Maybe you’ve noticed the part in your hair has widened, or you’ve spotted more strands than usual circling the drain. Whatever tipped you off, you’re not alone in the realization that you’re losing hair. In fact, hair loss affects an estimated 80 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
While the condition can be distressing, in some cases it’s treatable. But to learn how to regrow hair, you’ll have to pinpoint the reason you’re losing it in the first place, Dr. Farah Moustafa, dermatologist and assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com.
There’s alopecia, hormonal imbalances, vitamin deficiencies, and treatments such as chemotherapy, but two causes stand out among the rest because they’re the most prevalent. “The most common cause of hair loss is usually female pattern and male pattern hair loss,” aka androgenic alopecia, says Moustafa.
While pattern baldness happens as we age, Moustafa says you might notice a change in hair thickness as early as your 20s. “I like to tell patients it’s kind of like getting wrinkles on your face,” she explains. “It’s a slowly progressive process.” And while you might not be able to completely reverse your hair loss, the sooner you intervene, the better your chances of going back a few stages.
The other common reason is stress-related hair loss, called telogen effluvium. Instead of a gradual thinning, your hair will come out in clumps. You may notice this kind of excessive shedding following surgery, starting or stopping a medication, childbirth, psychological trauma or contracting an illness, including COVID.
When triggered, the body will stop the hair growth cycle, instead prioritizing other functions to get you through the stressful period. After dedicating all of its energy to your recovery, after about six months, Moustafa says, your body will hit the on switch and your hair cycle should typically resume.
If it doesn’t,…
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