What Diseases Can Cause Hair Loss

What Diseases Can Cause Hair Loss?There are various reasons behind the embarrassing and upsetting condition of hair loss. Hair loss can be a side effect of medication such as the birth control pill, it can be a result of stress or poor nutrition, it can be caused by crash dieting, physical or emotional trauma or one of many other reasons. Diseases are a common cause of hair loss. So, what diseases can cause hair loss?

Hormonal Conditions

Hormonal conditions, such as thyroid disease, can cause people to lose hair. This can be the result of an underactive or overactive thyroid. This disease is common amongst women experiencing the menopause. When progesterone levels fall because ovulation is not occurring, the body produces more androstenedione, which is a steroid. This causes some male-like symptoms, including male pattern hair loss.

Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which causes the patient's immune system to produce antibodies that attack body tissues. Symptoms of lupus include joint pain, fatigue and anemia. People with discoid lupus might experience bald spots or total hair loss. Also, steroids taken to fight the lupus might cause male pattern hair loss, which is from the crown of the head and temples. Not all lupus sufferers suffer from hair loss but it can be a cause.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by excessive body weight, decreased fertility, abnormal menstruation and excess body hair. PCOS is caused by a hormonal imbalance, including excess amounts of testosterone, and cysts appear on the ovaries. The excessive levels of male hormones in a PCOS patient are thought to be responsible for hair thinning and hair loss. Many polycystic ovary syndrome sufferers also have thyroid problems which contribute to hair loss too. It is not uncommon to have various factors involved in hair loss at the same time.

Alopecia Areata

This is an auto immune skin disease which causes hair loss, meaning the hair follicles are damaged by the person's immune system. This skin disease is more common than you might think. In fact, it affects more than five million people in the United States. Alopecia areata often begins as small round bald patches on the scalp which grow in size. This disease can result in partial or total baldness and can affect men, women and children. Sometimes the hair grows back and stays and sometimes it comes out again after a period of time.

How to Treat Hair Loss Caused by Disease

If you are suffering from hair loss and want to know what diseases can cause hair loss, the answer is there are several. Some diseases not responsible for the hair loss can cause stress in the patient and stress is a hair loss cause.

Any unusual hair loss should be checked out by a doctor. Sometimes hair loss thought to be caused by a disease is actually caused by stress worrying about the disease, the medication prescribed for the disease or something else altogether, which is why it is always best to seek a professional medical opinion.

Some diseases have various treatments, some of which can cause hair loss and some of which are equally successful at fighting the disease but do not cause hair loss. Depending on the disease in question, your hair might grow back after the disease has been cured or you might need to use other hair growth remedies.

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