Skip navigation

Causes of Hair Loss

Hair loss or baldness is a genetic trait—but unlike what you may have been told, it's not necessarily passed down from your maternal grandfather. Medical science has come to learn that baldness genes are actually passed down from both sides of the family—and they affect hair loss in women as well as men. Baldness genes may also skip generations and are utterly random in terms of which siblings (male or female) they will affect. They may even have very different effects on siblings in the same family. What causes hair loss for one member of the family may differ entirely from what causes another member's, so it is best to not rule anything out before seeking a medical opinion.

Androgenetic Alopecia

In Men:

The leading cause of hair loss in men is male pattern baldness or Androgenetic Alopecia. Male pattern baldness is characterized by hair receding from the lateral sides of the forehead (known as a "receding hairline") and/or a thinning crown (balding to the area known as the 'vertex'). Both hair recession and hair thinning become more pronounced until they eventually meet, leaving a horseshoe-shaped ring of hair around the back of the head.



In Women:

Although this is not the leading cause of hair loss in women, Androgenetic Alopecia is still relevant. Female pattern baldness. Hair loss in women is also related to genetics, hormones and age. It may be a serious medical condition which needs proper attention and treatment as early as possible. The hair loss patterns in women also usually differ as compared to men.

Other Causes of Hair Loss (applicable to male hair loss and female hair loss)

  • Traction alopecia – It is most commonly found in people with ponytails, tight braids or any hairstyles that typically pull on hair with excessive force. In addition, rigorous brushing, heat styling and rough scalp massage can damage the cuticle, the hard outer casing of the hair. This causes individual strands to become weak and break off, reducing overall hair volume.
  • Trichotillomania –This is the loss of hair caused by compulsive pulling and bending of the hairs. Due to the constant extraction of the hair roots, permanent hair loss can occur. Onset of this disorder tends to begin around the onset of puberty and usually continues through adulthood.
  • Temporary or permanent hair loss can also be caused by several medications, including those for blood pressure problems, diabetes, heart disease and cholesterol. Any that affect the body's hormone balance can have a pronounced effect: these include the hormone replacement therapy, steroids and some acne medications.
  • Hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid) and the side effects of its related medications has been found to cause hair loss, typically frontal, which is particularly associated with thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows (also seen with syphilis). Hyperthyroidism (an over-active thyroid) can also cause hair loss, though parietal rather than frontal.

Before starting on any alopecia treatment regimen, it is strongly recommended that one seeks a medical diagnosis for the type of Alopecia condition he or she is suffering from. Knowing the condition one is treating ensures the highest possibility of success with the appropriate treatment.

Find out how hair loss in men and hair loss in women differ in classifications.

Bookmark and Share