What Causes Hair Loss?
Shedding some hair is a normal experience, one that can fluctuate in volume depending on the season and your unique biology. That said, if you’re finding an increasing number of hairs in the bathroom sink, on your hairbrush, or on your pillow, you might be experiencing more significant, and serious, hair loss. This common concern can happen to both men and women, and it can be the cause of self-consciousness or even depression. Understanding why you are losing hair can help determine which treatment will be right for you. Our experienced hair restoration surgeons, Dr. Robert Leonard and Dr. Matthew Lopresti, can provide a diagnosis during your initial consultation and develop a customized treatment plan to help you curtail hair loss in the future.
For men and women, the most common cause of hair loss will be a hereditary condition such as male pattern or female pattern baldness. In this instance, the hair follicles are becoming thinner and smaller (hair follicle miniaturization), which leads to areas of soft, fine, and short hair or non-growth. Genetic predisposition is just one of the possibilities, however. Hormonal changes due to pregnancy, menopause, stress, an infection or skin disorder, a medical condition, or another reason, can also result in hair loss. This condition can also be a side effect for many medications, including those used to treat cancer, arthritis, depression, and high blood pressure, to name a few. Additionally, hairstyles that pull tightly on the hair may produce hair loss over time.
Sometimes one factor may be the cause of hair loss, in other cases several concerns may be contributing. Drs. Leonard and Lopresti can help you identify the origins of your hair loss and provide customized advice on how to address your condition.