Everything You Need to Know About Hair Loss

Hair loss, a sensitive topic for both men and women. Although baldness is most common in men, hair loss also occurs in women. Want to learn more about hair loss? In this article, you will discover the different types and causes of hair loss.

What is Hair Loss?

Everyone loses hair. During washing, brushing, or when running your hand through it. Losing some hair - about 100 a day - is normal, but when do we talk about hair loss? Hair loss is abnormal hair shedding where you lose more or faster hair than it regrows. Our hair grows in four phases:

1. Anagen Phase (Growth Phase)
   This is the active growth phase of our hair and lasts several years.

2. Catagen Phase (Transition Phase)
   This is the transition phase, lasting about two to three weeks. Here, hair growth stops.

3. Telogen Phase (Resting Phase)
   This is the resting phase of the hair. It lasts about two to four months and is the phase where the hair no longer grows but remains in the hair follicle.

4. Exogen Phase (Shedding Phase)
   In this phase, the old hair falls out and is replaced by new hair.

When this cycle is disrupted and you experience excessive hair loss, we refer to it as hair loss, which can have various causes.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Hair loss can have various causes. Some of the most common causes of hair loss are:

• Stress

An increased production of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline can cause hair loss. Particularly sudden extreme stress, such as a bereavement, childbirth, or an accident, can result in excessive hair loss. However, chronic stress is also detrimental to hair. Experiencing chronic stress is a huge strain on the body. A survival mechanism is triggered, which always takes precedence over other bodily processes. When all energy and nutrients are needed for the stress system, this comes at the expense of 'less' important bodily processes such as hair growth.

• Hormonal Imbalance

Not only stress hormones, but also hormonal fluctuations during menopause or pregnancy can cause hair loss. Female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone may influence the maintenance of a full head of hair. Many women experience extreme hair loss after childbirth, but don't worry: this is temporary. An underactive thyroid can also cause a disrupted hormone balance (hypothyroidism), leading to hair loss. The thyroid is important for metabolism and blood circulation in the body. Low activity causes problems for hair growth.

• Inadequate Diet

A balanced diet is the foundation of a healthy body. When we don't get enough nutrients, it affects all bodily processes, including hair growth. In particular, biotin and selenium are very important for hair growth. Want to know more? Read all about biotin here.

Besides the fact that we often don't eat as varied as we think, a strict diet can also result in inadequate daily nutrient intake and the complete avoidance of certain food groups. As mentioned earlier, deficiencies can lead to hair loss. Always ensure a healthy mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and a healthy amount of calories that suit your body type and lifestyle. A strict diet can also cause you to crash (lose a lot of weight in a short time), which puts a lot of stress on your body and can disrupt your hormones.

• Medication

Always read the leaflet carefully when starting medication as there are various drugs that can cause hair loss, such as thyroid medication, antidepressants, contraceptive pills, blood thinners, and blood pressure medications. Always consult your treating physician if you experience hair loss while using medication.

What Types of Hair Loss Are There?

We have discussed some of the most common causes of hair loss. Besides different causes, hair loss also comes in different types and forms. These are the most well-known types of hair loss.

Male Pattern Baldness

The most well-known and most common form of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness because 70% of men will experience this form of hair loss sooner or later. In women, it is much lower: about 40% experience androgenetic alopecia. This form of baldness is hereditary and is caused by the sensitivity of hair follicles to the hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone). This is an androgen (male) hormone present in both men and women, causing disruption in the functioning of hair follicles. DHT is converted from testosterone by certain enzymes, which also explains why this form of baldness is more common in men: they have more testosterone in their bodies than women. DHT binds to hair follicles and causes them to shrink and the growth phase to shorten, resulting in only thin and short hairs.

What differs between men and women in this form of baldness is how it manifests. In men, it starts with baldness at the temples, leading to the well-known receding hairline. The area of hair loss can extend to the crown, often leaving only a band of hair from ear to ear at the back of the head.

In women, androgenetic alopecia manifests as thinning hair, making the scalp visible. Hair loss starts at the parting and slowly spreads over the centre of the head. In some cases, hair loss reaches the hairline at the face. Treatment of androgenetic alopecia focuses on counteracting the production of DHT. Despite the existence of medication and certain herbs that can support this process, unfortunately, there is still no 100% effective treatment.

Patchy Baldness

Alopecia areata means patchy baldness and is recognised by completely bald patches on the head. The often round patches have a sharp boundary where hair stops and starts again. Often there are several bald patches on the head surrounded by healthy hair growth. Alopecia areata can worsen, resulting in complete baldness of the head, known as alopecia totalis. If both head and body hair fall out, it is called alopecia universalis. The exact cause of these different degrees of hair loss is not precisely known, but it is thought to be related to an overactive immune system, leading to an autoimmune disease where the body attacks its own tissues. In this case, the hair follicles bear the brunt, preventing them from functioning.

The bald patches can recover within a few months or a few years, but the hair can also remain absent permanently. During recovery of one patch, a new bald patch may also appear. Unfortunately, alopecia areata is difficult to treat, and sometimes medication is used in conventional care with varying success.

Alopecia Diffusa

In Alopecia diffusa, significant hair loss occurs in a short time, spread (diffuse) over the head. A form of diffuse hair loss is telogen effluvium. Effluvium means shedding, and telogen refers to the hair's growth phase.

Telogen Effluvium

In Telogen effluvium, too much hair enters the telogen phase too quickly. This can have various causes such as stress, hormonal imbalance, an inadequate diet, or medication.

Other Forms of Hair Loss

In addition to the previously described forms of hair loss, there are several others that occur to varying degrees, such as:

• Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia where hair loss occurs at the front and sides of the hairline, resulting in scarring. It mainly occurs in women during menopause. The exact cause is unknown, but it is thought to involve a disturbance in the immune system and an inflammatory reaction. Unfortunately, this form of hair loss is difficult to treat. When frontal fibrosing alopecia is diagnosed, treatment with medication or light and/or laser therapy can be chosen, but this does not guarantee a good result.
• Traction Alopecia is caused by securing hair in too tight ponytails, braids, or other styling methods such as hair extensions or dreadlocks. When the scalp starts to hurt when you have secured your hair, you know that too much tension is being applied to the scalp and the hair is too tight. This form of hair loss can be prevented and remedied by giving the hair and scalp a break and only tying the hair loosely.
• Alopecia Traumatica where there is hair loss or no hair growth due to an external cause such as burns, bleaching hair, perming hair, and straightening hair.

Hair Care Starts from Within

Although hair loss is difficult to prevent and remedy, you can take care of your body and hair (growth) as best as possible with a healthy lifestyle, adequate relaxation, and a balanced diet. Do you have questions about hair loss or would you like advice? Our health coaches are happy to advise you via chat on our website or in one of our stores.

Sources

1. Thuisarts, Hair Loss (2023)
2. Marcin, A. Why Hair Loss Can Occur During or After Pregnancy and What You Can Do. Accessed via: https://www.healthline.com/health/hair-loss-in-pregnancy
3. Bryan, E. How stress causes hair loss. Accessed via: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-stress-causes-hair-loss
4. Almohanna, H. M., Ahmed, A. A., Tsatalis, J. P., & Tosti, A. (2019). The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: a review. Dermatology and therapy, 9(1), 51-70.