Hair loss can happen to anyone and is commonly associated with baldness around the scalp area. Moderate hair loss occurs for most people every day in increments of 100 to 150 strands.http://www.medicinenet.com/hair_loss/article.htm Both men and women can experience this sort of hair loss.

Hair thinning or balding can be classified as major hair loss, and oftentimes occurs due to genetic predispositions or aging.http://www.medicinenet.com/hair_loss/article.htm This type of hair loss can also appear in both men and women, although it is more common in males.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=symptoms

Alopecia areata is a common medical condition that is known to cause hair loss (or alopecia). Patients with this disease can experience anything from clumps of hair loss on the scalp to hair loss all over the body, to moderate hair loss with regrowth.http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/alopecia-areata

Androgenetic alopecia is another form of hair loss, and is more commonly known as male-pattern baldness. This type of hair loss is permanent and occurs in a horseshoe pattern around the scalp. Women sometimes experience pattern-baldness, but it is often less common and less hair usually falls out.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=symptoms

There are many causes for all the types of hair loss. Pattern-baldness, the most common type, typically comes about due to genetic predispositions or appears in a patient that is simply getting old.http://www.medicinenet.com/hair_loss/article.htm Other causes for hair loss or balding include:

• Tissue scarring
• Certain drugshttp://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/hair-loss-introduction-medref
• Traction alopeciahttp://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/hair-shaft-defects
• Cosmetic hair treatmentshttp://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/hair-shaft-defects?page=2
• Stress
• Poor diet
• Hormonal shifts
• Thyroid disease
• Anemia
• Chemotherapyhttp://www.medicinenet.com/hair_loss/article.htm#tocc
• Scalp Infectionhttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=causes

Preventing hair loss can include some simple daily steps like taking care of dietary needs, cleaning hair, and handling hair gently.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=prevention If there are underlying diseases of imbalances that are causing the hair loss, those should be diagnosed and treated to prevent any further loss of hair.http://www.medicinenet.com/hair_loss/page10.htm#prevent

Once balding or major hair loss begins, there are a few different kinds of treatments available. Rogaine is one of the more popular over-the-counter treatments, and has been known to stop hair loss while helping regrowth. Other medications can be used to treat severe hair loss. Some may need to be prescribed by a doctor.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

Other treatment options include surgery (hair transplant or scalp reduction) and hair pieces. Wigs and smaller toupees can be used to cover up unwanted hair loss, and surgery can replace lost hair with real-looking alternatives.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hair-loss/DS00278/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you are suffering from hair loss, please consult your doctor.