Hair Loss

Most healthy people lose up to 100 strands of hair per day. As part of your hair’s growth cycle, new strands grow and take the place of the ones you shed.

When you start to shed more strands — and fewer or none grow back — the condition is considered alopecia (hair loss). There are several types of hair loss, and it can affect adults of any gender and even children. You may lose hair just on your head or from your body as well.

What are the types of hair loss?

Some types of hair loss are permanent, while others are temporary. The most common types of hair loss include:

• Androgenic alopecia: This type of hereditary baldness can affect anyone (male pattern baldness or hair loss in women).
• Alopecia areata: Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that results in hair loss from the head and body.
• Telogen effluvium: This type of hair loss involves rapid shedding of hair in a short amount of time. It typically happens a few months after your body goes through something physically or emotionally stressful. It can also result from sudden hormonal changes.
• Anagen effluvium: This very rapid hair loss occurs due to certain medical treatments, such as chemotherapy.

How common is hair loss?

Baldness (androgenic alopecia) is the most common type of hair loss. It affects an estimated 80 million individuals in the U.S.

Hair loss is one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy. Alopecia areata affects up to 6.8 million people in the U.S.