Hair loss is a difficult thing for many people. While some men may shave their heads and embrace a new look, others struggle with the loss of their old locks. For women, hair loss is more unusual and therefore when it occurs it can be much more distressing.
What many people will not be aware of is just how many different causes of hair loss there are. If you pay a visit to a trichology clinic you will be in very good company, but many other patients passing through its doors will be enduring hair loss for different reasons than yours.
For example, an Instagram video posted earlier this month by TV doctor Amir Khan highlighted no fewer than nine potential causes of hair loss in both men and women, the Independent reported.
Some of these are very familiar, such as a family history of hair loss, hormonal changes and alopecia. In the case of hormonal changes, some of these are female-specific, such as pregnancy and menopause. Emotional and stressful events like bereavement or trauma (either physical or emotional) can also trigger hair loss.
Various kinds of medication are on the list, including not just familiar types like cancer treatment, but also drugs used to treat arthritis, depression and heart problems. Exposure of hair to harsh chemicals can also have an effect.
Conditions that many may be quite unaware of as potential causes of hair loss include fungal infections and also nutritional deficiencies, such as iron and protein.
He finished by listing a completely self-inflicted one, stating that “some hairstyles that are too tight” can also lead to hair loss.
What can be done about any of these will vary. The last can be solved by a change of hairstyle, while medication can only be changed or stopped if a medical professional agrees; you can’t stop taking cancer or heart medicine just to save your hairline. At the same time, innate problems such as a family history of hair loss cannot be avoided.
The list given by Dr Khan is not exhaustive; there is another self-inflicted cause listed by another doctor, the Coventry Telegraph reports. Trichologist Dr Greg Vida warned that evidence is emerging of a link between vaping and hair loss.
Among the key reasons for the link are chemicals in vapes such as acrolein, acetone, and formaldehyde, which can damage follicles, Dr Vida stated.
Worse still, he noted, is the fact that most vapes, like cigarettes, contain nicotine. The expert explained: “This addictive stimulant can stop blood flow to the scalp, which deprives hair follicles of the oxygen they need. This causes them to stop functioning properly.”
This last issue is one many will not have even thought of, especially as vaping has been promoted – even by the NHS – as a healthier alternative to smoking.
Given the epidemic of underage vaping by teens, it may be seen as good news that single-use vapes will be banned in England soon. But this revelation might just go a bit further in prompting adults to give up the products as well.