OMG Digital Magazine | 313 | Thursday 14 June 2018 • PAGE 30
7 Reasons Why You ' re Experiencing Hair Loss and How You Can Fix It
The good news ? Hair loss isn ' t always permanent . The bad news ? Even if it ' s temporary , it could signal some serious health problems .
BY EMILY SHIFFER
When you think about going bald , you ’ re probably thinking about male pattern baldness , a permanent and basically irreversible form of hair loss . Male pattern baldness tends to start with a receding hairline and thinning on the crown , which usually becomes more pronounced over time .
But if you don ' t have male pattern baldness , and you start to notice clumps of hair in your shower , it ' s understandable why you might freak out . After all , who wants to lose their hair for good ?
First of all , it ' s important to note that seeing some strands in your drain or in your hairbrush is perfectly normal . " Most people shed 100 to 200 hairs per day ," says Anthony Rossi , M . D ., a dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center .
But even if you ’ re losing more than that , male-pattern baldness might not necessarily be at play . In fact , there could be some temporary causes of baldness you should know about . Here are seven ( temporary ) reasons why you might be losing your hair — and what you can do about it .
1 Your thyroid levels may be off . If something is wrong with your thyroid , hair loss is usually a pretty good indicator . Your thyroid helps to regulate hair quality and hair growth , says Robert Anolik , M . D ., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York City . Hair loss can happen both with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism ( low and high thyroid activity ).
If thyroid hormone issues are a factor , you might notice that you ' re losing hair all over your head , instead of in one specific area . You may also be losing body hair as well .
Fortunately , " most screening involves checking these routine blood levels with a simple test ," says Dr . Anolik . If your results are abnormal , an endocrinologist and a dermatologist can help coordinate treatment to get the levels back to normal , which usually involves taking medication . Once your levels are back to normal , you should notice your hair growth getting back on track .
2 Extreme stress or illness If you notice your hair coming out easily when you comb your hair , it may be triggered by a stressful event . In this case , you ’ ll tend to see hair loss all over your head , not just in one specific area .
" That ' s a sign that the hair follicles have gone into ' hibernation '. It indicates that the hair follicles have entered the telogenic , or resting , phase ," says Rajani
Katta , M . D ., professor of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine . " Hair follicles cycle through different phases of growth , and in the resting phase , those hairs are very easily dislodged . They come out by the roots ."
Severe physical and emotional stress can trigger this state of hair follicle hibernation . While it ’ s still not totally clear why stress or illness triggers this phase , some researchers believe it has to do with the stress hormones that are released during stressful situations . " The hair loss is usually seen about 3 to 6 months after the triggering event , and it can then take another 3 to 6 months for the condition to reverse . But the good news is that , for most people , it does reverse on its own ," says Dr . Katta .
3 You may have an infection . " When I see a circular patch of hair loss , the first condition I think of is a fungal infection ," says Katta .
The cause ? Ringworm , aka athlete ’ s foot , is an infection you can get from direct contact with someone who has it , or by sharing things like towels or bedding with someone who has it . It ’ s pretty contagious . " They can cause redness and flaking , and sometimes even pus bumps , in a circular patch of hair loss ," she says .
If your ringworm test comes back positive , you ’ ll usually need an antifungal medication to cure your infection . When the infection is gone , your hair will start to grow back .
4 Inflammation of your scalp . Extreme cases of psoriasis — an inflammatory condition marked by red , scaly plaques on your skin — or seborrheic dermatitis , can also cause temporary hair loss , says Dr . Anolik .
If that ’ s the case , you ’ ll tend to notice your scalp is patched with red and covered with greasy-looking , white or yellowish scales and dandruff , and your hair loss will be general .
The condition " can be controlled with dandruff shampoos initially , but if it ’ s not resolving quickly , I ' d recommend seeing a board-certified dermatologist for prescription care ," he says .
5 Taking certain medications or supplements . " Although there ' s a lot of variability in how individuals react to medications , some possible triggering medications include steroids , antidepressants , and isotretinoin , a derivative of vitamin A that ' s used to treat severe acne
( like Accutane )," says Katta . Another common culprit is blood pressure medication — particularly , a beta blocker called propranolol — which can also lead to hair loss .
In these cases , discontinuing the medication , or switching to another kind , can restore hair growth , says Anolik . And while it sounds contradictory , you should also be wary of taking hair loss supplements .
" Many contain vitamin A , vitamin E , selenium , or even a combination of these . This can be a problem , depending on the doses , especially if you ' re already getting more than enough of these nutrients in your diet ," says Dr . Katta . " That ' s because excessive levels of these nutrients in your body can actually lead to more hair loss ."
6 You just switched to a vegan diet . Just switched to a vegan diet ? If you ’ re not getting enough iron , you might start to notice general thinning on your scalp , says Dr . Anolik . That may be because an iron deficiency puts your body into survival mode , which means it uses nutrients and oxygen that are normally used to replenish your hair . That ’ s why your doctor may recommend a simple blood test to check your iron levels . If they ’ re low , he or she may recommend an iron supplement or iron-heavy diet . After your levels are restored , your hair will grow back , but it may take a few months .
7 You may have an undiagnosed autoimmune disease . " Alopecia areata is a condition in which your immune system attacks your hair-producing cells ," says Joshua Zeichner , M . D ., director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research at Mount Sinai Hospital ' s Department of Dermatology . " This leads to individual , round patches of hair loss . In some cases it may be severe and affect the entire scalp , or even the eyebrows or beard ." You may also notice problems with your nails , such as pitting or white spots .
If you think you may have alopecia areata visit your dermatologist to discuss your options , which include cortisone injections , says Dr . Zeichner . Other autoimmune diseases such as lupus are also associated with thinning hair .
Overall , if you ' re worried about your hair loss — or you ' re concerned that it may be more permanent — make an appointment with a dermatologist . " These physicians are the ones trained in hair and hair diseases . They understand the various entities that can cause hair loss and how to diagnosis and treat them ," says Rossi .