5 Reasons Why My Hair Is Falling Out
If you’re experiencing hair falling out, chances are you’re feeling a bit concerned. But losing some hair every day is normal. In fact, our bodies shed 50-100 hairs daily during our natural process of shredding and regrowth.1 That means that normal hair shedding is offset by new hair growth, keeping your scalp healthy and your cells renewing naturally.
But if your hair is falling out in clumps, or if you’ve noticed sudden bald spots, a quickly receding hairline, or overall thinning of your hair, you may be experiencing a type of hair loss called alopecia. There are many different types of alopecia that affect all different types of people in all stages of life.
While hair loss can feel frustrating and even scary, it’s important to keep in mind that our hair falls out for many different reasons, and many are not cause for immediate concern.2 Learn about the causes of hair loss to find out the right treatments for you.
This article will explore potential reasons why hair falls out. If you’re experiencing sudden or prolonged hair loss that is causing you concern, please consult a qualified professional, such as your general practitioner or a dermatologist.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Regular hair shedding is a normal process for the human body.
Hair loss can be caused by a variety of things, such as genetics, hormonal changes, medications, tight hairstyles, or extreme stress.
Treating hair loss begins with correctly identifying the root cause, which is why we recommend consulting a qualified medical professional if you’re worried about your hair falling out.
Why is My Hair Falling Out?
While there are many causes for hair loss, below are common reasons that your hair might be falling out.
Reason 1: Hereditary Hair Loss
Some of us are born with genetics that lead to hair loss, which is a type of hair loss called androgenetic alopecia.3 This type of balding or hair thinning affects both men and women.
Male pattern baldness tends to appear first above the temples and at the top of the head, leading to a receding hairline and a bald spot on the crown.
Female pattern hair loss, on the other hand, doesn’t cause a receding hairline. Instead, it tends to lead to thinning of the hair on top of the head and a widening of middle parts, but it isn’t common for female pattern hair loss to result in baldness.
Androgenetic alopecia is a genetic condition that doesn’t have a cure. But there are products that can help you to get fuller hair . Hairstyles that increase volume can help hide this type of hair loss.
Reason 2: Hormonal Changes
Hormones play a key role in our hair growth and shedding cycles, and many stages of our lives can cause changes in our hormones.4 Bodily changes, such has pregnancy, menopause, or puberty can affect hair follicles, leading to female hair loss.
Some hormonal changes caused by life stages will eventually balance out. But stages such as menopause, which leads to a drop in estrogen, can permanently leave hair thinner and weaker. You can combat thinning hair with hair thickening products that leave hair looking and feeling fuller.
Reason 3: Tight Hairstyles
Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by consistent stress on the hair follicle.5 It usually presents as a thinning of the hair along the hair line, resulting in a receding hair line.
You can develop this type of hair loss if you regularly wear your hair in styles that pull on your strands, like tight ponytails, braids, or buns. If you use chemicals or heat on your hair, these styles can also cause hair to weaken and break easily when it’s pulled back.
While traction alopecia can be reversed when caught early and you stop pulling your hair into tight styles, it can be permanent if hair isn’t given time to recover. This happens because the hair follicle, which sits inside the scalp, can die due to continued trauma.
If you’re concerned about traction alopecia, the easiest way to treat it is simply to give your hair some freedom. Use only loose hairstyles, try not to pull your hair too tightly when wrapping it in a towel, and stay away from hats or accessories that don’t let your scalp breathe.
Reason 4: Emotional or Physical Stress
Telogen Effluvium is the kind of hair loss caused by severe stress.6 Periods of physical or emotional trauma can disrupt our natural hair growth and shedding cycles, which may lead to thinning hair around the top of the head. This happens when regular shedding isn’t replaced right away with new hair as the scalp releases more strands than usual.
Hair loss caused by stress tends to affect those with female hormones rather than those with male hormones. And while it may start with clumps or handfuls of hair coming out at once, it doesn’t lead to total or permanent hair loss.
The treatment for telogen effluvium starts with finding the stressor that leads to hair loss. Usually, when the cause is treated, this type of hair loss resolves within about six months.
Reason 5: Side Effects of Medical Treatments
Anagen Effluvium is hair loss due to medical treatments like chemotherapy.7 This type of hair loss doesn’t cause scarring on the scalp, which means that it isn’t permanent and is easily reversed once the medical treatment is completed.
For those undergoing medical treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, hair loss can be rapid and often lead to total baldness. While there aren’t treatments yet to prevent this type of hair loss, as long as the scalp is kept healthy and clean, it’s usually not physically uncomfortable.
How Can I Stop My Hair from Falling Out?
Treating hair loss or preventing hair from falling out depends on the cause and type of the alopecia hair loss you’re experiencing. Since hair shedding is a natural process, most types of hair loss aren’t anything to be overly concerned about. And many causes of hair loss tend to resolve themselves.
To help prevent hair loss, be sure that your scalp is clean and healthy, and that you’re eating a well-balanced diet and getting enough sleep. Hair thinning treatments can have a positive effect and help prevent hair from falling out due to age or genetics.
If your hair loss is concerning you, it’s always best to consult a doctor in order to find the root of the issue.
References:
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/causes/fall-out
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hair-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20372926
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/androgenetic-alopecia/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/
https://www.healthline.com/health/traction-alopecia
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24486-telogen-effluvium