Sudden Hair Loss

It can be very discouraging to have to deal with sudden hair loss. There are many people who go through this every year, and struggle to find answers. It is important to understand the causes before settling in on any treatments that might help.

Many cases of hair loss are simply due to genetics. If a person’s parents dealt with hair loss, the chances are good that they will also experience it to a certain degree. Even though genetics often plays a role, the change can be more gradual rather than sudden.

When a person suddenly loses their hair it can generally be contributed to factors other than genetics. There are certain diseases that lead to hair loss as well as external factors like certain harmful hair products. Even worse, sudden hair loss can be caused by severe cases of stress.

Stressful situations can greatly alter the way a person’s body functions. The hormones that promote healthy skin and hair can be negatively affected. This can result in having one’s hair fall out suddenly. Stressful situations can include having a death in the family, moving, changing jobs, going through a divorce, and many other reasons.

Some people do not even realize what is happening to them, as the hair loss might not occur right after or during the stressful event. There are some life changes that occur over a long span of time, and hair loss can suddenly occur months down the road.

The good news is that this kind of hair loss can be fixed. As long as the affected person’s stress levels return to normal, the amount of hair should return to normal and stop falling out. Of course, decreasing stress during periods of great trauma is not easy to do.

Standard advice about getting rid of stress applies to hair loss situations, and includes:

• Getting plenty of rest
• Taking a vacation
• Seeing a therapist
• Participating in activities one enjoys
• Eating a healthy diet

In addition to stress, another form of sudden hair loss occurs in pregnant women. Giving birth leads to a decrease in certain hormones, and hair may fall out in great quantities as a result. This will correct itself as the body’s hormones return to normal.

There are also certain treatments and medications that can lead to sudden hair loss. One treatment is chemotherapy for cancer patients. These patients may lose their hair until the treatment is completely over. In cases like chemotherapy, the person must wait out the hair loss as the treatment is more important that losing one’s hair.

Losing hair suddenly often causes great alarm. That is why it is best to get a full evaluation from a certified doctor. There are so many different causes that it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to figuring out what is wrong.

Things can cause sudden hair loss like stress, and be quite stressful all on its own. Other factors like pregnancy or taking birth control pills can contribute to hair loss as well. The bottom line is that this type of hair loss can generally be corrected, or will naturally reverse itself given enough time or proper treatment. Genetic hair loss will always need to be treated if desired.

~ Sudden Hair Loss ~