Hair Loss Research

When most people think of hair loss they either imagine middle aged bald men or a chemotherapy patient. However, there are many causes for hair loss. These causes may never have been discovered without the help of hair loss research. Some of these causes create permanent hair loss while others produce a temporary effect.

Hair loss research has discovered that a large amount of hair loss conditions are caused by hormones. The hormone Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, does not cause the hair loss by itself. In fact, hair loss research has found that everyone produces DHT. However, the condition is caused when individuals have hair follicles that are more susceptible to the affects of DHT.

The hormonal hair loss is responsible for causing baldness in men and women. Women are not commonly thought of as hair loss victims. However, hair loss research has shown that the same causes of male pattern baldness are causes for an overall thinning of the hair that is common in women. In essence, women loose hair all around while men just loose it in certain areas. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and while taking the birth control pill can also trigger hair loss, though it is usually temporary.

Another cause determined by hair loss research is disease and illness. Though the cancer is not the only disease that can cause hair loss, hair loss research has determined that many disease and illness hair loss affects are temporary. Thyroid disease, poor diet, fungus, stress, and other medical conditions have been known to cause hair loss.

Other causes defined by hair loss research are not commonly thought of as medical conditions, yet they can produce as devastating affects on the hair and hair loss. These are affects that are caused as a result of our handling of our hair. Dyeing, braiding, and weaving have all been known to produce hair loss in certain situations depending on the care that is taken during these actions.

In fact a condition called Trichotillomania refers to the act of pulling or twisting or you hair so much that it falls out. This is actually more common in children than adults. The subject is most often unaware of what they are doing as it is more of a subconscious action similar to a reflex.