Causes Of Sudden Female Hair Loss
There are many reasons why individuals may lose their hair. For men it maybe due to heridity or old age.
For women, the same reasons listed above can apply for their own personal hair loss in addition to other reasons. Some of those reasons can include changes in hormone balance, medicaton, diseases, etc.
What Is Hair Loss In Women?
Hair loss for both men and women can be a stressful experience. This is due to the fact that hair loss is often part of how we view our beauty or handsomeness as well as how we think other people look at us and judge our appearance. Therefore, when it comes to hair loss, in both men and women, many individuals want to know what the reasons for their hair loss are and how to stop hair loss.In addition, if the hair loss is sudden it can be a source of great concern for the individual. However, it is important to remember that the normal head of hair actually loses 50 to 100 strands of hair per day. Nevertheless, if the loss of hair is significant or is coming out in clumps, then it is important to seek advice and treatment from one’s personal physician.
Top Ten Reasons for Sudden Hair Loss in Women
Hair loss in women is a common phenomenon. On an average a woman loses 100-150 strands of hair every day. This is quite normal because hair follicle reproduces new hair for every strand that is lost. However, in some cases, the number of hair strands lost a single day far exceeds the number of hairs reproduced on the scalp. This results in clinical hair loss condition which is sudden and unpredictable.Clinical hair loss in woman can occur due to a number of reasons. The topmost reasons are stress and medical conditions. Here is a list of top 10 factors that cause in sudden hair loss in women:
- Excessive exercise: Too much of exercise drains essential nutrition from your body which causes hair follicles to lose their strength.
- Change in dietary conditions/ malnutrition
- Lack of sleep: Sleep apnea causes stress to hair follicle causing hair to fall out earlier than usual.
- Medications: Common medicines that cause hair loss in women include oral contraceptives, anti-depressants, NSAIDs, and beta and calcium channel blockers.
- Pregnancy and child birth: Hair loss occurs 2-3 months after child birth mainly due to the hormonal changes in the body.
- Allergies: Allergies from dust and medications can cause itching and scaling resulting in sudden hair loss.
- Hot weather: Hot weather causes hair follicles to lose the moisture content. This results in sudden hair loss.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs cause severe and sudden hair loss in cancer patients. Though this type of hair loss is reversible, the hair that is re-grown after the treatment may lose its natural color and texture after the treatment.
- Thyroid diseases: Hair loss can occur either due to an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) or a hyperactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). Each condition causes a hormonal imbalance and results in hair loss.
- Viral infection: Viral infection can result in sudden hair loss called alopecia areata.
Most of the above types of hair loss can be categorized as stress induced as they cause stress on hair follicles directly or indirectly. Stress causes disturbance in the normal growth cycle of hair follicles. As a result, hair follicle undergoes a shorter anaphase (period of growth) and turns to resting phase (telogen) much earlier than the normal period, which causes the hair to falls out prematurely.
Stress-induced hair loss is often a temporary disorder. Once the stress factor is identified and addressed, hair growth returns to normal. Sudden hair loss due to medical conditions and chemotherapy may also be completely reversible. Hair loss due to genetic reasons (androgenic alopecia in women) is not reversible, and is not 100 percent curable.
