Hair loss affects men, women and children of all ages. Medications, hormones, diseases and genetics may cause it. The cycle of hair growth can last up to three years. Individual hairs grow approximately 1cm each month; four months into the cycle, resting hair falls out as new hair grows in its place. According to FamilyDoctor.org, as part of the hair growth cycle, it is normal to shed a little hair each day.
Alopecia
Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss among men and women typically caused by genetic and hereditary factors. This condition is typically known as male pattern baldness, although alopecia is not gender specific. According to MayoClinic.com, a family history of androgenetic alopecia increases the risk of balding. Common results of this condition include receding hairlines and baldness at the top of the head. Hair loss at an early age contributes to excessive baldness. Alopecia areata is a condition that causes hair loss to occur in patchy areas on the scalp.
Medications
Some medications can cause temporary hair loss. Chemotherapy, a common treatment for cancer patients, may cause total hair loss on the body. During treatment, chemotherapy targets the rapidly dividing cells, both healthy and cancerous, causing destruction of hair cells. Antidepressants, diet pills and some acne medications containing the drug Isotretinoin and some with retinin a can contribute to hair loss.
Hormones
It is common for some women as they age to begin showing symptoms of hormonal imbalance and hair loss. Poor nutrition, stress, discontinuation of birth control pills and low progesterone levels are major causes of hormonal imbalance symptoms in women. Progesterone levels begin dropping, and most women begin to experience changes in moods, hormonal imbalance and hair loss. In men, testosterone, the hormone that causes beard growth and acne can also trigger baldness. Testosterone and DHT cause hair follicles to regress and die leading to hair loss.
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