Hair loss (alopecia) has many causes, and what’s causing hair loss can determine how fast you lose hair, if hair can regrow on its own and if requires treatment to regrow. 

 

Hair loss treatment usually requires a combination approach, including in-office procedures like PRP injections or microneedling with PRP or exosomes, in addition to topical treatments done at home and oral supplements. 

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• The most common cause of hair loss is hereditary hair loss. Both men and women can develop this type, and it’s called male pattern hair loss or female pattern hair loss. This means that you inherited genes that cause your hair follicles to shrink and stop growing hair. The first sign of hereditary hair loss in men is a receding hair line or bald spot at the top of their head. In women, the first sign is usually overall thinning or a widening part. Treatment for this type of hair loss can help regrow hair. The earlier the treatment is started, the better it works. 

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• Natural aging is also a cause of hair loss, due to slower hair growth. Caught early, treatment helps some people regrow their hair. 

 

• Alopecia areata is an auto-immune disorder, when the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles causing hair loss. This can cause hair loss in the scalp, nose, and ears. Some people also lose their eyelashes and eyebrows. Treatment may help stimulate regrowth. 

 

• Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the head or neck can cause hair loss. Hair usually starts to regrow within months of finishing treatment. There are medications to help hair grow back more quickly. Wearing a cooling cap before, during, and after each chemotherapy session may help prevent hair loss (this depends on what chemotherapy drugs you receive). 

 

• Childbirth, illness or other stressors. Increased hair loss can happen after given birth, recovering from an illness, or after having surgery. Stressors like divorce and death of a loved one can also cause hair loss. 

 

• Hair treatments like coloring, perm, or relaxing your hair can cause hair loss. 

 

• Hair styles that pull on your scalp, wearing your hair tightly pulled back, and wearing extensions can cause traction hair loss, which is unfortunately permanent. 

 

• Hormonal hair loss can be caused by PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and stopping some types of birth control pills. Treatment may help. 

 

• Scalp infections, inflammation (scarring alopecia), medications, psoriasis, hair pulling, thyroid disease, iron deficiency, friction, and lead poison can cause hair loss. With the of scaring alopecia, all these other cause are reversible once the condition is treated or the cause is eliminated. 

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 Photo credit American Academy of Dermatology Association