Each hair strand survives for an average of 4.5 years, after which the hair falls out and is replaced in 6 months by a new strand of hair. Each month, it grows about half an inch. “Hair loss” or baldness is the case when the body fails to produce new hairs – and not literally due to hair loss.
Hair loss is attributable to several factors such as aging, heredity and testosterone. Normally, men and women lose hair thickness as they age. Genetic baldness affects more men than women. Men, however, who do not produce testosterone do not develop baldness patterns. Meanwhile, women develop a hair loss due to genetics, age and pregnancy. Sometimes, sudden physical or emotional stress could lead one to lose half of the hair throughout the scalp. The hair shedding will reside only after 6 to 8 months. This stress could be caused by severe infections, childbirth, major illnesses, severe emotional stress, medications and crash dieting.
There are some women between the age of 30 and 60 years that may notice that their hair is thinning out. Many have reported that this hair loss starts out heavy, with lots of strands stuck in combs or falling out in showers but will gradually minimize as they get older. There is still no known cause for this type of hair loss. Hair loss which results from menopause or childbirth usually returns to normal within 6 months to 2 years.
