Table of Contents
Causes of hair loss
The causes of hair loss cannot be summed up in general. Rather, it is important to first consider the different types of hair loss, which in turn have a variety of causes.
By far the most common variant is hereditary hair loss , more rarely also called androgenetic hair loss. This affects both women and men. The cause of hereditary hair loss is a change in the growth phases due to genetic and hormonal factors. While the phases themselves become increasingly shorter, the duration of rest phases increases at the same time. Hereditary hair loss often looks the same. In women, hair begins to fall out primarily in the middle of the skull. In men, on the other hand, it is usually the temples and the back of the head that are affected by the onset of hair loss.
Alopecia areata describes the circular hair loss , which, in contrast to androgenetic hair loss, is not hereditary. Rather, it is an autoimmune disease that is not limited to the hair on the head, but can in principle occur on all hairy parts of the body. In most cases, however, the disease manifests itself in the hair on the head. While hereditary hair loss occurs primarily in men, circular hair loss affects women more often.
The third and last form is the so-called diffuse hair loss . It, too, is more common in women and is characterized by apparently randomly affecting regions of the head. Various reasons can lead to this clinical picture. In most cases, however, it is malnutrition, metabolic diseases or changes in hormone balance that are responsible for diffuse hair loss.
Apart from the three types listed and their causes, there are other reasons that can lead to hair loss. An example of this is hair loss after drug treatments. In addition, hair loss can also occur as a symptom of serious illnesses such as diabetes or an infection. If you are not yet sure whether you are suffering from excessive hair loss, a test can be a useful first step . Depending on the result, it is advisable to initiate measures or, if necessary, to consult a dermatologist.
Possible treatments and preventive measures
In particular, the cause is decisive for whether hair loss can be treated. Therefore, you should not hesitate at the first signs and consult a dermatologist. Based on various questions and an examination of the growth status, he can determine the reasons for hair loss. If it is a case of hereditary hair loss, the hair roots gradually die off. The longer you wait, the more hair you lose. On the other hand, if you contact a doctor at an early stage, he can delay hair loss or even stop it completely with the help of medication.
The best remedy for non-hereditary hair loss is undoubtedly a healthy and varied diet. However, it must be noted that it is by no means enough to eat more fruit and vegetables from now on. In fact, diet is a much more complex factor in hair maintenance. On the one hand, it is important to ensure that the diet is rich in vitamins and nutrients, with iron playing a particularly important role. Foods such as spinach, pumpkin seeds or flaxseed are excellent sources of iron. Studies have also shown that a fatty diet drastically increases the risk of hair loss. In order to stop natural hair loss, you should therefore make sure that you completely adjust your diet accordingly. Small changes usually only have a minor effect and cannot stop the loss of hair, but at best slow it down.
