Hair shedding is a normal part of life for everyone, but it can be very distressing if it becomes chronic and results in bald patches or thinning. Often, people don’t notice hair loss (alopecia) right away, but it is typically harder to treat than it is to prevent once it starts. Catching it early is the key to maintaining healthy, thick, and full hair as you grow older.

To do this, there are a few signs to watch out for if you suspect your hair is starting to thin out. There are also several common causes of hair loss, although it can be challenging to pinpoint exactly which one it may be. However, if you are able to determine the cause of your hair loss, you can work to prevent it from worsening.

Join us as we learn more about the common signs, symptoms, and causes of hair loss, as well as potential treatments.

Symptoms, Signs, and Types of Hair Loss

There are several different kinds of hair loss that are most prevalent. Hair loss is more common in older men, but it can affect people of any gender and start at any age. On the whole, hair loss affects around 80 million people in the United States.

Types of hair loss include:

• Androgenic alopecia: also known as male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness, this type of thinning is hereditary and the most common type of hair loss
• Alopecia areata: an autoimmune disorder that causes spots of baldness on the head and body
• Traction alopecia: typically caused by tight hairstyles, such as braids or ponytails
• Telogen effluvium: very fast hair shedding in a short amount of time
• Anagen effluvium: usually caused by medical treatments, such as chemotherapy or medication

If you suspect that you’re experiencing hair loss, look for the following symptoms:

• loosening of hair strands
• thinning or receding hairline
• growing bald spots
• widening part
• thinner ponytail
• clumps of hair coming out
• hair loss on the body, such as the eyelashes, eyebrows, or beard
• scaly patches on the head

If you’re battling with one or more of these symptoms, you may be dealing with chronic hair loss. However, don’t despair–there are treatments on the market that can help prevent it from worsening.

What Causes Chronic Hair Loss?

There are many causes of hair loss, and it can sometimes be difficult to figure out which one may be leading to yours. There may be one or several factors contributing to your shedding. Your doctor can help you examine your lifestyle and potentially find the problem, but this isn’t always possible.

The most common causes of hair loss include:

• genetics
• aging
• tight hairstyles (ponytails, braids, hair extensions, etc)
• fungal infections
• hair bleaching or perming
• hormonal changes associated with pregnancy or menopause
• medical treatments
• vitamin deficiencies
• thyroid disease
• extreme stress

The different causes can contribute to different types of hair loss. For example, people with genetic hair loss may experience a receding hairline and bald spot, while people with stress-based hair loss may notice thinning all over the head.

Get Hair Loss Treatment Today

There are countless solutions for hair loss out there, but some are far more effective than others. Hair loss prevention can start at home with a healthy diet, stress-coping mechanisms, and avoiding tight hairstyles.

While there are serums and topical treatments available that can help with hair regrowth, these don’t work for everyone. Since they don’t always target the root cause of hair loss, they may not be able to prevent the issue from spreading. The most effective treatments include medications such as Propecia and finasteride. There are also more extreme options like hair grafting, scalp reduction, or scalp micropigmentation, but these can be very costly.

Medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter, work by targeting the hormones that result in hair loss to slow shedding and promote regrowth.

If you’re battling with ongoing or chronic hair loss, help is available. To learn more about prescription hair loss treatments, schedule an appointment with one of our providers today. We can help you determine the cause of your hair loss and prevent it from growing worse so you can feel happier and more confident as you age.