Generalised diffuse hair loss – what is it?

You may have heard of the terms ‘generalised hair loss’ or ‘diffuse balding’ before, but do you know what they mean?

Put simply, generalised hair loss relates to an overall thinning of the hair on the scalp. There aren’t any specific bald patches, spots or patterns; more a loss of volume and thickness. In some cases, the loss of hair is only really noticeable to the sufferer and other people don’t notice.

What causes generalised hair loss?

There are two main conditions that cause the general thinning of hair on the head. These are:

Androgenic alopecia (also known as androgenetic hair loss or male/female pattern balding)

This kind of hair loss has genetic origins, and most often occurs in men who have inherited the condition from their parents or grandparents. Androgenic alopecia does occur in women too, mainly because of hormonal changes in the body.

Telogen effluvium

This is a condition in which a higher than normal number of hairs enter the telogen (resting) phase, rather than remaining in the anagen (growth) phase. At the end of telogen, the sufferer may notice shedding on a relatively large scale. This condition is triggered by things like fever and severe illness, childbirth and sudden weight loss.