Daily hair loss is normal. Both men and women may experience hair loss as part of the normal hair growth cycle.
It becomes abnormal if the amount is excessive, and there are a variety of factors that can contribute to abnormal hair loss.
Natural Hair Loss
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, normally hair will fall out at least 50-100 strands per day. This hair loss is influenced by the cycle of the hair growth stage (anagen) and the resting stage (telogen) before it falls out.
As long as the hair follicles are active and new hair grows, this cycle will persist. Hair loss is considered abnormal when more hair falls out than is normal.
Read more: 5 Nutrients Important To Prevent Hair Loss
Causes of Abnormal Hair Loss
Several abnormal conditions can cause hair loss, such as:
Androgenetic alopecia
Androgenetic alopecia is a common type of hair loss that affects both men and women. This hair loss causes male pattern baldness, which begins above the temples. Over time, the hairline will recede and characteristically form an M shape.
Conversely, this condition rarely results in complete baldness in women. Hair loss starts out as a slow thinning at the hairline and progresses to the top of the head, where it becomes widespread.
Nutritional deficiencies
Hair consists of two parts: the hair shaft and the hair follicle. Hair follicles are formed up of cells that need nutrition as they divide. Nutrient deficiencies, including iron, vitamin D, zinc, copper, biotin, vitamin B12, folate, and riboflavin, can lead to hair loss.
As a result, when choosing a diet program, you should start with caution. Always eat foods with balanced nutrition to avoid hair loss and other medical problems.
Stress
Chronic stress can result in hair loss. According to experts, there are three conditions of abnormal hair loss due to stress, including:
- Telogen effluvium is a type of hair loss that attacks people after experiencing severe stress or changes in the body.
- Trichotillomania is a mental disorder characterized by excessive hair pulling from the scalp, brows, and other hairy areas.
- Alopecia areata is characterized by uneven baldness that can affect any part of the body, including the scalp, beard, brows, eyelashes, armpits, nose, and ears. Severe stress can trigger the body's immune system to attack hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.
Read more: Severe Hair Loss After Childbirth, Is It Normal?
Certain health conditions
Thyroid disorders, lupus, iron anemia, PCOS, syphilis, and other autoimmune diseases are all possible causes of hair loss.
Treatment
In addition to medical conditions, certain medications, such as birth control pills, anticoagulants, beta blockers, antidepressants, and retinoids, can cause hair loss in certain individuals. If you experience hair loss after taking the prescribed medication, consult your doctor again. The doctor will recommend other medications that can help with side effects like hair loss.
Hair loss is not a harmful problem, but it can be frustrating, especially when a large amount of hair falls out. If you are experiencing hair loss or other health issues, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.
Looking for more information about other diseases? Click here!
- dr. Alvidiani Agustina Damanik
Jillian Kubala, MS, RD (2022). Does the Optavia Diet Cause Hair Loss?. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/optavia-diet-and-hair-loss
Jon Johnson (2019). How much hair loss is normal?. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327188
Chin H. Ho, et all (2022). Androgenetic Alopecia. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430924/
Harvard Health Publishing (2020). Treating female pattern hair loss. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/treating-female-pattern-hair-loss
Hind M. Almohanna (2019). The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6380979/
Jillian Kubala, MS, RD (2021). How Diet Affects Hair Loss. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-diet-affects-hair-loss
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D. (2021). Can stress cause hair loss?. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/expert-answers/stress-and-hair-loss/faq-20057820
Cleveland Clinic (2022). Telogen Effluvium. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24486-telogen-effluvium
Mayo Clinic (2022). Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder). Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trichotillomania/symptoms-causes/syc-20355188
American Academy of Dermatology Association. Hair Loss Types: Alopecia Areata Overview. Available from: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/types/alopecia
Healthily (2022). 5 health conditions that can cause hair loss – and how to treat them. Available from: https://www.livehealthily.com/self-care/5-common-medical-causes-for-female-hair-loss