Why some people lose their hair

It might not be good news, but you cannot avoid it either. Everyone’s hair breaks, but women tend to feel the impact more. There are several factors that may lead to hair loss in women, among which we have the following: Birth control pills; certain pills like Androgen Alopecia may trigger hair loss. The effect may not be felt immediately after using the pill, but comes progressively or when you stop using the pills. Your doctor should always advise on what to do before you start taking the contraceptive. But it is best to avoid them all together. Hair chemicals; some chemical processes can damage hair leading to hair loss. These include poor colour processing, permanent weaves, tints, bleaches and poor mixing of colour. Men are also affected by this. To be safe, always ensure that your hair is handled by a professional. Fungal infections on the scalp; they begin with small ring wormlike patches that spread and result in redness, swelling and oozing. It is most common in children. Once in a while you can take the child to a professional stylist for advice. Stress; for some people, this could cause hair loss and the most interesting bit is that it occurs three months after the stressful event and takes up to three months to heal, if you are lucky. Major surgery or chronic illness; this causes tremendous shock to the body system, and you will notice loss of hair one to three months after the surgery or the illness. It could reverse after a few months, but people with chronic illness will shed hair indefinitely. Other less chronic illnesses could cause an imbalance in the body, which affects the hair follicle. However, once the body is well it goes back to its normal state. Protein deficient diet; bad eating habits, and especially a diet that is low in protein, will lead to malnutrition. This will cause your hair to fall off. With diminished protein levels (proteins are needed in the growth of the hair), the hair goes to a resting phase, and it can be easily pulled out from its roots. Braids and weaves; normally, braids and weaves should not break hair but if they are done very tight, they put a constant strain on the hair follicles. When done continuously it could lead to permanent hair loss. Avoid wearing weaves and braids too tight. dedantos2002@yahoo.com