According to the American Hair Loss Association, around 85 per cent of men will have significantly thinning hair by the time they’re 50 and for many the process will have begun even before they were 21.

Male pattern baldness is incredibly common and generally has a genetic cause. The gene in question can be inherited from either parent. There are also many other causes for losing hair and medication can treat some.

However, there is no wonder cure. There is no one treatment that is guaranteed to restore your hair and any product that makes such a claim should be viewed sceptically. There are some good products out there, like Rogaine and Minoxidil, which have been proven to address hair loss in many cases, but even these don’t come with guarantees and you will have to continue using them to see lasting effects.

The best thing to do is consult your GP or a dermatologist who will be better placed to identify the cause of your hair loss. Only then can an appropriate treatment be recommended.

Alopecia areata is actually relatively common, affecting around one per cent of people, primarily young women and children. It is an auto immune disorder, which means the body’s own immune system attacks the follicles, which then leads to loss of hair.

However, as the attacked follicles merely enter the rest phase of the growth cycle, they are not actually damaged, which means that hair regrowth is possible. The follicle remains and may eventually return to a growth phase if conditions are right.

The downside of this is that alopecia areata sufferers are occasionally given false dawns, where hair starts to grow only to fall out again. The condition is unpredictable and this can be the most challenging part for some people.

If you think that you have alopecia areata, you should first make an appointment with your GP or with a dermatologist. They are better placed to diagnose you and you can then try and decide how to treat the condition. As part of the diagnosis, they may take a small biopsy and there are a number of other tests which may be carried out.

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.