Hair Loss Due to Age

Think about it: How many 70-year-olds do you know that have thick, luxurious, bountiful hair? You can probably think of a few, but many older people are lucky to have any hair at all. There are so many factors, some of which are out of our control, which can result in hair loss, particularly as we age.

The Odds Are Against the Aging

• The older we get the more likely we are to experience illness. Some illnesses can result in hair loss. Some illnesses require medicines that cause hair loss. An older person may not be eating right and this along with vitamin and mineral deficiencies may result in hair loss. Keeping your hair on your head is going to take some work.

Causes of Hair Loss

• Factors that can cause hair loss, at any age, but which may crop up more often in the elderly, include medications, (such as blood thinners, high blood pressure medicine, anti-depressants, anti-seizure medication and chemotherapy drugs); trauma to the scalp or trauma in general, including undergoing major surgery; genetic male pattern baldness; stress; poor nutrition and ongoing stress and hormonal upsets, which are all considered common reasons for hair loss, according to Emedicinehealth.com.

  A relatively common reason for hair loss, in addition to those already mentioned, is thyroid malfunction. Thyroid malfunction frequently occurs among menopausal women. The thyroid may be overly active (hyperthyroidism) or under-active (hypothyroidism), according to Power-surge.com.

Additional Factors

• Less common causes of hair loss include skin diseases, such as lupus; cancer; hormonal problems; infections; bad circulation and liver and/or kidney failure.

When to Contact Your Doctor

• If hair loss is accompanied by other symptoms, such as trouble breathing, weight loss, confusion, constipation, diarrhea, a poor appetite, fever, vomiting, skin problems and/or pain, you need to make an appointment with your physician.

Diagnosis

• Once you have been examined by a doctor, it may turn out that your hair loss is not age-related but a sign that you have a skin infection or irritation. It could also be a red flag that an underlying illness is present, which can be determined via blood tests or X-rays, if necessary

That Pesky Testosterone

• Another factor that affects hair is an increase in testosterone levels in women, which will cause their hair to thin and possibly fall out. When a woman stops ovulating, which happens at some point during peri-menopause, progesterone, another female hormone, is no longer produced. When this occurs, androstenedione, a precursor to adrenal cortical hormones, is produced more abundantly because this is the body's natural response to the drop in progesterone levels. Androstenedione has male hormonal (androgen) properties, which can cause hair loss. This problem will eventually correct itself among menopausal women, but it may take several months before your hair starts growing normally again and you may never have the full head of hair that you once possessed.