Look Young Again!

Causes of Sudden Hair Loss

Sudden hair loss occurs for many different reasons.  Since most hair loss is gradual, a person begins to notice that their hair is thinning, and then a bald spot starts to appear. Gradual hair loss is often not noticed until it becomes a problem. Most people shed about 100 hairs a day in the normal process of hair growth. Sudden hair loss, however, is an indication that something else is happening. It is often quite upsetting to the person when it happens. It requires attention.

One cause of sudden hair loss is alopecia areata. This is when a person's hair falls out in patches, usually the size of a coin. This can be diagnosed and treated by a dermatologist.

Women often notice that they have really beautiful hair while they are pregnant. But for about half of all women, their hair begins to fall out after they deliver their baby. This is called Telogen effluvium. This sudden hair loss is caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy. The normal hair shedding process is interrupted during pregnancy due to the increase in hormones needed for the pregnancy. Once the baby is born and hormone levels return to normal, the hair that would normally have fallen out during pregnancy begins to fall out all at once. Usually this is not noticeable to others and does not leave bald patches. The mother’s hair usually grows back within six to twelve months.

There are many other causes of sudden hair loss:

• Treatment for many types of cancers can cause it, because radiation and chemotherapy often have the side effect of making the patient's hair fall out.
• Having a major stressful event in your life,
• Starting a new medication, especially a blood thinner or oral contraceptives,
• Having a chronic illness or an immune system disorder.

All of these events take a toll on the body and may result in sudden hair loss.

Diet deficiencies may also be a cause of sudden hair loss. If you are not getting enough iron, or vitamins B,C,E or enough protein you may experience sudden hair loss. Maintaining good hydration with enough water and fluids in your diet is important. It is well known that people who are well hydrated have excellent skin and hair. If you are chronically dehydrated, your hair and skin can suffer.

Doctors or dermatologists can treat most sudden hair loss. They can help diagnose what is wrong and make some recommendations to minimize hair loss. In most cases, hair grows back. Most people have their full head of hair restored naturally within a year after the event that caused them to lose their hair in the first place.