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Excessive Hair Loss

hair loss

Excessive hair loss can be triggered by a number of causes, and may be recognized by incidents of large amounts of hair falling out, gradual thinning, or by sudden occurrences of patches devoid of hair.

Some forms of hair loss will resolve themselves on their own and regrow spontaneously, while others may require treatments to stimulate hair growth. Hair loss may be an early sign of an underlying disease, so determining the cause of hair loss is important before embarking on a treatment. Your doctor will evaluate your hair loss problem to make a diagnosis, attempt to identify a cause, and determine the best course of action.

Hair grows in cycles that normally last between two and six years. About 90% of the hair on your scalp is actively growing at any one time, and each hair grows approximately one centimeter per month during this phase. The other 10% of the hair on your scalp is in a resting phase that lasts two to three months before falling out. After a hair is shed, a new hair from the same follicle replaces it and the growing cycle starts again.
Under normal circumstances, as much as 50 to 100 hairs are shed per day as part of the cycle, and should not be a cause for alarm.

Some causes of excessive hair loss include:

  • Hereditary thinning or balding, known as androgenetic alopecia
  • Improper care or chemical treatments
  • Fungal infections of the scalp
  • Alopecia areata
  • llness, stress, hormonal changes, post-pregnancy
  • Medical problems such as severe infections, iron deficiencies, thyroid disease, malnutrition
  • Certain medicine such as blood thinners, birth control pills, cancer treatments

About normal hair growth:
Whether you have problems with excessive hair loss or unwanted hair growth, our doctor can evaluate your problem and determine the best treatment suitable for you.