The Causes of Alopecia

Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss or baldness. But, not all hair loss is considered alopecia, as there is a difference. There are many different forms of alopecia, each with their own separate cause, yet certain conditions and factors help determine whether or not you are actually suffering from alopecia or hair loss. If you have developed alopecia, there are a number of things that could have prompted this condition--most of which can be properly established by a medical professional.

Genetics

• One of the most common causes of alopecia, also known as androgenetic alopecia, is genetics or heredity, according to the Mayo Clinic. This type of hair loss is best described as either male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness. What happens is the hair becomes thinner and shorter each time it grows until the follicle can no longer support the shaft and it falls out.

Inflammation

• For some people, alopecia takes the form of cicatricial alopecia. With this type of hair loss, an inflammation sets in to the scalp which can damage the follicle to the point of scarring. Once a scar has formed on the follicle, it simply stops growth, prompting what would appear to be hair loss. Most of the time, cicatricial alopecia would be due to a skin condition that affects the scalp and causes it to become inflamed.

Immune System

• Sometimes, an autoimmune disorder or a reaction of a person's immune system can cause alopecia. This form of hair loss is often called alopecia areata. When someone experiences alopecia areata, something "triggers," according to the Mayo Clinic, a reaction within the immune system where a person's hair falls out. It may be a virus, a bacteria or an external stimulus of some sort that prompts this reaction from the body. Most of the time, this form of alopecia isn't permanent, and people will eventually grow back their hair.

Stress

• There is also the potential for a person to develop alopecia from stress. But, this isn't an emotional stress that causes the hair loss--it's actually a stress on the hair itself. When the hair is pulled taught or overly styled, a person can acquire a condition called traction alopecia. Much like cicatricial alopecia, the follicle may become damaged and scarred, which would lead to a loss of hair. For the most part, this will be a temporary hair loss, but it is completely possible to harm the follicle to the point of where it will no longer grow hair.

Toxins

• When a person develops a form of alopecia from certain toxins it is often referred to as toxic alopecia. This is commonly seen in people going through chemotherapy, but may also be due to some other chemical or process introduced into the body. With toxic alopecia, a person would only experience hair loss through the course of treatment, finding growth again after the chemicals or medications are removed from the system.