What Causes Hair Loss?
Hair loss has many causes, including:
- Genetics
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Stress
- Hormonal fluctuation and imbalance
- Certain hairstyles, products, or hair care techniques
- Medical conditions
- Side effects from medication
What Types of Hair Loss Are There?
Some types of hair loss include:
- Androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern hair loss or female pattern hair loss
- Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune condition resulting in hair loss
- Infections such as folliculitis or tinea capitis
- Genetic conditions
- Traction alopecia
- Telogen effluvium (ex. hair loss after pregnancy or stressful events)
- Inflammatory causes such as frontal fibrosing alopecia or central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA)
Who Loses Their Hair?
Hair loss is most common in older adults but can occur at any stage of your life depending on the type of hair loss. Certain types of hair loss, like androgenetic alopecia, are hereditary while other types of hair loss such as alopecia areata can be autoimmune. Other types of hair loss can be due to infection, hair care practices, or environmental influences (ex. stress, pregnancy, etc).
How Can I Prevent Hair Loss?
For some, hair loss is preventable by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating a balanced diet, reducing stress, and avoiding damaging hairstyles. However, many times, hair loss can be difficult to prevent at home.
How Can I Treat Hair Loss?
The right hair loss treatment for you will depend on the cause of your hair loss, the exact type of hair loss you’re experiencing, and your symptoms. Some treatments your dermatologist may suggest include:
- Corticosteroid injections
- Topical minoxidil/Rogaine
- Topical prescription medication applied to the scalp
- Oral prescription medications (ex. finasteride)
- Laser treatment
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
- Hair transplant
Schedule an Appointment
If you’ve noticed thinning or balding patches on your scalp or increased hair shedding schedule an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist to evaluate the cause of your hair loss and provide you with a customized treatment plan to address your specific concerns.
To schedule your appointment at Arlington Dermatology, please call our office or request your appointment online.
