Hair Loss - What Increases Your Risk

SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS

Factors that increase the risk of hair loss include:

  • Genetics (inherited tendency). If one or both of your parents have hair loss, it is likely that you will also.
  • Disease or illness. Certain diseases or an illness can cause hair loss. The diseases may include ringworm of the scalp (tinea capitis), thyroid diseases such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, or lupus. The illness may include a severe infection or high fever.
  • Age. Many people have some hair loss by the age of 50.
  • Medicines and medical treatments. Certain medicines or medical treatments can cause scalp problems and hair loss.
  • Hair care and styling. Some methods of hair care or hair styles can damage hair and cause hair loss.

Although most people with hair loss caused by alopecia areata regrow their hair, certain people are at greater risk for their hair not growing back. If you have a family history of the condition, have the condition at a young age, have an autoimmune disease, are prone to allergies (atopy), have extensive hair loss, or have abnormal color, shape, texture, or thickness of the fingernails or toenails, you are more likely to have permanent hair loss.

By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: June 4, 2010
Medical Review: Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

Advertisement
Care Circle

It Seems That You Are Not Logged In...

OR

Join Now

Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:

  1. Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
  2. Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
  3. Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.

The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.

How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?

Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.

How do I save content to my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.

How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.

How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?

Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.

See All News

Advertisement