Sudden hair loss in men can be caused by many different factors. Many men will experience male pattern baldness that is permanent due to hereditary factors and the conversion of testosterone to DHT. But sudden hair loss in men is different than hereditary baldness.
Stress is a major factor of sudden hair loss. Stress produces a hormone called adrenaline that is not bad for you in small amounts. However, when your body is exposed to this hormone in large amounts, or for an extended period of time as in extreme stressful situations, it can cause significant changes in the body, including sudden hair loss.
The best way to prevent hair loss from stress is to exercise because it helps to reduce the amount of adrenalin and increases the ability of your body to cope with stress. Exercise will give your body an outlet for the adrenaline and allow you to reduce your stress levels significantly.
Sometimes sudden hair loss in men will be the result of an immune disorder that causes the hair to fall out. This immune disorder can be treated with cortisone injections. The good news is that most of the time, if you do have sudden hair loss from an immune disorder, the hair will grow back on its own.
Sudden loss can also be caused from certain medications such as blood thinners or chemotherapy. A lengthy illness or trauma may cause the hair to fall out also. The good news is that if the hair loss is caused from medications or illness, it will grow back on its own after the condition has been addressed and treated.
Diabetes and thyroid disease can cause sudden hair loss. If you notice hair starting to fall out and you have not be ill or on any medications, you should see your doctor for a complete checkup. Your doctor may need to run some blood work to see if you have diabetes or if you have thyroid disease. There is no cure for these diseases, but they can be managed through diet and medications.
Once most medical conditions are under control the amount of hair loss decreases and with good nutritional support some people can also experience good re-growth of the hair.
Certain fungal infections can cause sudden hair loss in men. Ringworm infection in the scalp can cause the hair to fall out in patches. Ringworm has nothing to do with a worm and is the same type of fungus that causes athletes feet. Ringworm is treated with antibiotics to prevent the spread of this highly contagious infection. Sometimes ringworm will disappear on its own without treatment.
Ringworm is also very contagious, not only to other people, but also to other parts of your body. So if there are infections of ringworm on the arm or leg it can spread to the head with just a few scratches of the infection and then touching the head.
Sudden hair loss in men can be caused by malnourishment. Men who go on a crash diet to lose weight quickly will sometimes lose their hair because they are not getting enough important nutrients to feed the scalp and hair follicles. Crash diets are not only bad for your whole body, they are also bad for your hair.
Sudden hair loss in men should never be ignored. If you discover bald patches or notice large amounts of hair in the sink when combing, you should see your doctor as soon as possible for a diagnosis.
Resources:
MayoClinic: Hair Loss
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=symptoms
Harvard Medical School: Testosterone, Prostate Cancer and Balding, Is There a Link?
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update1004a.shtml
MedlinePlus: Hair Loss
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003246.htm
PDR Health: Hair Loss
http://www.pdrhealth.com/diseases/hair-loss
Andrew Weil: Hair Loss
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03030/Hair-Loss-Alopecia-Baldness.html
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