matters of concern for everybody around the world. Sudden hair loss is a common problem these days and no single factor can be attributed to it. The sudden hair loss diagnosis has shown the causes of sudden hair loss are several and vary from person to person. The sudden hair loss diagnosis has shown that  causes of sudden hair loss can be broadly divided into two groups. One type of causes of sudden hair loss is a temporary effect, while the other type of causes of sudden hair loss involves a prolonged action, usually involving genetics. In most of the cases when the hair loss is temporary it can be cured by medications and treatments. In contrast, prolonged hair loss may require long term treatment and sometimes, when drug treatment is ineffective, surgery like hair transplantation may be required.



The temporary causes of sudden hair loss include things like child birth, use of birth control pills, etc. Hormonal imbalance can play a major role in temporary hair loss and can have a severe impact. It can trigger pattern baldness, a major hair loss affecting a large percent of population.



Sudden hair loss diagnosis has generally observed that a particular hair loss cause is sometimes a more common reason in a particular type of sudden hair loss diseases. For example- acquired hair shaft defects are sudden hair loss diseases generally caused by the excessive use of hair treatments and styling products, whereas infectious diseases are sudden hair loss diseases originating from an unhygienic scalp.



Some of the common causes of sudden hair loss diseases spotted by sudden hair loss diagnosis are:

• Hormonal imbalance


• Minor or major illness


• Improper styling


• Inadequate diet

Hormonal imbalance

In men

In men hormonal imbalance is one of the major causes of sudden hair loss. The male hormone that causes severe hair loss is testosterone. The enzyme, 5 alpha reductase, which is present in the hair follicles converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The DHT is the most potent androgen that promotes androgenetic alopecia - the common pattern of male baldness or premature hair loss.



In women

The results of sudden hair loss diagnosis studying hair diseases and hair loss among women point out an imbalance in thyroid hormones as one of the more common causes of sudden hair loss among them. When the thyroid gland is overactive or under active, the hair may fall out. The hair follicles are particularly sensitive to concentrations of thyroid gland derived hormones. Thyroid hormones have a large influence on the cellular metabolism of scalp proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and minerals. The cells of the hair matrix, due to their high degree of metabolic activity, are most profoundly influenced by the deficiency or excess of thyroid hormones.



Hormonal imbalance as causes of sudden hair loss is also largely seen in women during pregnancy. During pregnancy, there is a high level of estrogen hormones. This high level results in an excess percentage of hair follicles to remain in anagen growth phase. But after the child birth there is a rapid fall in the estrogen level and large number of hair follicles shift to a catagen phase and hair gradually sheds off.



Sometimes, hair diseases and hair loss in women are observed during the post-pregnancy period. This hair loss factor is almost always temporary. However, persistent hair loss for months after pregnancy may indicate the presence of a hormonal imbalance in the body. Hormonal imbalance for an extended period requires proper diagnosis and treatment.

Illness as one of the causes of sudden hair loss

Sudden hair loss diagnosis has spotted some illness as causes of sudden hair loss. High fever, severe infection, or flu are some of the serious illnesses that may cause sudden hair loss by causing the hair follicles to enter a resting phase. The condition is called telogen effluvium which results in increased hair shedding. But this excess shedding is temporary and the normal rate of hair regrowth follows after some time.



Some cancer treatments also cause sudden hair loss by preventing the dividing of hair follicle cells, as a result of which the growth of the hair fiber is stopped resulting in anagen effluvium. In this condition, the hair becomes thin, breaks off and gradually hair loss occurs. This hair loss starts within one to three weeks after the beginning of the chemotherapy treatment. Patients can lose up to 90 percent of their scalp hair during this strong treatment.

Improper hair styling as causes of sudden hair loss

Improper hair care and prolonged use of certain hair-styling techniques can result in severe sudden hair loss diseases like traction alopecia. Traction alopecia is a condition in which the hair fibers are pulled out from the hair follicle by a hairstyle that pulls on the roots of the hair fibers. Hairstyles like braiding cornrowing can cause this type of sudden hair loss if adequate care is not taken. Can traction alopecia can cause severe hair loss.



Cosmetic treatments such as bleaching, coloring or hair straightening like chemical relaxing are generally safe, but sometimes the procedures are not followed correctly which can result in major sudden hair loss. Sometimes the strong chemicals that are used in hair treatments are kept on the hair for a longer period than they should be. This makes the hair fiber brittle and prone to breakage. So it is better to perform hair styling only under the guidance of an expert.

Inadequate diet as cause of sudden hair loss

Your diet can also cause sudden hair loss.  Some people take up crash diets in order to achieve rapid weight loss. But these crash diets are low in protein, vitamins and minerals and may lead to malnutrition. Also, some people are prone to abnormal eating habits leading to an unhealthy diet missing important nutrients that the hair follicles need.



When there is a lack of nutrients, the body will naturally try to economize by shifting growing hairs into resting phase. As hair is made up of keratin, a form of protein, and requires several minerals and protein plus energy to make the hair, during protein scarcity period, the hair fibers are forcibly sent into a resting phase, and hair shedding gradually occurs after a period of time. Hair in this state can easily be pulled out from the roots. But the condition can be reversed and prevented by eating a proper nutritious diet.



So if you are experiencing sudden hair loss, baldness, or thinning hair, always remember, many of the causes of sudden hair loss are temporary and can be prevented with the right measures and proper care. Baldness or thinning hair are common concerns for both men and women which can be prevented with the help of various remedies available in the market. The first thing you need is a proper sudden hair loss diagnosis.