Causes of a Sudden Loss of a Large Mass of Hair

Hair loss is part of a natural cycle your body goes through to replace hair on your scalp. Not all hair follicles grow at the same time, but have cycles of growth and resting periods during which the hair will fall out. After the resting period, the follicle will produce new hair. Daily hair loss is perfectly natural, but sudden excessive hair loss needs to be investigated. When detecting any sudden hair loss, see a doctor immediately. If underlying reasons are caught and treated in time, your hair loss can be controlled by lifestyle changes or medication.

Medication

• A large number of medications such as chemotherapy, blood thinners and birth control pills can cause sudden hair loss. These medications can interrupt your hair's growing process. This sudden shedding of hair is temporary and reversible if you stop with the medication.

Immune Disorders

• Alopecia Areata, an immune disorder, can cause sudden hair loss. There is no scientific explanation for the disorder, but in most cases hair will grow back on its own. Alocepia Areata is sometimes treated with cortisone injections to stimulate hair follicles to cause regrowth. Injections are repeated monthly, and results are not guaranteed.

Thyroid Disease

• Overactive or under-active thyroid glands can cause sudden hair loss. Thyroid disease throws the body's metabolism rate out of balance, causing major system functions to become sluggish. If your hair growth cycle is affected, hair loss can occur. Simple blood tests will detect this disorder and medication will be prescribed to treat the symptoms.

Hormonal Hair Loss

• Pregnant women may experience hair loss after delivery because of the loss of hormones. As soon as hormonal levels rise back to normal, hair will stop falling out.

  An excess of androgens in your system can also cause hair loss. Some people genetically have a high amount of androgens in their bodies, which lead to baldness. Other conditions, such as tumors on the adrenal glands and the ovaries can also cause excess androgen production, leading to sudden hair loss.

Mechanical Hair Loss

• Sudden hair loss can occur when you are wearing your hair in buns, ponytails or braids that are too tight. The roots become weakened, leading to permanent damage of the hair system. Wearing your hair too tight may also cause hair to grow in a different direction from its natural growth structure.

Stress

• Severe mental stress can cause sudden hair loss. Stress causes an interruption in your natural hair growth cycle. Trauma, major surgery, severe chronic illness and severe stress can cause large numbers of hair follicles to go into a state of rest simultaneously, resulting in sudden hair loss. This phase can last six to 12 weeks and affects women more often than men.

Malnutrition

• When your body does not receive enough nutrients to function normally, sudden hair loss can occur. Malnutrition can result from extreme dieting or problems with your body's digestive processes. B vitamins and zinc are very important for your hair health. A few lifestyle changes will restore your hair.