If you’re anything like me you’ve probably woken up and stood in front of the bathroom mirror, leaning forward and pushing back your hair to see if the inevitable has happened. It doesn’t matter if you’re pushing fifteen or fifty, we’re all in love with our hair. Don’t try to deny it, you know it’s true.
But fret not! Just for you trichophiles out there, we’ve put together a list of the factors responsible for hair fall. You’re welcome, Goldilocks’.
1. Genetics
It’s not just heredity but also race that determines how fabulous your hair is.
To a great extent the wealth or dearth of the foliage on your head depends upon what you’ve inherited from your parents. Going one step further, the amount of hair on a persons body varies by race and there is evidence to support this claim. So even if you do everything else right, it might just be that your genetics are working against you.
2. Hormonal Imbalance
Hormones work on balance and any kind of imbalance will lead to hair loss.
In men, it takes the form of male pattern badness. In women, it comes in many shapes and forms. The hormonal changes during pregnancy, during menstruation or even after taking an i-pill can lead to a loss of hair. An example of this is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
3. Autoimmune Diseases
The immune system might just get confused and treat your hair like the enemy and targets it.
Alopecia in it’s many forms and Lupus are the two most common instances of autoimmune diseases which can cause loss of hair. However this type of hair loss is more like scarring as the body works against itself and the damage can be permanent.
4. Iron deficiency – Anemia
One of the most common causes for hair loss is a lack of Iron.
Almost one in 10 women aged 20 through 49 suffers from anemia due to an iron deficiency. In fact, Iron deficiency usually goes undetected until it reaches a certain point which can lead to no action being taken till it begins to show its symptoms.
5. Hypothyroidism
An underactive thyroid might also be the cause of your falling hair.
The thyroid gland is one of the most crucial organs to the body. Located in the neck, it plays a critical role in metabolism, growth and development. A decrease in it’s activity leads to the condition known as Hypothyroidism and hair fall is one of its most common symptoms.
6. Drugs and Steroids
There’s a reason these items come with a long list of warnings.
If you abuse your body to any extreme, there will be consequences. Anabolic steroids which are commonly used by athletes for muscle growth are just as bad for your body as heavy duty drugs. Consumption of these items damages the body as a whole and your hair is no exception to that.
7. Overstyling
Is looking cool really worth the risk of damaging your hair root?
There are many hair style which require the use of heavy duty styling product which contains chemicals that ultimately do lasting damage to your scalp. Others are styled in a way that they’re too tight and literally pull at the hair, which eventually leads to the skin getting stretched beyond it’s capacity.
8. Skin condition of the scalp.
It’s not just hair but the skin it grows on that needs care as well.
For some people, the problem isn’t in that the body can’t produce more hair but that the skin can’t contain it. The most problematic of theses follicle but certain other dermatological conditions may be at the root of it as well. Skin care is just as important as hair care, guys.
9. Bad eating habits and Vitamin deficiency
Maybe this is why mothers keep telling us to eat a balanced diet.
As it turns out, food is important. If you aren’t getting enough Vitamin D or Protein, both of which play a part in hair grown, your body might begin to ration them. On the other hand if you have an excess of Vitamin A, it might result in hair loss as well. What you need is balance.
10. Sleep deprivation
Sleep is necessary not just for the mind to recharge but also the body.
The body needs rest to function and if you keep denying it that then at some points something has got to give. Sleep is what keeps our immune system, hormonal secretion and even mental stamina working. For an unlucky few, poor sleep can result in sudden hair fall.
11. Trichotillomania
Have you ever found yourself pulling out hair without even realizing it?
Some people bite their nails or their skin, others chew on pencils and pens. But for others this compulsive tic manifests in the form of an obsessive desire to pull on your hair and strip your head of its natural protection. You might not even realize you’re doing it.
12. Stress
It might be your body’s way of telling you to take a step back.
The thing about stress is that it can cause certain reactions in your body. Telogen Effluvium is a condition known to push the hair cycle into it’s shedding phase when stress becomes too much to handle. Individuals suffering from trauma, extreme physical duress and even anxiety are known to suffer from temporary hair loss.
Sorry! We didn’t mean to scare you. Just letting you know, if you want to have good hair then you have to care for it and earn it.