birth, surgery or anesthesia can cause hair loss. This kind of loss is temporary and usually corrects itself.

8. Hormonal imbalance. An overactive or under active thyroid can cause hair loss. Imbalance in androgens and estrogens can also cause a similar condition. This is not a serious problem because correcting the imbalance can stop the hair loss.

9. Pregnancy: Women invariably lose hair for about three months after delivery. This happens because the normal hair loss that is a part of the hair cycle is inhibited on account of an increase in certain hormones in the body during pregnancy. However, after childbirth when the hormones start returning to their normal level all the hair that had not previously been shed starts to fall out. This continues for about three months and

Many men, and some women, are affected by some degree of hair loss during their lives. In some, the hair loss is triggered by information stored in the genes; in others it may be caused by hormonal disturbances or disease. There are still others who damage their hair by adopting unhealthy practices like bleaching or harsh styling. Some of the changes are reversible, most are not.

The are:

1. Male pattern baldness: This is the most common cause of baldness among men. The doctors call it androgenetic alopecia and blame hormonal imbalances and genetic inheritance for its occurrence. The guilty hormone here is DHT, which in normal quantities is responsible for normal hair growth. DHT, however, is affected by the presence of testosterone in the body. Typically after males reach puberty, their bodies produce more testosterone which in turn causes more DHT to be produced. More DHT, however, does not mean more hair; on the contrary it can cause loss of hair.

2. Medication: Sometimes medication causes side effects like loss of hair. For instance, some acne drugs used by teenagers have isotretinoin, a chemical that can trigger hair loss. Similarly, lithium and diet pills contain amphetamines which are also known to cause hair loss. Chemotherapy can cause hair loss and sometimes diseases like leukemia and lymphoma cause hair to fall even before the treatment begins. Other possible offenders are: anticoagulants, medicines used for gout, an excess of vitamin A, birth control pills and antidepressants.

3. Alopecia areata: This disease, which affects the scalp and causes hair to fall out, may also lead to a loss of body hair. It disorients the immune system, which then starts destroying the body's own cells and tissues. The disease typically shows up as a small patch on the scalp and progresses to large patches leading to complete or partial hair loss. It affects both males as well as females and can be seen in children too. The hair, if it grows back at all, does so within two years.

4. Trichotillomania: Trichotillomania is not a physiological disorder but a psychological one. Some people repeatedly pull their hair out leaving bald patches. These patches exist because hair has been physically removed. People with this disorder may need to see a therapist or seek other appropriate professional help.

5. Hair treatment and styling: Treating hair with chemicals or heat to cater to the latest fashion demands can cause hair loss if not done with due care. Coloring, bleaching, and straightening can cause hair to break and fall off temporarily. But there is another type of styling that can actually cause permanent hair loss and that is wearing one's hair tightly pulled back so that it places tension on the scalp. Over a long period of time this can damage hair follicles and lead to a condition called traction alopecia.

6. Poor nutrition: Poor nutrition is a relatively common cause of hair loss. People with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia often experience hair loss as do teens who suddenly become vegetarians and have little protein in their diet.

7. Disruption of hair growth cycle: Some events like childbirth, surgery or anesthesia can cause hair loss. This kind of loss is temporary and usually corrects itself.

8. Hormonal imbalance. An overactive or under active thyroid can cause hair loss. Imbalance in androgens and estrogens can also cause a similar condition. This is not a serious problem because correcting the imbalance can stop the hair loss.

9. Pregnancy: Women invariably lose hair for about three months after delivery. This happens because the normal hair loss that is a part of the hair cycle is inhibited on account of an increase in certain hormones in the body during pregnancy. However, after childbirth when the hormones start returning to their normal level all the hair that had not previously been shed starts to fall out. This continues for about three months and t

erty, their bodies produce more testosterone which in turn causes more DHT to be produced. More DHT, however, does not mean more hair; on the contrary it can cause loss of hair.

2. Medication: Sometimes medication causes side effects like loss of hair. For instance, some acne drugs used by teenagers have isotretinoin, a chemical that can trigger hair loss. Similarly, lithium and diet pills contain amphetamines which are also known to cause hair loss. Chemotherapy can cause hair loss and sometimes diseases like leukemia and lymphoma cause hair to fall even before the treatment begins. Other possible offenders are: anticoagulants, medicines used for gout, an excess of vitamin A, birth control pills and antidepressants.

3. Alopecia areata: This disease, which affects the scalp and causes hair to fall out, may also lead to a loss of body hair. It disorients the immune system, which then starts destroying the body's own cells and tissues. The disease typically shows up as a small patch on the scalp and progresses to large patches leading to complete or partial hair loss. It affects both males as well as females and can be seen in children too. The hair, if it grows back at all, does so within two years.

4. Trichotillomania: Trichotillomania is not a physiological disorder but a psychological one. Some people repeatedly pull their hair out leaving bald patches. These patches exist because hair has been physically removed. People with this disorder may need to see a therapist or seek other appropriate professional help.

5. Hair treatment and styling: Treating hair with chemicals or heat to cater to the latest fashion demands can cause hair loss if not done with due care. Coloring, bleaching, and straightening can cause hair to break and fall off temporarily. But there is another type of styling that can actually cause permanent hair loss and that is wearing one's hair tightly pulled back so that it places tension on the scalp. Over a long period of time this can damage hair follicles and lead to a condition called traction alopecia.

6. Poor nutrition: Poor nutrition is a relatively common cause of hair loss. People with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia often experience hair loss as do teens who suddenly become vegetarians and have little protein in their diet.

7. Disruption of hair growth cycle: Some events like childbirth, surgery or anesthesia can cause hair loss. This kind of loss is temporary and usually corrects itself.

8. Hormonal imbalance. An overactive or under active thyroid can cause hair loss. Imbalance in androgens and estrogens can also cause a similar condition. This is not a serious problem because correcting the imbalance can stop the hair loss.

9. Pregnancy: Women invariably lose hair for about three months after delivery. This happens because the normal hair loss that is a part of the hair cycle is inhibited on account of an increase in certain hormones in the body during pregnancy. However, after childbirth when the hormones start returning to their normal level all the hair that had not previously been shed starts to fall out. This continues for about three months and

d causes hair to fall out, may also lead to a loss of body hair. It disorients the immune system, which then starts destroying the body's own cells and tissues. The disease typically shows up as a small patch on the scalp and progresses to large patches leading to complete or partial hair loss. It affects both males as well as females and can be seen in children too. The hair, if it grows back at all, does so within two years.

4. Trichotillomania: Trichotillomania is not a physiological disorder but a psychological one. Some people repeatedly pull their hair out leaving bald patches. These patches exist because hair has been physically removed. People with this disorder may need to see a therapist or seek other appropriate professional help.

5. Hair treatment and styling: Treating hair with chemicals or heat to cater to the latest fashion demands can cause hair loss if not done with due care. Coloring, bleaching, and straightening can cause hair to break and fall off temporarily. But there is another type of styling that can actually cause permanent hair loss and that is wearing one's hair tightly pulled back so that it places tension on the scalp. Over a long period of time this can damage hair follicles and lead to a condition called traction alopecia.

6. Poor nutrition: Poor nutrition is a relatively common cause of hair loss. People with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia often experience hair loss as do teens who suddenly become vegetarians and have little protein in their diet.

7. Disruption of hair growth cycle: Some events like childbirth, surgery or anesthesia can cause hair loss. This kind of loss is temporary and usually corrects itself.

8. Hormonal imbalance. An overactive or under active thyroid can cause hair loss. Imbalance in androgens and estrogens can also cause a similar condition. This is not a serious problem because correcting the imbalance can stop the hair loss.

9. Pregnancy: Women invariably lose hair for about three months after delivery. This happens because the normal hair loss that is a part of the hair cycle is inhibited on account of an increase in certain hormones in the body during pregnancy. However, after childbirth when the hormones start returning to their normal level all the hair that had not previously been shed starts to fall out. This continues for about three months and

ing hair with chemicals or heat to cater to the latest fashion demands can cause hair loss if not done with due care. Coloring, bleaching, and straightening can cause hair to break and fall off temporarily. But there is another type of styling that can actually cause permanent hair loss and that is wearing one's hair tightly pulled back so that it places tension on the scalp. Over a long period of time this can damage hair follicles and lead to a condition called traction alopecia.

6. Poor nutrition: Poor nutrition is a relatively common cause of hair loss. People with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia often experience hair loss as do teens who suddenly become vegetarians and have little protein in their diet.

7. Disruption of hair growth cycle: Some events like childbirth, surgery or anesthesia can cause hair loss. This kind of loss is temporary and usually corrects itself.

8. Hormonal imbalance. An overactive or under active thyroid can cause hair loss. Imbalance in androgens and estrogens can also cause a similar condition. This is not a serious problem because correcting the imbalance can stop the hair loss.

9. Pregnancy: Women invariably lose hair for about three months after delivery. This happens because the normal hair loss that is a part of the hair cycle is inhibited on account of an increase in certain hormones in the body during pregnancy. However, after childbirth when the hormones start returning to their normal level all the hair that had not previously been shed starts to fall out. This continues for about three months and

birth, surgery or anesthesia can cause hair loss. This kind of loss is temporary and usually corrects itself.

8. Hormonal imbalance. An overactive or under active thyroid can cause hair loss. Imbalance in androgens and estrogens can also cause a similar condition. This is not a serious problem because correcting the imbalance can stop the hair loss.

9. Pregnancy: Women invariably lose hair for about three months after delivery. This happens because the normal hair loss that is a part of the hair cycle is inhibited on account of an increase in certain hormones in the body during pregnancy. However, after childbirth when the hormones start returning to their normal level all the hair that had not previously been shed starts to fall out. This continues for about three months and then evens out.

10. Fungal infections. At times children experience unexpected hair loss on account of fungal infection. This can be treated quite easily with anti-fungal medicines.

11. Diseases: Diseases like diabetes and lupus can cause hair loss. However, both can be corrected if detected early.