Fleeing Follicles? Here are Five Reasons You Might Be Losing Your Hair and How To Prevent It

Did you know that by the time your day is done, your head has shed at least 100 strands of hair? That’s just the average. What if it’s more than that? What if the hair you lose isn’t being replaced? You’re probably wondering what’s causing it and just as importantly what are the best treatments for hair loss?

After all, few things feel as personal as hair loss. It can be a traumatizing, stressful event. Ironically, your hair growth may actually slow if you have experienced trauma or are battling stress. To many, hair is a sign of youth. Which means you might feel like your vitality is literally going down the drain. Although generally painless, it’s no fun dealing with balding or thinning hair.

There are solutions. The challenge is, which one is right for you? Before you take a pill or alter your diet, it’s a good idea to look at your whole body. Hair loss can be a symptom for a host of problems from hormonal imbalances to vitamin deficiencies. Fortunately, discovering the issue may be as simple as a low-cost, at-home test.

Here are the top five reasons for your hair loss and the best ways to prevent it.

The Root Cause

Before embarking on a fruitless foray into follicle restoration, take a beat. Hair loss isn’t always hereditary. There’s a link between hair loss and medical conditions. While you’re no doubt familiar with some popular treatments for hair loss, you might be less aware of some recent and truly startling medical advances. AI-driven diagnostics have altered the health care landscape. Leveraging these technological advances can save you a great deal of heartache — not to mention money.

How do you access this powerful tech? Kyla Clinics offers an easy solution. Respected medical professionals, engineers, and scientists have spent years developing and testing proprietary, data-driven analysis of simple at-home tests that can reveal a host of health issues. Uncovering these may be the first step to covering your head –– with hair. 

Uncovering your hidden health issues will not just go a long way toward dealing with balding. Getting an at-home test can even put you on the right track toward regrowing a receding hairline. By harnessing Kyla’s cutting edge tech, you will not only discover your hair loss’s root causes but be able to lengthen your lifespan and improve your overall well being. That means taking charge of your physical and mental health. So what are the five main reasons for hair loss? Just as importantly, how can you prevent it?

1. It’s in Your Genes

There’s little doubt that your self esteem takes a real hit if you’re dealing with balding, pattern baldness, or losing hair across your head and body. In one landmark European study of some 1500 men, author Mariola Alfonso wrote that nearly three quarters admitted that hair was an important feature of image. Over 60% agreed that hair loss could affect self-esteem.  Alfonso noted that the men’s “realization that they were losing hair was linked to concern about losing an important part of personal attractiveness (43% of men), fear of becoming bald (42%), concern about getting older (37%), negative effects on social life (22%), and feelings of depression (21%).” Over one-third of the men who were not in committed relationships also reported reduced self-confidence in their personal attractiveness.

Of course, men aren’t the only ones struggling. Women dealing with female pattern baldness were shown in one 2021 Indian medical journal article to suffer from “anxiety, anger, depression, embarrassment, decreased confidence, reduction in work and sexual performance, social withdrawal, and suicidal tendencies.” As author Lakshyajit Dhami pointed out, “These are similar to those usually seen with chronic and severe life-threatening diseases.”

So what is the number one root cause for men dealing with balding or women facing female pattern baldness? It’s hereditary hair loss –– or its medical name: androgenic alopecia. Although stereotypically viewed as a male problem it affects both genders. Chances are if you’ve seen advertisements touting treatments for hair loss, the product was meant to deal with androgenic alopecia. In the U.S., around 80 million people have this condition. That’s around one out of four people!

With so many people experiencing a single condition, it’s not surprising that most treatments for hair loss are formulated to fight androgenic alopecia. You likely have seen advertisements touting Rogaine (active ingredient Minoxidil) and Propecia (and its generic name Finasteride). Interestingly enough, three decades after being introduced as a way for dealing with balding, scientists still are sure exactly how the treatment works. It’s a vasodilator, which means it causes the blood vessels in your body to widen. This increases blood flow. Vasodilation occurs naturally when you exercise and when you drink alcohol. In the case of Minoxidil, it’s believed that the product actually enlarges your hair follicles. This extends your hair’s growth phase. The extra follicles provide extra coverage for those facing male or female pattern baldness. Numerous studies suggest it works for pattern baldness –– especially inherited conditions.

The downside to the product is that you can’t stop taking it. If you discontinue use, you’ll begin to lose the hair coverage you gained. Propecia or Finasteride, which requires a prescription, works by inhibiting testosterone conversion to dihydrotestosterone DHT which has been linked to hair loss. Although it’s one of the more popular treatments for hair loss, it does not lead to a 100% reduction in DHT. In other words, hair loss is slowed but not completely halted. Not surprisingly with a drug designed to reduce testosterone, issues relating to sexual performance are a common side effect.

Here’s the problem. Even if hair loss runs in your family, you could be making a risky assumption. Hair loss and medical conditions go together. Some serious illnesses may lead to loss of hair. So if you start taking an over-the-counter treatment without verifying what you have, you’ll not only be wasting your money. You’ll be putting your health at risk.

This is another reason to consider an at-home test from Kyla before embarking on a hair growth journey. The test will determine your testosterone levels — something to know before considering any of the treatments for hair loss. Of course your genes may not be to blame. There are several less common reasons why you may be losing your hair.

2. Hairstyles Gone Haywire

Although men may color or otherwise damage their hair, women faced with female pattern baldness are more likely to sport ponytails or braids. They are more likely top opt for hair extensions. While many men get highlights, darken their grays and even dye their hair every color of the rainbow, women still make up the majority of salon customers seeking bleaching or even permanents. These treatments can cause enormous damage — so much that many women have opted for natural hair.

3. You’re Meatless

Vegetarians and vegans face a host of potential vitamin deficiencies. Those who choose not to consume animal protein may not be getting enough iron or protein in their diet. While a meat-free lifestyle can be a healthy one, it’s important to make sure your nutritional needs are being met. 

As one medical 2017 study noted, “Nutritional deficiency may impact both hair structure and hair growth.” Hair loss is common among not only vegetarians and vegans but among anyone embarking on a restrictive diet. That’s why it’s so important to get an at-home test from Kyla before taking any medication or buying a supplement. If you don’t know what you are lacking, how can you know what you truly need?

4. Medications including Birth Control

The pill you are taking may mean you must deal with balding. Numerous medications may cause hair loss including some acne medications, antidepressants, antifungals and drugs containing hormones including birth control pills. While hair loss and medical conditions are fairly common, people may not realize that the drugs they take to treat the condition can also cause your hair to fall out. Some women experience hair loss while taking birth control pills. Loestrin and Ovral have a higher androgen index which has been linked to hair loss so switching to one with a lower androgen index can help. 

Desogen, Ortho-Cyclen, and Ortho-Cept all have lower androgen indexes. However, if you’re dealing with female pattern baldness or any other type of hair loss that runs in your family, then you may want to opt for a nonhormonal type of birth control. If you’re concerned about your hormone levels, Kyla’s $99 at-home test will let you know exactly where you are at. You will also have the opportunity to speak with a qualified medical professional who can assist you with your options. 

5. Telogen Effluvium

There are four phases of hair growth beginning with the anagen phase when the hair follicle pushes out hair. This growth slows during the catagen phase before hair is shed in both the telogen and exogen phase. With telogen effluvium, your hair is trapped in the telogen phase –– which means it keeps falling out. Even more distressing, the hair can sometimes fall out in large clumps. You may be experiencing this if you’ve recently had surgery, given birth, lost a large amount of weight in a short period of time or been under unusual stress. Usually this condition goes away on its own. If it doesn’t. you should consult a doctor. 

The best way to face your falling follicles is to find out the root causes. A primary care panel from Kyla is just $99 and will offer information on hormonal and vitamin deficiencies along with other potential problems.

Sources:

1.Peters, Eva M J et al. “Hair and stress: A pilot study of hair and cytokine balance alteration in healthy young women under major exam stress.” PloS April 19, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5397031/

2. Alfonso, Mariola et al. “The psychosocial impact of hair loss among men: a multinational European study.” Current Medical Research and Opinion (Vol. 21,11) 2005. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16307704/

3.Dhami, Lakshyajit. “Psychology of Hair Loss Patients and Importance of Counseling.” Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery. December 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8719979/#:~:text=Some of the mild to,social withdrawal, and suicidal tendencies.

4. “Hair Loss,” Cleveland Clinic. August 26, 2021. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21753-hair-loss

5. Cafasso, Jacquelyn and Kristeen Cherney. “Does Rogaine Work?” Healthline. September 27, 2023. https://www.healthline.com/health/does-rogaine-work

6. “Finasteride: Oral Route,” Mayo Clinic. February 1, 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/finasteride-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20063819

7. Sissons, Beth. “Causes and Treatments for Hair Loss,” Medical News Today. December 6, 2023.

8. Waters, Jamie. “The Men Who Dye Their Hair Every Conceivable Shade,” The Wall Street Journal. April 22, 2022. https://www.wsj.com/story/the-men-who-dye-their-hair-every-conceivable-shade-a23bc289#:~:text=Some%2038%25%20of%20U.S.%20men,up%20from%2034%25%20in%202019.

9. Lindner, Jannik. “Must-Know Hair Dye Statistics [Recent Analysis],” Gitnux. December 16, 2023.https://gitnux.org/hair-dye-statistics/#:~:text=On%20average%2C%20around%2075%25%20of,of%20males%20using%20hair%20dye. 

10. Guo, Emily l., et al. “Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use,” Dermatology Practical Concepts. January 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5315033/