Excessive hair loss occurs when disruptions in the hair-growth cycle cause excessive shedding, slow growth or a combination of the two. Telogen effluvium, excess shedding, occurs when follicles enter the rest phase prematurely. Normally, 10 percent of follicles are at rest at any given time, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Disease, stress and trauma can cause follicles to stop growing hair and shed otherwise healthy hairs, resulting in excessive hair loss. Hair loss also occurs when hair growth slows, making it impossible to replace hairs that shed naturally.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary according to the type of hair loss. Genetic loss, also called pattern baldness, causes a receding hairline and thinning crown in men. In women, the condition causes thinning on the top of the head and in the crown while the front hairline stays intact.
Telogen effluvium causes thinning all over the head, and alopecia areata results in small bald patches. Bald patches are also common in cases of skin infection, hairstyling trauma and follicle inflammation, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Triggers
Most hair loss occurs because of heredity or a genetic predisposition toward balding. It is even normal to lose some hair as a normal part of the aging process, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Excessive hair loss can be the sign of an underlying medical condition such as an eating disorder, autoimmune disease, extreme physical or emotional shock, thyroid disorder, skin infection or lupus erythematosus. Excessive hair loss can also be caused by certain medications and medical treatments.
Permanent Loss
Two forms of permanent hair loss exist: genetic hair loss and scarring hair loss. Genetic hair loss occurs in individuals with a family history of balding. The condition can affect women and men, but is slightly more prevalent in men. Genetic hair loss causes highly visual changes and bald spots in men.
Women experience diffuse thinning and most women are spared bald spots. Cicatritial alopecia, or scarring baldness, occurs when follicles become inflamed and scarred because of inflammatory skin conditions, notes the Mayo Clinic.
Temporary Loss
All other forms of hair loss are considered temporary unless a condition is allowed to progress to the point of scarring. Temporary forms of hair loss include loss attributed to excessive hairstyling, inadequate nutrition, medications, disease, skin infection and scalp conditions, reports DermNet NZ.
Treatment
Treatment options for permanent hair loss include hormone replacement therapy, topical treatments, oral medications and surgical procedures.
The Mayo Clinic notes that temporary loss is treated by addressing the underlying condition first. Once the cause is treated, hair normally grows back within six months to a year.
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