Everyone loses hair while combing or washing their hair and that’s normal. A normal person may lose 50-100 hair a day and new hairs will grow that place. It’s a hair growth cycle through which hair enters in to three basic phases from growth to resting phase.

Things become worse when you find too many hair clumps in drain after washing, in comb or on floor everywhere.There are several reasons for hair loss, may be temporary or permanent.

In temporary hair fall people can see their hair re-grow without any treatment after changing some basic things in daily life. On the other hand, permanent hair loss such as hereditary or pattern baldness need treatment for hair regrowth.

Many factors trigger damage to hair or hair follicles such as illness, childbirth, certain medications or surgeries. Some hair disorders are there that can cause permanent hair loss in some people.

Here are the 11 reasons for hair loss that may help you to find what’s wrong with your hair:

1. Extreme stress causes hair loss

Research says that if you are experiencing any stressful event such as depression, anxiety or any physical illness or surgery then hair growth cycle gets disturbed and you start shedding more hair than usual.

It may include any factor such as an accident, operation, a bad relationship, divorce or death of loved ones, or sometimes even flu can be the factor to cause shock to hair follicles so that fewer of them are available to grow new hair.

This all leads to telogen effluviumin which large amount of hair sheds a day while washing or styling. Extreme stress causes hair loss by affecting hair’s natural cycle and urges more of them to enter resting phase early, approximately 70%.

However, once the stress is over, body starts re-growing hair as normal. Basically, hair fall starts after 2-6 months of the stressful event.

It’s important to take care of physical and mental health so that your hair cycle won’t get disturbed and unhealthy. Take steps to yoga or meditation techniques to relieve stress and anxiety. In case of physical stress, you see your hair back once body starts recovery.

2. Types of alopecia

Types of alopecia can be specified as: Androgenetic alopecia and Alopecia areata

Androgenetic alopecia can also be called as pattern hair loss or pattern baldness in men and women. In this, men are likely to have hair fallout from top and front of the head, while women faces hair thinning starts from top and crown of the head.

This sometimes happens due to hereditary or changes in male hormones.

Alopecia areata is considered as autoimmune disorder in which immune system attacks hair follicles which results into sudden hair loss with one or more circular bald patches that increase with time.

As these types of disorders can be temporary or permanent, consult with a doctor for possible treatments.

3. Unhealthy scalp

By unhealthy scalp I mean the scalp with fungal infection, dandruff and psoriasis. Dandruff causes flaking as well as mild itchiness. And more severe cause of it can results into inflammation of skin, known as seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Ringworm of the scalp is a fungal infection of scalp and hair shafts more common in children. However, it can be done to any person of any age. It spreads easily by getting in contact with person that have it. You will see red itchy, scaly bald patches on head.

Psoriasis is the result of immune system problem in which skin cells multiplies 10 times faster than normal and builds bumpy red patches covered with white scales.

Unhealthy skin of this type usually required medical treatment and a bit care of skin like keeping skin clean as much as possible or using medicated body wash or shampoo.

4. One more factor to trigger hair loss – Hormonal Changes

One more factor to trigger hair loss is hormonal imbalance. Changes in level of hormones can be due to anything: childbirth, menopause or puberty.

When estrogen hormone present in female body down its level, it causes hair loss after childbirth. As during pregnancy this hormone level will increase and after having a baby, it will be back to its normal state so you face this kind of hair fall. And, this is temporary, so don’t worry. You’ll have your hair back soon.

Too much of primary male hormones Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a more powerful form of testosterone made by an enzyme can also be a reason for hair loss.

DHT found in hair follicles and skin which have a weakening effect on them. Thus, this leads to hair thinning or baldness in both genders. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)is the condition in which woman’s ovary produces too many male hormones results in more hair shifting to resting phase causing hair loss.

Ask a doctor if you can take birth control pills as it contains high anti-androgen to control male hormones. Also go for a treatment as per doctor’s prescription.

5. Thyroid Disorders

Both hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can result into sudden hair loss. The thyroid gland’s major role in body is to produce steady thyroid hormones to regulate several body functions from heart to digestive system as well as brain development and muscle strength.

Thyroid hormones are responsible for metabolic rate – the rate at which body uses energy and oxygen to grow hair, nails and skin. Too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism) of these hormones causes more hair to shed, but not replaced by new hair growth.

Doctors suggest thyroid medications to control the levels of these hormones.

6. Poor diet and nutrition

Often we don’t take enough nutrients that are necessary for body functions to work properly. Protein, iron and several vitamin deficiencies force hair follicles to stop hair growth.

Body ration protein when it doesn’t get enough from daily food. Due to lack protein, body shut down the process of hair growth and you will see noticeable hair loss after 2-3 months of lacking.

Getting too much of vitamin A also leads to hair problems. Many people overdosing Vitamin A through supplements or medicines. Once you stop getting too much of it, hair growth resumes.

Eating disorders such as Anorexia and bulimia also causes hair loss.

Make a good diet chart or ask nutrition specialist to get over hair damage.

7. Sudden weight loss or high-intense workouts

Like stress, sudden or excessive weight loss can also give a shock to body system which can trigger telogen effluvium. Most of people try crash diets or high-intensive workouts to lose weight.

However, when you are on diet, you will more likely to feel stress of losing weight. Also, if the one is on diet and not getting enough vitamins and nutrients, then also they suffer from hair loss problem.

In case of high-intense workouts, people do hard core muscle exercises in which most energy of our body used. This cause draining rest of the body energy from each part, including hair. Some steroids that boost physical performances are also equal culprit of hair damage.

Take a healthy and nutrition rich foods while your work-out and take a good care of hair. Visit a doctor if you see sudden weight loss as this may not be a normal loss.

8. Anemia

The the most common form of iron deficiency is Anemia, which happens to every one out of 10 women. Hair follicles are very sensitive to the decreasing amount of iron and may not reproduce new cells efficiently.

However, hair loss is not a normal symptom of anemia, but some people experience it. According to research, iron deficiency hair loss does not cause scarring of hair follicles and thus comes with promising hair growth once body gets enough iron.

Take a proper iron rich food like soybeans, lentils, leafy green vegetables, fish, nuts or tofu.

9. Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania (also known as trich) is a hair-pulling disorder in which a person can’t resist the urge of pulling out their own hair from head, eyebrows or other areas of body.

The compulsive and repeated pulling of hair can damage hair follicles that may trigger bald patches or near permanent hair loss.

Treatment includes counselling where habit-reversal training helps you to recognize the time when you have strong urge to pull out hairs. Based on this, the hair-pulling habit can be substituted by other one. Some medications are also there such as antidepressant to control the symptoms.

10. Medications or underlying health conditions

It is possible that you may experience any underlying health condition and hair loss is the symptom. Diseases such as thyroid, anemia, and an autoimmune disease – alopecia areata or scalp infections like ringworm can be the cause of hair fall.

However, this type of hair fall can be stopped or reversed when treatment done for particular disease.

Sometimes, some medications or treatments are the reasons for hair loss such as chemotherapy in cancer treatments or some drugs in medicines that may damage hair follicles.

You can consult with doctor about medications that can be the cause of hair damage. Also, you can ask them if they can suggest different prescribed medicines or reduce the dosage.

11. Improper hair care and styling

Nowadays everyone wants to style their hair to look great. But remember, overstyling can be the reason of why you are losing more hair.

Styling products such as blow dryer or straighteners can cause damage to the hair shaft and leave the hair brittle making it easily breakable. Frequent usage of chemical products such as serum, gels or hair sprays also leads to hair breakage.

Improper and tight holding of your hair with hairpins or rubber bands causes Traction alopecia, a form of alopecia, occurs when pulling force is applied to the hair in form of tight ponytail, braids or pigtails.

Avoid applying heat devices and chemical products to hair. Try to keep hair as loose as possible and apply tight hairstyles rarely. Wash your hair with chemical free shampoo on alternative day and must apply conditioner after every wash.

Oil massages to scalp are the great source of healthy hair growth. So apply olive oil or coconut oil to scalp and do gentle massage.

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Relax yourself first and try to figure out what’s going wrong with your hair. First know the causes of hair fall and if not able to do so then see a dermatologist to know the cause of hair loss and treatments. Know that not every hair loss is a problem!