The Cause of Hair Loss

Normally, about 10 percent of the hair on your head is resting(not growing). After a few months, the resting hair falls outand new hair begins to grow in its place. The growing phase canlast from 2 to 6 years. While in the growing phase, hair willgain approximately 1 centimeter a month. It is normal toexperience hair loss every day as part of this normalresting/growing cycle. Some people experience excessive hairloss from a variety of causes.The cause of hair loss is multi-variable. Most peopleerroneously believe that hair loss is caused by things like badcirculation, stress, sweat and dirt on the scalp, or wearinghats. With the exception of stress, none of these factors hasbeen proven as a cause of hair loss. Stress is also not verylikely unless you have undergone extreme physical orpsychological torture. This hair loss is also temporary. The real cause of hair loss lies with hormonal problems. Hairloss occurs when male or female hormones (androgens andestrogens) are out of balance. An imbalance of hormones isusually a genetic trait that as of yet, cannot be cured. Maleand female-pattern baldness is the most common form of hairloss. This is caused by a hormone called DHT, a naturallyoccurring hormone that helps in sexual development. Afterpuberty, an increase in DHT causes an increase in binding athair follicle protein receptor sites which throws the process ofhealthy hair growth off. Other causes of hair loss may be medicine. Blood-thinners,medicines used in chemotherapy, an excess of vitamin A, birthcontrol pills, and antidepressants have all been shown topromote hair loss in certain people. Infections of the scalp cancause hair loss as well as certain diseases like lupus anddiabetes.