Hair has been regarded as a sign of beauty and power for as long as one can remember. Judges in olden days wore wigs as mark of authority whereas monks shave their scalp as part of their renunciation of all worldly pleasures and to render themselves unattractive to the opposite sex.
Hair loss does not affect you just cosmetically but emotionally and socially. Research reveals how deeply hair loss can impact your life.
Emotionally, a high percentage of people experiencing hair loss are known to suffer from low self esteem and depression as a result of this problem, be it men or women
However, the most important aspect of hair loss is its medical implication. Loss of hair is almost always a sign of an internal disorder. It is often first warning signal of many deep seated ailments including thyroid, Diabetes and anemia.
Causes of Hair loss & Thinning
1. Androgenetic Alopecia – male or female pattern baldness
2. Auto immune diseases – an immune reaction that attacks the hair follicles, producing
antibodies which attack these tissues as if they were foreign invaders.
Androgenic Alopecia – the body’s immune system is sensitized to increased levels of DHT in the scalp causing hair loss in these high concentrated DHT areas
Alopecia Totalis, universalis – immune sensitivity to a substance other than DHT
3. Connective tissue disease – causes scarring of skin, loss of circulation to hair follicles and an autoimmune reaction leading to temporary or permanent loss of hair.
 Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, Scleroderma, MCTD, Scarring alopecia
4. Exposure to toxic chemicals –Tobacco smoke contains hundreds of lethal and
damaging chemicals which can accelerate normal hair loss and retard effects of
medication and surgical restoration. This effect can result either from being a
smoker or from second hand smoke. We are exposed to other toxic chemicals
and metals through work, hobbies and environment. They can be present in our
homes (ie.: lead, aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, etc.) Exposure can be
environmental and/or ingested through food sources.
5. Radiation exposure – Irradiation therapy or exposure to radiation from any source can cause localized or total hair loss, which may be permanent if thevdose is high enough.
6. Iron deficiency anemia – very common with women but can also affect men.
7. Hormonal changes – due to pregnancy, birth control pills, other medications,
and menopause.
8. Thyroid disease – either hypothyroid or hyperthyroid disease causes hair to become brittle and break resulting in localized or generalized loss. Correction of the thyroid condition usually causes hair to re-grow.
9. Stress – usually temporary and transient. Hair may re-grow when stress levels decrease
10. Drug interactions – certain vitamins, many prescriptions and over the counter (OTC) supplements may have individual and non-specific side effects of hairloss. Usually, when the medication is discontinued, the hair re-grows.