Losing your hair can be worrisome, but it can be downright scary if it falls out suddenly. You can often anticipate when you may start to lose hair, such as after having a baby or surgery. But sudden unexpected hair loss not only makes you worry about your image, but it also can raise concerns about your overall health. Here are 5 reasons for sudden hair loss and what you can do to get your hair back.

Your doctor probably told you about some side effects you should watch for when you start a new medication. Or if they didn’t, hopefully, you had a chance to research it on your own before starting the medication. Likely, you read a long list of side effects that included problems like upset stomach and allergic reaction. But you probably didn’t read hair loss anywhere, even though thinning hair is a common side effect of many medications.

People who take the following medications may experience hair loss:

• Certain antibiotics and antifungals
• Retinoids
• Antidepressants
• Birth control pills
• Statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs)
• Anticoagulants
• Immunosuppressants
• Cancer therapy
• Anticonvulsants
• High blood pressure medications (which include ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and diuretics)
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• Mood stabilizers
• NSAIDS
• Parkison’s drugs
• Thyroid medications
• Weight loss pills
• Steroids

The above list includes many different types of medications, of which many are pretty popular. Chance are, if you have started a new medication and are suddenly losing hair, it is likely a side effect of the drug. Sometimes, hair loss is only temporary, whereas other times it continues as long as you are taking the medication. Talk with your doctor about trying another medication if you are struggling with thinning.

We are learning more and more about how stress negatively affects our bodies. And, one of the many side effects of this system-wide response is hair thinning. Most people will experience a hair loss condition called telogen effluvium at some point in their lives. In this condition, you may have a 300% increase in shedding. Under normal circumstances, most people lose between 50-100 hairs a day. But, in telogen effluvium, you can lose around 300 strands per day.

Increased shedding occurs 3 months after a particularly stressful event, such as an illness, accident, childbirth, life event, or emotional hardship. The reason hair loss doesn’t happen until 3 months after is that the final phase of the hair growth cycle, telogen, lasts approximately 120 days. Once that part of the cycle is complete, the hair sheds, and a new follicle grows.

Hormones circulate throughout the body and reach every cell. When one of your hormones is too high or low, it can through the delicate balance in your system off. For example, pregnant women have increased estrogen and progesterone levels, which prolongs the growth phase of the hair growth cycle. This hormonal shift is why pregnant women often have thicker hair during pregnancy.

Your thyroid hormones are another chemical messenger that can impact the hair growth cycle. When you have too little thyroid hormone (T4 and T3) it can cause your hair to be thin, even on your eyebrows. Thyroid hormones help regulate your metabolism, so for individuals with an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism, their metabolism slows, as does their ability to regrow hair. Thus, hair thinning is common on the head and even in other areas like the eyebrows. What is more, people can also suffer from dry skin and hair, which can make it even harder to support hair growth,

People who make changes to their diet may notice a difference in their hair thickness. For example, many people who transition from eating meat to no meat may struggle with hair loss temporarily, especially if they cannot match their intake of key nutrients like iron. In addition, people who go on crash diets where they severely restrict calories or certain types of foods may also have struggled with hair loss.

Despite the overabundance of food in developed countries, many foods are also deficient in key nutrients, including our produce. There are several reasons for this, such as nutrient depletion in the soil and loss of nutrition through food processing. So, if you find you have sudden hair loss, don’t discount the role your diet may be playing in your hair thickness. And, if you are dieting for weight loss or switching to a different diet entirely, support your hair by taking the REVITA Nutraceutical Tablets for Hair Growth Support.

The most common cause of hair loss is male or female pattern hair loss (formally referred to as androgenic alopecia). This type of hair loss can progress slowly, but sometimes people notice that they are losing more hair all of a sudden, and it isn’t growing back.

We don’t fully know why men and women can suffer from this type of hair loss, but it is likely related to our genetics. While it may seem like there is nothing to do in this situation, there are many promising treatment options that can stop hair loss and encourage regrowth to occur.

Most forms of hair loss can be suppressed and even reversed if you take early action. In general, it is ideal to use a good shampoo and conditioner system that works to prevent hair loss like the REVITA line, even if you have no signs of it or family history. However, the reality is most of us will experience some degree of hair loss at some point in our lives, so taking regular steps to prevent hair loss is essential.

If you do notice slow or sudden hair loss, take action right away with a topical hair regrowth solution that includes Nanoxidil 5%. The sooner you take action, the less hair you will lose and the easier it will be to achieve hair regrowth.

If you are not sure where to begin, chat with a Product Advisor at DS Laboratories to help you figure out how to best support your hair even in the trickiest of situations.