Three Factors that Cause Hair Loss

Most of us have heard that too much hat-wearing or poor circulation to the scalp can cause hair loss. Theses causes all have been proven to be myths, and the real causes of hair loss are stress, health, and hormones.

Stress can cause your hair to literally fall out. Usually the hair loss occurs 3 months after you`ve gone through the stressful period. Then you will need another 3 months after you begin losing hair for your hair growth to begin again ( if the stress has been diffused ). Your bodies built in healing process considers your emotional problem so important, that it ignores your hair putting it into a resting phase. This resting phase is known as Telogen Effluvium. Stress can also trigger genetic hair loss. If your already losing hair stress will cause you to lose hair even faster. So stress plays a big role in hair loss, keep your blood pressure down!

Health is also a factor in hair loss. Damaged blood vessel linings can inhibit your hair growth. This is because these blood vessel linings normaly produce endothelium-derived relaxing factor (E.D.R.F.) or nitric oxide (N.O.). Studies also show that there is a strong relationship between people with heart disease experienceing hair loss. Also, diabetics have a higher risk of experiencing hair loss.

Lastly, male hormones called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is known to be the most common reason for male pattern hair loss. DHT is produced from testosterone which is produced by the enzyme 5-apha reductase. DHT has a very high affinity being up to ten times more potent than testosterone. Your DHT hormones can be balanced which medication, these medications will resurrect your hair follicles bringing them out of their resting phase and your hair will begin to grow again. The most popular hair loss medication is Propecia, Propecia can be bought through the online pharmacy I will link to at the bottom of this article. An inbalance of DHT triggers and autoimmune response in pattern loss, which initiates an attack on your hair follices. Gradually your hair follices will become inflammed putting your hair in a resting phase which causes hair to only fall out not grow.

Half of the men and women in just the U.S. suffer from hair loss. The good news is hair loss is no longer something you have to live with. There are many treatments out there, some will correct the inbalance of DHT in your body to allow you to grow your own hair again, some simply need patience or counseling, and of course you can turn to expensive hair transplant surgery. But why get to this point, just know the three factors that cause hair loss and your chances of having a full head of hair, go way up!

New Research Links Causes Of Hair Loss To Nutritional Deficiency

Whilst it may be comforting to know that humans are not alone in suffering hair loss (primates such as monkeys also experience thinning on their head) - understanding the causes of hair loss means we can take proactive action. Even though genetics does play a part, new research has uncovered a nutritional deficiency link in both men and women. And other factors, such as stress, and poor hair care, are well within our capacity to change.

The genetic link in hair loss has been well studied. It is associated with male and female pattern hair loss, or alopecia. In these individuals there is an increased sensitivity to the sex hormone, DHT. DHT stands for dihydrotestosterone, and is a powerful metabolite of testosterone. It contributes to men's unique gender characteristics, as well as facial and body hair, and the deepening of men's voices at puberty.

DHT causes the growth cycle of hair follicles to shorten, which in turn reduces the size of the hair shaft. Increasingly narrower hair is grown, sometimes as fine as fluff, and in more extreme cases, there is complete hair loss in that area.

In women, estrogen usually counteracts the effects of testosterone. But when women go through menopause, or suffer hormonal imbalances, the reduction in estrogen can lead to female pattern baldness. Fortunately, this is not as drastic in its hair loss effects as male pattern baldness. Instead the hair tends to thin, and the crown parting becomes wider.

But a very interesting study by L'Oreal has linked an iron deficiency to hair loss, in both men and women. This was a placebo controlled, double blind study in which 13,000 healthy men and women took a supplement, and had the ferritin (iron) levels in their blood measured and cross referenced with information on their hair loss.

The results showed not only a link between hair loss and iron deficiency, but they were able to estimate the risk of hair loss in a certain level of iron deficiency. For example, women whose blood ferritin levels dropped from a normal 70µg/l to 40µg/l, had a 28% higher chance of severe hair loss. The post menopausal women in the study who had severe hair loss all had much lower levels of iron than the women who didn't have severe hair loss.

The problem with iron supplementation, however, is that excess iron builds up in the body's tissues and becomes toxic. It has been associated with an increased risk of developing chronic illnesses. Iron levels can be tested by a doctor, so if hair loss is a concern, its best to get your iron levels tested first before taking iron supplements.

Other potential causes of hair loss - or at least, contributing factors are stress and poor hair care practices. Not brushing hair regularly, or washing it regularly, can affect the normal hair growth cycle.

When hair that is naturally at the end of its life cycle is removed through brushing, it allows another hair to grow underneath it. Regular brushing naturally removes dead hair that is ready to fall out. Not removing that hair means new growth cannot occur, as the old hair smothers the new growth. Dirt and oil build up can have a similar effect, so its important to wash hair regularly.

Stress can affect the circulation of nutrients and oxygen to the scalp, by causing the muscles in the scalp to tighten. If this happens over a long period of time, premature hair loss can occur. This cause of hair loss is distinct from male pattern baldness (which is hormonal), but it can certainly exacerbate the condition. And stress reduction techniques are simple things that can be added to a daily routine, to prevent hair loss, and improve the overall quality of life.

References:
1. Nutraingredients
2. Wikipedia Health