Sudden Hair Loss

QUESTION: Should I be concerned if I experience sudden hair loss?

ANSWER:

Sudden hair loss is a concern of many people and there are many reasons for the condition.

Your body goes through cycles of hair replacement on your scalp. There is a resting period of 2-3 months, then the hair falls out and a new hair grows in its place for 2 to 5 years. It’s normal to have hair loss daily but excessive sudden hair loss should be investigated.

Medications such as blood thinners, chemotherapy, birth control pills can cause sudden hair loss. Hair may even fall out after a long illness and is usually temporary.

Thyroid disease, overactive or under-active, accounts for sudden hair loss, which is readily treatable. A pregnant woman may experience hair loss because of the loss of hormones after delivery. As soon as her hormone levels rise over time, her hair will stop falling out.

Another cause of sudden hair loss is wearing your hair in too tight of buns, braids, or ponytails. This causes the roots to become weakened and scarred, permanently damaging the hair system. It may also cause your hair to grow in a direction contrary to its normal growth structure.

Baldness can be in men and women. Men start their loss by the receding hair line and women get a general thinning of hair over the entire scalp. There are many hair enhancement products to disguise thinning hair and many men have chosen to shave their heads entirely. Fashion seems to dictate what is and is not acceptable, but it comes down to your personal preferences.

It’s important to see a doctor for any sudden hair loss. The underlying reasons, caught in due time, can be controlled by medication or lifestyle changes.

Beware of products that claim to replace hair immediately or seem to be wonder drugs. A professional medical doctor should be consulted on any medication in order to avoid complications if you are taking any other drugs.