Hair Loss
Updated Aug. 15th, 2019
Hair grows almost everywhere on the human body except for a few select areas, such as: the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, lips and most of the eyelids (except the eyelashes). There are 3 types of hair: vellus (body) hair, androgenic (pubic) hair, and head hair. There is a natural cycle that occurs over the lifetime of a strand of hair. At the end of its life, a hair sheds from the skin. We naturally lose anywhere from 50 to 150 head hairs everyday and new strands grow to replace them.
When the hair fails to be replaced, thinning, and eventually balding, results. The most common type of hair loss is male pattern baldness, although many other types occur. The medical name for hair loss is alopecia.
Life Cycle of Hair
There are three major phases of life for a hair: anagen, catagen and telogen. The anagen phase is the growth phase of a hair. It can last up to eight years, although the exact length of time is determined by your genetics. The longer the hair remains in this phase, the longer and faster your hair will grow. Generally, around 85% of the hair on your head will be in anagen phase at any given time. When the body signals the end of the anagen phase, a transitional phase called the catagen phase begins. This phase lasts for approximately two weeks, during which time the hair follicle pulls away from the hair strand, slowly cutting off its nourishment. Once the follicle has pulled away completely, the telogen phase begins, which is effectively the resting phase of hair. This dormant period can last anywhere from one to four months, until the body signals for a new anagen phase to begin. This new phase causes the formation of a new hair strand below the old, which pushes the old hair out as it grows, forcing it to shed.
Male Pattern Baldness
It has been found that high levels of certain male hormones can act as a body signal to alter hair growth. Specifically, the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) can cause a shrinking of the hair follicle, like that seen in the natural catagen phase. DHT is a highly active from of testosterone that some men make larger amounts of than others. These men are more likely to experience male pattern baldness. In other cases, the men have normal hormone levels but more receptor sites for this hormone in their scalp, which increases the signal received, and thus hair loss occurs. The herb Saw Palmetto has been proven to slow the conversion of regular testosterone into DHT. While not a miracle cure, clinical evidence shows that this herb has made a difference in some cases. DHT has also been linked to the development of enlarged prostate and prostate cancer.
Women and Androgenic Alopecia
In some women, a similar process to male pattern baldness occurs due to androgenic hormones. This results in finer and thinner hair over time, and eventually, hair loss as well. In these cases hair will be of varying thickness prior to thinning. When hair loss occurs without thinning of the hair shaft first, it is often a sign of a medical condition. This can be sudden hormone changes such as: puberty, postpartum, menopause, thyroid disorders, and PCOS.
Weight Loss Causing Hair Loss?
Losing a large amount of weight in a short time can also alter the normal hair cycle and cause a dramatic increase in the shedding of hair. This process is reversible after you resume a well-rounded diet and your weight stabilizes. It may take a few weeks, or even a few months to begin to see full re-growth of hair. To avoid this type of hair loss, be sure to maintain a healthy weight loss of 1.5-2 pounds per week and not to excessively restrict fat or calorie intake.
Illness and Stress
A common cause of hair loss in both sexes is stress. This can be mental-emotional stress due to a fast-paced lifestyle, or physical stress due to illness or trauma. This type of hair loss is especially common after surgery. The effects can be immediate or can be delayed for several weeks after the initiating event.
Skin conditions that affect the scalp can also prevent normal hair growth. Conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis have been known to cause difficulties with hair failing to grow, breaking easily and even hair loss. Conventional treatments for cancer can also stop the replication of cells in the body. Chemotherapy and radiation can affect the follicular cells, and prevent them from properly growing hair. As the existing hairs die off, the hair thins from treatment. Thyroid conditions can also directly affect hair growth. In these cases other symptoms such as low body temperature, constipation and dry skin will accompany the hair loss. For more information, please see our Thyroid Support article.
Nutritional Deficiencies
A common cause of hair loss due to nutritional deficiency is anemia caused by insufficient Iron or Vitamin B12. When blood and nutrients are not able to circulate properly to the scalp, follicular cells cannot nutritionally support further hair growth. For more nutritional requirements for hair growth, please see our Hair Health article.
Other Causes of Hair Loss
There are many factors, other than hormones, that contribute to hair loss. They include heredity, aging, poor circulation, acute illness, malnutrition, radiation exposure, skin disease, high fever, diabetes, fungal infection and chemical hair dyes.
Conventional Treatment
Thanks to commercials and shopping network advertisements, conventional treatment of hair loss has become mainstream. Rogaine is a topical solution used for male pattern baldness. Unfortunately, it can cause heart changes when used for extended periods of time and the quality of hair it produces is poor. Finasteride is a medication used originally for prostate cancer, and is now used for hair loss in young men. It does allow new hair to grow but results last only as long as the medication is taken. Topical cortisone or special scalp radiation therapy is also used in some cases of hair loss. Another topical product commonly used over the counter is polysorbate 80. Polysorbate 80 helps to clean out the hair follicle from the build up of dead cells and excess sebum (protective fat secretion produced by the skin). By cleaning the hair follicle with products like polysorbate you can improve the thickness of individual hairs and in some cases slow hair loss.
Natural Treatments
Topical natural treatment for hair loss involves the use of shampoos and conditioners containing biotin, silica, vitamin C, vitamin E and jojoba oil. Periodic oil treatments can help to strengthen and moisturize the hair, much like natural sebum does. Use apple cider vinegar as a rinse instead of shampoo to help hair growth by maintaining healthy sebum levels. Scalp massage stimulates circulation and can stimulate hair growth. Be gentle when drying your hair and avoid using a blow dryer. Use a pick instead of a brush or comb. Sunlight, seawater, permanents and hair dyes dry the hair and should be avoided. Most natural treatments for hair loss focus on optimizing the body's levels of the important nutrients it needs to maintain and stimulate the growth of healthy hair, and also on cleansing the scalp to ensure the health of hair follicles.
Diet and Lifestyle to Reduce Hair Loss
There are ways you can improve hair health with lifestyle changes and diet. Be sure to drink 2L of filtered water per day. By eating lots of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables you can help to protect hair follicles from damage. Also, foods that contain biotin will help to improve hair, such as brown rice, green peas, lentils, brewer’s yeast, soy products, sunflower seeds, oats and walnuts. Raw eggs will prevent biotin absorption so it is best to avoid products containing them. Silica will also improve hair health and can be found in good numbers in whole grains and cherries. Reduce stress levels by exercising and allowing time for pleasurable activities. Consider being screened for hormonal imbalances you’re your health care provider. Finally, sleep is incredibly important to overall health, so make sure you are consistently getting enough of it.
Hair loss runs in my family so I am trying to get as much info as possible on hair health. I've tried saw palmetto in the past and it helped my hair but it also caused side effects so i had to quit. Some things I've learned is that hair is connected to overall health and the best way to improve health is to address sleep quality/quantity, nutrient deficiencies, fasting, exercise, digestion and scalp massage with natural oils as an added boost for hair health.
Hello Hassan,
It's great to be proactive about your health, indeed, our health and body are all linked and a healthy lifestyle is the basis for all. You may also enjoy our article on overall hair health too:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/health-concerns/hair-health/
Stay healthy & well!
This is a great article. The most important thing in preventing hair loss is the diet and what we put into our bodies. Vitamins and minerals are the key the healthy hair
Hello Paul,
You are correct, proper nutrition and supplementation are key to overall good health, especially hair fall or loss. We're glad you're enjoying our articles, you may like our youtube channel too:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClBjYPog9j0VY0gcIt-Tq2Q
Stay healthy & well!
As this article states, hair loss can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it's more common in men. As mentioned, we typically lose 50 to 100 hairs a day. This usually isn't noticeable because new hair is growing at the same time. Hair loss occurs when new hair doesn't replace the hair that has fallen out.
Hello Paul,
Thank you for your informative comment. Hair loss does affect men more than women but can happen to anyone. Maintaining a healthy scalp is one way to help keep hair and hair follicles healthy and hopefully functioning. We also have an article on hair health too:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/health-concerns/hair-health/
I can't wait to try some of these suggestions! It's always hard to keep my colour-treated hair nice and from falling out. This was a great reminder for me to get my iron levels checked as they were almost too low the last time I had bloodwork done. I also need to get back to taking my liquid B vitamins every day. I think that will help my hair and also my tiredness. I have found that adding rosemary oil in my shampoo and using it as a scalp massage has helped with my thinning hair and less is falling out. I'll have to try more of these suggestions.
Hello Joelle,
Thank you for your lovely comment. We're glad to hear this article was helpful and you're looking forward to trying these suggestions to see which ones work for you.
If you'd like to learn more about the rosemary oil you're using, check out our essential oil article here:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/rosemary/
Have a healthy day!
Hair loss is a common condition that can affect both men and women, causing distress and impacting self-esteem. This article addresses the causes, types, and potential treatments for hair loss. It explores factors such as genetics, hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, and certain medical conditions that contribute to hair loss. The article discusses various treatment options, including medications, hair transplantation, and lifestyle changes. It also highlights the importance of a balanced diet, stress management, and proper hair care practices in maintaining healthy hair. Overall, the article provides valuable information to help individuals understand hair loss better and make informed decisions about potential treatments.
Hello, Nathaniel,
You're right, this is an issue that affects both men & women and can be frustrating and may decrease confidence if it leads to baldness. There are many ways to support hair health, you can discover even more in this article as well: https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/health-concerns/hair-health/
Stay healthy & well.