About 85% of men and 33% of women are affected by hair loss at some point in their lives. Despite these figures, most men and women are still taken by surprise when they start seeing the first signs of hair loss or thinning hair.
The most common causes of hair loss and hair thinning can include anything from aging to medical conditions. But there can be other lesser-known causes as well.
If you don’t understand why you’ve been seeing thinning hair and hair loss out of the blue, check for these causes.
1. Medications
Have you recently started taking blood thinners or medications for acne, depression, gout, arthritis, heart disease, or high blood pressure?
Any of these may be the reason why you’re suddenly seeing hair thinning and hair loss. While medications don’t directly lead to hair loss, it may be a side effect of new drugs you’re taking.
If you think that your hair loss is a side effect of your prescription medication, talk to your doctor. They may suggest a remedy, alternative medication, or change your dosage. Also, don’t stop taking your medications unless your doctor says it’s okay.
2. Pregnancy
Giving birth is one of the happiest yet most stressful situations for women. While stress causes hair thinning and hair fall, it is not the main culprit here.
A decrease in estrogen is to blame.
Shortly after giving birth, the estrogen levels in a woman’s body drop drastically. This can result in thinning hair and hair loss.
Be assured that this drop in estrogen and its effects are only temporary and will resolve within a couple of months to a year. You can shorten the duration of your hair loss by supporting healthy hair growth with the help of restorative shampoos, conditioners, and supplements.
3. Stress
It’s hard to imagine modern life without stress. But if you’ve suddenly experienced too much stress due to a traumatic event, you could be losing more hair than usual.
This doesn’t mean lower levels of chronic stress aren’t as harmful.
Stress-related damage can also happen if you’ve been over-styling your hair, pulling it into tight hairstyles, heating it, or treating it with too many harsh chemicals.
Stress has a nasty habit of making your immune system turn on itself and attack your hair follicles. Another thing it does is stop hair growth which leads to hair fall.
Lifestyle changes such as eating healthy food, getting enough sleep, and regular exercise can easily help you reduce everyday stress.
You can also try switching to shampoos and conditioners that support healthy hair and protect it from heat and styling damage.
4. Surgery
Thinning hair or hair loss is a common post-surgery symptom, especially when your zinc levels take a dip or your hair follicle cycle is disrupted.
The condition is known as telogen effluvium (TE) and it can occur after any kind of surgery. Of course, you’re more prone to it when surgical incisions are on the scalp itself.
Consult your doctor about hair loss, thinning, and other post-surgery symptoms if it bothers you. They may recommend a supplement to address the issue and support hair growth until you’re fully recovered.
You can also wait and let your body adjust as this type of hair loss is only temporary.
5. Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal imbalances can affect the condition of your hair. If you suspect that your thinning hair is due to imbalanced hormones, know that it’s usually a sign of an underlying medical condition that may need to be addressed.
Obesity, thyroid disease, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), menopause, and postpartum hormone imbalance are some of the most common conditions. Some of them are specific to women.
In men, imbalances in testosterone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are often the causes of hair thinning and hair loss. In women, hormones like estrogen, progesterone, or androgen might be the culprits.
Birth control usage is another factor that can impact your body’s hormone levels. Its effects can remain in the body even after you stop taking them. This means that you may notice hair loss and hair thinning anywhere between weeks and months.
If you must take birth control, choose medications with a low-androgen index as these come with a lower risk of hair loss.
The good news is that restoring hormonal balance can stop the damage and help support hair regrowth.
In Summary
Most of these causes can be stressful for anyone. Experiencing thinning or falling hair alongside them only adds to the distress. If your hair problems are due to any of these unusual reasons, removing or resolving these factors will lead you to stop experiencing hair thinning and hair loss.
Medical guidance, the right hair care products, and a healthy lifestyle will help you make up for your lost strands and enjoy a thick, lustrous head of hair.
