Some hair shedding, which may occur while taking a shower or brushing your hair, is healthy and is no cause for concern. If you are losing a noticeable amount of hair, or your hair is falling out in clumps, your hair loss may be the cause of a more serious illness.
Significance
Hair shedding may be temporary or permanent, and may result from a medical condition or severely damaged hair due to chemical or heat processing. Repeated exposure to chlorine, hair straighteners or hair dryers, as well as hair perming and hair dye, can cause hair shedding. Hair that is damaged may break off at the crown and feel sticky or gummy when wet. The natural integrity of the hair can be regained by growing out and trimming the damaged hair.
Types
Medical conditions that may cause hair loss include male or female pattern baldness; telogen effluvium, temporary hair loss due to an emotional or physical shock; alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease; cicatricial alopecia, permanent scarring of the hair follicle; or traction alopecia, caused by pulling hair too tightly. Additionally, hair loss can be caused by changes in hormones, self-inflicted hair pulling due to trichotillomania, hormonal changes and medical treatments like chemotherapy.
Time Frame
Some hair shedding may cause permanent hair loss, while other hair loss is temporary and may grow back. Male pattern baldness and cicatricial alopecia cause permanent hair loss that is not likely to reverse. Alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, traction alopecia, nutritional deficiencies and medical treatments may cause hair to grow back after a few months, or up to one year, after hair loss. In some cases, states the Mayo Clinic, a patient may lose his hair multiple times before it grows back permanently.
Identification
A doctor can determine the "stage of the shedding process" by pulling gently on several strands of hair, states the Mayo Clinic. If the doctor feels the hair loss may be the cause of a bacterial infection, skin samples may be collected from the scalp. For more difficult to diagnose conditions, a punch biopsy may be given, where a small piece of skin may be cut out of the scalp to be tested.
Expert Insight
According to the Mayo Clinic, some prescription medications can cause hair loss, including medication for gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems and high blood pressure. Additionally, birth control pills may cause hair loss in some individuals. Side effects of hair loss due to a medication should be reported to a doctor or to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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