Men and women of all ages can experience the problem of hair loss. Watching your hair fall all of a sudden can be a traumatizing experience. Although hair loss can take place due to a lot of reasons, being aware of the most common causes of this problem can help you to take precautionary measures and maintain strong, healthy, and beautiful hair.

Hormonal Imbalance and Heredity

Female-pattern hair loss is the most common cause of hair fall in women. This problem is hereditary and is triggered by sex hormones. Women can also experience temporary hair loss due to pregnancy hormones, menopause, or birth control.

Hereditary hair loss is more common in men, and in serious cases, it can be permanent and being as early as puberty. Male pattern baldness, which is a generic condition, can cause slow as well as rapid hair loss.

Medical Conditions

Some people suffer from the health condition that causes hair loss by making your own immune system attack the hair follicles. This health issue is known as alopecia areata. People suffering from this condition experience patches of hair coming out of various parts of the body, including the head. Thyroid problems are another common cause of hair loss.  Thyroid glands play an important role in helping to regulate hormone levels. Thyroid problems can lead to fluctuations in hormone levels, and therefore trigger hair loss issues. Scalp infections can also lead to temporary hair loss that persists until the scar goes away. There are a few skin disorders like lupus that can lead to permanent hair loss.

Medications

Medications that are used to treat various illnesses or pain can have side-effects that lead to hair loss. Prescription drugs can cause changes in hair color or texture, hair growth, and hair loss. The amount of hair loss that can be caused by medications depends on the kind of medication, its dose, and how sensitive an individual is towards that particular medication. Antidepressants, acne medications that contain vitamin A, high blood pressure drugs, antibiotics, birth control pills, hormone replacement medications, thyroid medications, drugs used to treat cancer, etc. can all have side-effects that cause hair thinning and hair loss. Fortunately, this kind of hair loss that is a result of side-effects of a particular prescription drug is usually temporary and disappears as soon as you stop taking the mediation.

Emotional Issues

Chronic stress and emotional disorders can cause an individual to lose hair. In fact, hair loss and unintended weight loss are two of the most common symptoms of chronic emotional disorders. Emotional issues also disturb the eating habits, which could deprive an individual of necessary nutrients and eventually lead to hair loss. Trichotillomania, which is also known as hair-pulling disorder, can cause hair loss by causing an irresistible urge to pull hair from the scalps.

Hair Styling Procedures

A lot of people use chemical treatments like bleaches, dyes, straighteners, relaxers, tints, etc. to change the appearance of their hair. Although it is fine to use these techniques occasionally and in a proper manner, using them too often can cause hair loss. Leaving the solution on your hair for too long or performing two procedures on the same day can also cause hair fall. There are certain chemical relaxers that contain powerful chemicals that can result in permanent hair loss by causing chemical burns.