Hair loss does not occur because of one condition. It is a symptom of many different conditions and the biological reasons can be varied. If you are experiencing hair loss, it is important to consult your GP. By getting correctly diagnosed, you can then try different treatments or hair management options to see what works for you.

Some causes are easier to diagnose than others. Hair may thin during pregnancy or shortly afterwards and if you are undergoing chemotherapy, then it is likely that this is the cause of any hair loss you may be experiencing.

Stress
Stress can often be the cause of hair loss, whether physical or emotional. Telogen effluvium is the specific condition that often develops. In these cases, your hair is effectively lying dormant, in the ‘rest phase’ of the growth cycle. If a greater percentage of your hair is in this phase than normal, your hair will thin. Even once you have overcome this condition, it will obviously take a while for your hair to regrow.

Auto-immune disorders
In some cases, the body’s immune system will attack the hair follicles, preventing them from producing hair. When this happens, it is more likely that hair will be lost in patches. This is known as alopecia areata.

Many women worry about female hair loss, which is why it’s easy to panic if you see a few hairs on the pillow or on the floor of the shower cubicle. However, it is perfectly normal to lose some hair; it is only excessive hair loss or breakage you need to worry about.

Experts say that on average, we lose about 50 – 100 hairs a day. This is natural and normal, and is nothing to be worried about as your hair constantly grows back and replenishes itself. Losing more hair than this could be caused by numerous things, such as:

• The time of year – we tend to shed more body hair at the end of summer
• Wearing your hair tied up for a few days and letting it down – the loose hair has accumulated as it’s not had a chance to shed
• Pregnancy – many women suffer some level of hair loss after giving birth
• Diet – nutritional deficiencies and sudden weight loss can cause thinning hair and shedding
• Illnesses such as low thyroid levels, lupus or anaemia

After these potential causes of your hair loss have been ruled out, it may be time to start considering alopecia areata as the cause of your problem. Alopecia areata generally causes patches of hair loss on the scalp, possibly spreading to the whole skin (this is called alopecia universalis). If you suspect you have this condition, consult your GP or a female hair loss specialist.

The life cycle of hair is ordinarily around two to three years. It will differ according to the person and their stage of life, but whatever the rate, not all your hair is growing at any one time. Around ninety per cent of hair follicles will be growing. Hair is lost as part of the natural growth cycle.

Hormones
Certain hormones can affect hair growth. Overactivity or underactivity of certain glands may lead to more hair being lost than normal. The balance between testosterone and oestrogen can play a part and it is sometimes the case that women will lose hair after giving birth as hormone levels may be out of balance at this time.

Disease
Diabetes can cause hair loss, but skin problems are a major cause as hair follicles are situated within the skin. Many skin problems can be easily treated with medication, although it is also the case that certain other forms of medication can actually cause hair loss.

In any case of hair loss, it is important to get a proper diagnosis before undergoing any form of treatment. Your GP may refer you to a dermatologist who may be better able to advise you.

Hair loss can sometimes be downplayed and treated as something of an inevitability as a person grows older, but the truth is that thinning hair can have a profound emotional impact on the sufferer and there are many possible causes.

It is not really vanity to be concerned with the state of your hair as thinning hair can be a symptom of hormonal imbalance, poor nutrition or illness and as such is a visible sign of your health.

Hair is lost all the time, but at certain times, the process may quicken or hair may not regrow. A proportion of our hair is always in the rest phase of its growth cycle, but if too much hair is in the rest phase, this is indicative of a problem.

A lot of products are available that help enhance hair, thickening it, but this does not address the cause of the issue. Many women experiencing hair loss while going through the menopause believe that this is an inevitability, but this is not true. You should not automatically seek out hair thickeners or wigs, because you may be able to improve hair growth and this is a preferable solution.

Hair passes through four phases during its growth cycle. At any one time, different hairs on your head and body are in different phases and it is the balance of these that keeps the volume of your hair pretty much constant.

There is the growth or anagen phase; the transition or catagen phase; the resting or telogen phase; and the returning growth or mesanagen phase. The full cycle can take between two and five years to run through. If follicles are stuck in the telogen phase, hair loss will slowly become apparent, particularly if those hairs affected are all in the same spot.

There can be a number of causes for hair loss and these might be:

• Stress
• A hormonal imbalance
• Genetic predisposition
• A thyroid disorder
• Poor diet
• Cosmetic treatments
• Certain medication

The important thing to remember is that if you are losing hair due to too many follicles being in the resting phase, there is every chance that the condition can be reversed as the follicles themselves are not damaged in any way.

In any hair loss situation, your first step should be to consult your doctor, who may refer you to a dermatologist to diagnose the cause of the condition.

When undergoing chemotherapy treatment, your hair enters its resting phase. This is a natural part of the growth cycle, but ordinarily only a small proportion of your hair is in the resting phase. When undergoing chemotherapy, it may all enter this phase simultaneously and this is why hair is lost.

The hair will remain dormant until the chemotherapy is completed. At this point, hair will once again begin to grow. Initially, it will be very fine ‘vellous’ hair, but within 4-6 weeks you will usually see thicker hair of your normal colour starting to develop. However, it will take around 12 months for hair to reach about six inches in length, so it may be necessary to use certain management techniques in the meantime.

Choosing a wig can take time as you will want to get your choice right. It is advisable to see a wig supplier before you have actually lost your hair, so that you are ready when the time comes. The NHS will provide wigs, but you can also have bespoke wigs made and this will often include a programme of fitting and cleaning each month.