What Are the Different Types of Hair Loss?

Hair loss is quite common and is often the result of genetic and lifestyle factors, however other causes of hair loss may be caused by illnesses or stress. There are various types of hair loss.

• The most common type of hair loss is Male-Pattern Baldness (Androgenic Alopecia). This is a genetic disorder affecting  50% of all men by the age of 50. Male pattern baldness is when the hairline starts to recede and the hair growth starts to thin at the crown and temples. Causing significant hair loss in up to 6.5 million men in the UK, male-pattern baldness can start in the teenage years and is usually apparent by the age of 40 in a large proportion of men. Hair loss and male-pattern baldness can cause emotional distress and even depression, especially when the onset of the condition starts at a younger age.
• Another common type of hair loss is known as Alopecia (Alopecia Areata). Alopecia is a disease that occurs when the immune system suddenly attacks the hair follicles resulting in hair fallout. This can happen on any part of the body, however, it mostly affects the head and face causing hair fallout in small patches. Alopecia cannot be cured and can occur at any stage of your life, even affecting healthy people with no other health conditions. However, there are various medical treatments available to tackle this disease and stimulate hair re-growth such as Propecia (Finasteride).

The less common but widely-known types of hair loss are:

• Telogen Effluvium & Anagen Effluvium. These two conditions may be confused as being the same but both occur differently and during separate cycles of hair growth. Telogen Effluvium is when the normal hair cycle is disturbed through changes in your body such as a traumatic event, excessive dieting for weight loss, or a side effect from new medications, causing sudden hair loss. Telogen Effluvium is not hereditary, affecting any person at any period of their lifetime. Anagen Effluvium occurs in the growing phase of the hair cycle, hence the name, and is caused due to autoimmune conditions, and cancer treatment (chemotherapy and radiation therapy).
• Traction Alopecia results from the constant hair-pulling of the roots. This type of hair loss occurs mainly in women who have their hair tight and is mainly common in the Afro-Caribbean background. Another cause is a hair-pulling disorder called Trich. This is when a person has the sudden urge to pull on their hair constantly and is most common in young adults and children. Traction alopecia can be a form of temporary hair loss and is preventable given the correct education and guidelines.