What are the causes of sudden hair loss?

Sudden hair loss and hair diseases are a matter of concern for everybody around the world. It is a common problem these days and no single factor can be attributed to it. The causes of sudden hair loss are several and vary from person to person. The causes of sudden hair loss can be broadly divided into two groups. One type of causes of sudden hair loss is temporary it can be cured by medications and treatments. Prolonged hair loss may require long term treatment and when those treatments are ineffective, surgery like hair transplantation may be required.

Common causes of sudden hair loss diseases

·         Minor or major illness

·         Inadequate diet

·         Hormonal imbalance

·         Improper styling

Minor or major illness – High fever, severe infection, or flu are some of the serious illnesses that may cause sudden hair loss by causing the hair follicles to enter a resting phase (telogen effluvium). Telogen effluvium increases hair shedding, but the shedding is temporary and your hair may start to re-grow.

Inadequate diet- Crash diets and drug use to suppress appetite can also cause sudden hair loss. Crash diets are very low in vitamins and minerals and may lead to malnutrition. When the body is not receiving the right amount of nutrition it will naturally try to economize by shifting growing hairs into resting phase. Hair is made up of keratin, a form of protein, and requires several minerals and protein plus energy to make the hair. When the body is not getting the protein in the period of crash dieting the hair fibers are forcibly sent into a resting phase and the hair shedding will become rapid.   

Hormonal imbalance – Hair loss due to hormonal imbalance can happen to both men and women. In males the hormone that causes hair loss is testosterone. 5 alpha reductase is an enzyme, which is present in the hair follicles. This converts the testosterone in dilhydrotestosterone (DHT). The DHT is the most potent androgen that promotes androgenetic alopecia. In Females sudden hair loss is largely seen after pregnancy .The levels of estrogen in a women’s body during pregnancy are very high, and after giving birth these levels of estrogen drop drastically, causing a hormonal imbalance which results in hair loss.

Improper styling – Certain hair styling techniques and improper hair care can also result in sudden hair loss disease called traction alopecia. Tractions alopecia is a condition caused by the hair fibers being pulled out from the hair follicle by a hairstyle that pulls on the roots of the hair fibers. Some hair styles that can cause this are cornrows and cosmetic treatment such as bleaching, coloring, and chemical relaxing.

Beverly Hills Hair Restoration is a center of excellence focused and dedicated to hair restoration surgery. The content of the blog is written solely by Payam John Kahen, M.D., a premiere hair transplant surgeon located in Beverly Hills serving Los Angeles, United States, and Worldwide.

This blog is Not Intended to Give Medical Advice

The contents of the Beverly Hills Hair Restoration website and blog such as text, graphics, and other material ("Content") located at Beverly Hills Hair Restoration and its subdomains or aliases ("Website") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of Content found on the Website.