“You leave your hair everywhere!” Yes ladies, you have surely already had this remark following the numerous involuntary deposits of your hair on the floor , on your pillow , in the shower , on the brush ,... Through repetition, this hair loss has started to ask yourself: “Am I losing too much hair ?” And we reassure you, hair loss is a normal phenomenon: we lose on average 50 to 100 hairs per day . Concern should arise when, 3 days after your last shampoo , running your hand through your hair , it recovers more than ten hairs at once. Gentlemen, the test is also valid for you, who are not left out in terms of hair loss, only, your hair being generally shorter, this is less visible in your home.
In this article, you will discover that the causes of hair loss are much more numerous than we think. Identifying them to act at the origin of the problem, isn't that the best solution to overcome alopecia problems?
Hair loss is a multifactorial phenomenon. It is difficult to associate it with a particular cause. However, it is good to know what factors can trigger or aggravate the process in order to effectively prevent and/or slow down the detachment of the hair shaft .
Cause #1: Genetics
We start with one of the only causes of alopecia that is difficult to act against: genetics . When hair loss is hereditary , which is very often the case, it will be difficult to prevent it. Certain solutions will nevertheless be able to delay and slow it down. And contrary to popular belief, it is not the paternal genetic heritage that influences hair loss but rather that of the mother .
Cause #2: Environment, lifestyle, diet
If there is one beauty credo that you must keep anchored, it is this one: “A healthy lifestyle and a varied and balanced diet ”.
The world is full of environmental and nutritional oxidizing factors from which we must stay away or protect ourselves: tobacco , alcohol , fast food , pollution , UV rays, exposure to chemicals . These cause inflammation of the scalp and premature aging of the hair fiber , providing free weeding to your scalp.
Thus, a healthy lifestyle , far from alcohol and tobacco , is a first step towards a dream mane .
A varied and balanced diet allowing a sufficient intake of iron , zinc and vitamin D brings you even closer to your No hair loss goal. In particular, women prone to heavy menstruation which causes iron deficiency must ensure that they maintain a normal iron level if they do not want their hair to become damaged. Supplementation may also sometimes be necessary.
If you follow a diet, make sure that it does not cause any nutritional deficiency because rapid weight loss can lead to temporary malnutrition associated with temporary alopecia .
The changing seasons also punctuate the hair cycle. For example, the transition to autumn marks the end of the adventures of hair , battered by the aggressive conditions imposed by summer and whose anagen phase has been stimulated by the sun . Weakened and at the end of its life , it takes the same path as the leaves of the trees and reaches the ground .
Cause #3: Emotional state
Your psychological state influences your hormonal state which impacts your hair cycle . For example, your stress causes your body levels of cortisol , the stress hormone, to spike. This molecule takes great pleasure in unbalancing the ratio of female hormones (estrogens) to male hormones (androgens including testosterone) . This alters the hair cycle , which is partly controlled by these substances. Indeed, estrogens boost the anagen phase of hair growth while testosterone accelerates its life cycle.
Cause #4: Hormones
As mentioned above, stress induces hormonal disruption which causes hair loss . Hormonal state and capillary anchoring are therefore closely linked. It is easily deduced that the hormonal oscillations that women experience throughout their lives disrupt the life cycle of their hair. Hair loss during pregnancy or postpartum is therefore a very common phenomenon.
Hyperandrogenism (excess of male androgenic hormones in the blood), whether linked to exogenous testosterone supplementation in postmenopausal women or to the use of androgenic progesterone as part of contraception , is another upheaval. hormonal which can disrupt your mane by accelerating its life cycle.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism can also lead to thinning hair.
Cause no. 5: Mechanical trauma
Perhaps you're trying out hairstyles that are each more extravagant than the last? But did you know that tight hairstyles ( braids , ponytails ), strain and traumatize your hair follicle which gradually becomes unanchored from your scalp? The same goes for sew-in or glue-in wig extensions and weaves.
It is also possible to traumatize the anchoring of the hair fiber by pressure . This is the case if you sleep with your head on the same side all the time, for example, or if you are bedridden for too long. Prolonged contact with a surface damages the hair attachment and the scalp becomes bald in the “ collision ” zone.
Certain behavioral disorders also lead to increased hair loss. This is the case of trichotillomania , an obsessive illness occurring mainly in children and adolescents which manifests itself through compulsive scratching or pulling of hair .
Cause #6: Chemical and radiation trauma
Radiotherapy only causes hair loss in the treated area and therefore only if the radiation is directed towards the head. The fall is not immediate and generally occurs 2 to 3 weeks after the start of radiotherapy.
The mechanism of action of chemotherapy is based on targeted action on cell division , because cancer cells divide faster than others. It turns out that “ hair cells ” also divide a lot, and are therefore also targeted by chemotherapy (just like eyelashes and eyebrows). This alopecia is temporary and reversible at the end of treatment. As with radiotherapy, the fall begins 2 to 3 weeks after the start of treatment and can be sudden or spaced out depending on the type of molecules used.
Cause #7: Medical Conditions
Everyone reacts differently to particular medical conditions and this can manifest itself as hair loss : general anesthesia, high fever, prolonged hospitalization, etc.
Drug treatment can also cause hair loss . For example, high doses of vitamin A are harmful to hair . Cardiovascular medications have also been linked to hair loss .
Cause #8: Infections
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection ( Treponema Pallidum) that can manifest as patchy alopecia , similar to telogen effluvium .
Ringworm is a fungal infection of the scalp caused by dermophytes which most often occurs in children and causes significant itching. The scalp becomes flaky , hair breaks with the appearance of blackheads and possible alopecia .
Genetic, medical, traumatic, hormonal, environmental, nutritional, emotional, etc. The causes of hair loss are numerous. It is possible to prevent it before it happens. The best solution remains the adoption of a healthy lifestyle coupled with a varied and balanced diet as well as loose hairstyles. Supplementation can be useful to maintain a good hormonal and emotional balance ( Life & Balance ) or to simply improve the anchorage of the hair so that it is less likely to fall out ( Absolu+ Hair ). To delay or slow down hair loss, what's better than strong, healthy hair? Hair & Nails can help you with this. Finally, for more medical causes, contact a health professional who will be able to advise you on a suitable medication.