Pattern hair loss and thinning (also known as androgenetic alopecia) is the most common cause of hair loss, affecting both men and women. It is a genetic condition that causes hair follicles to gradually become smaller, resulting in thinning and loss starting in your 0s and continuing on as you age. This condition affects both men and women differently, appearing as a receding hairline and bald spots in men and overall thinning or a wider part on the crown in women.

Our hormones go through various stages of changes and imbalances throughout our lives and can affect everything from appetite to our hair. You may experience hair loss if you have a thyroid imbalance ( typically seen in men) which directly affects your hair’s growth cycle. If your thyroid isn’t working properly, it’ll be harder for you to grow new hair to replace the hair that you naturally lose. Menopause in women can also trigger hair thinning/loss through imbalances in the body. During this time, estrogen and progesterone levels decline, hair growth slows and hair loss becomes more pronounced.

Everyday stresses can take a toll on your hair. Also known as telogen effluvium, this stress-induced loss usually causes sudden thinning of your hair across your entire scalp, resulting in more hairs on your pillow or down your drain. This type of hair loss forces your hair into the telogen phase of growth, making your hair fall out gradually without growing new hair to replace it. Unlike some forms of hair loss, it usually isn’t permanent, growing back within six to nine months if you address your stress, eat a well-rounded diet and choose the right hair treatments.

Hair loss can happen if you aren’t eating the right things to support your strands internally. If your diet doesn’t have enough protein or essential vitamins and minerals it can affect how your hair looks and feels. Make sure you eat foods that are high in proteins, zinc, iron and fatty acids like eggs, meats, nuts and lots of leafy greens. It is recommended to eat at least five ounces (approximately 150 grams) of protein a day, since hair is made of 80% to 95% protein.

When estrogen levels rise during pregnancy most women find they develop a thick, healthy head of hair. Most hairs will go into their resting phase during pregnancy, and unfortunately once the hormones normalize after delivery much of that new hair is shed. This hair loss is usually temporary and soon after giving birth new hair grows back in its place. Please note, we do not recommend that women take Minoxidil during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

How we treat our hair when we’re younger can affect how our hair treats us as we age. Excessive use of aerosol sprays, hair dyes, hot tools or chemical treatments may result in damaged hair in the long term. Even styling your hair too tight can eventually lead to serious damage, especially if the follicle becomes scarred. This type of hair loss is referred to as traction alopecia and is caused by external pressure on the scalp, usually from very tight hairstyles, repeated use of heat or extensions.

There are many small changes we can make in our everyday routine to benefit the health of our hair, from quitting smoking to prioritizing better sleep habits. Even changing the way we think about hair hygiene affects the growth of your hair. Most shampoos contain harsh chemicals like sulfates which do clean your hair, but they also strip away sebum on the scalp– an important oil necessary for strong and healthy hair. Choosing quality shampoos and only washing your hair when it’s oily can help prolong the life of your hair.

Hair loss and drug-induced alopecia can be a common side effect of many medications, usually by triggering nutritional deficiencies or hormonal imbalances. Certain drugs used to treat acne, arthritis, depression and high blood pressure have been linked to hair loss with the most obvious medical reason, of course, being chemotherapy. In most cases, hair returns to its normal growth state once you’ve stopped taking a medication that causes the initial loss.