According to www.americanhairloss.org, hair loss affects 25 million in the United States.

More than 200,000 U.S. cases per year are diagnosed.

Alopecia can be temporary or permanent.  The most common form of hair loss occurs gradually and is referred to as “androgenetic alopecia,” meaning that a combination of hormones (androgens are male hormones) and heredity (genetics) is needed to develop the condition.

 

Ages Affected

Babies (0-2 years):  very rare

Toddlers (3-5 years):  rare

Children (6-13 years):  rare

Teenagers (14-18 years):  rare

Young adults (19-40 years):  common

Adults (41-60 years):  common

Seniors  (60+years):  common

 

Alopecia areata occurs when the immune system attacks hair follicles and may be brought on by severe stress —

  • When it develops, the body attacks its own hair follicles.

  • A person’s genetic make-up, combined with other factors, triggers this form of hair loss.

ANDROGENETIC ALOPECIA

Common causes/facts

 

Sudden hair loss that starts with one or more circular bald patches that may overlap

Stress, low protein diet, a family history, or poor nutrition are ways to lose hair with alopecia.

Loss can also occur due to cancer, lupus (an autoimmune disease), and genetics

Balding or thinning on the head an in some cases, the eyebrows

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