Why do we lose our hair ?

[29 April 2009 - 09h16]
[mis à jour le 29 April 2009 à 18h00]

Is it normal to lose your hair, and if so, in what quantities?

There are of course people for whom baldness “runs in the family”. So if you’re worried about losing your hair, have a look at your relatives and weigh up your chances. Because in some families baldness is more or less inevitable and sooner or later you’re likely to join the ranks… Concern is greatest among men – and women – who suddenly notice a substantial hair loss. Is this an over-reaction? Or is there really a problem?

First of all, bear in mind that it’s natural to lose a certain amount of hair every day. It’s just part of our normal life cycle. In fact, we lose between 40 and 100 strands of hair every day, and as many as 200 after a vigorous hair wash. But that’s nothing at all to worry about.

However, there are also cases where hair loss is abnormal. Androgenic alopecia is one, named for its association with male hormones which can cause the hair bulb to atrophy. It runs in families and affects mainly men. Which doesn’t mean that women are always spared, although it tends to be less common and less pronounced among women.

And then there is a whole series of situations and illnesses that can lead to this type of problem: an infection or a severe, chronic disease, a long period of hospitalisation, certain thyroid problems, malnourishment, etc. Major stress factors can also cause spectacular hair loss. But in this case, the hair grows back again, just as it does in alopecia areata, which can strike overnight as a result of a disturbance in the capillary cycle!

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