About 90% of the hair on a person's head will be growing at any one time. The rest of their hair will stay in a resting state for two to three months before falling out and then start the growing process from the start. People will shed their hair at a rate of about 50 to 150 hairs a day with a new hair growing from the same follicle at a rate of about a half inch each month. People are considered having hair loss when the rate of loss exceeds the rate of re-growth.

There are many causes of hair loss including hereditary, medications and an underlying medical condition. Many times the hair loss is temporary and it will grow back. Some conditions, such as Androgenetic alopecia, which is hereditary, affects men more than women, although women also suffer from this due to its hereditary nature. Some researchers believe people are targeted by nature to suffer Androgenetic alopecia and a trigger event begins the process. It is possible for the hair to fall out and then grow back, several times.

Androgenetic alopecia is considered an autoimmune disease, triggered by a virus or some environmental occurrence setting it in motion. People with a family history of hair loss will most likely experience it. How they handle it will be up the individual as some accept it and lets it run its course, while others turn to medications and even surgery hoping to reverse the course of the condition. Others may use dyes and the technique called the comb-over to hide the hairless spots on their scalp.

External Forces At Heart Of Some Hair Loss

There are some conditions that can attribute to hair loss such as diabetes, lupus and thyroid problems as well as poor nutrition. Lack of iron, protein and fad and rapid diets can also affect your nutrition, sparking hair loss in many people. A recent high fever may attribute to losing hair as will a severe flu or surgery. Some medications can put your re-growth on hold while shedding still occurs. Over time, the balance will return and your hair will grow back.

Certain drugs used to treat common ailments are also known to cause hair loss. Drugs for gout, arthritis and high blood pressure may have the unappreciated side effect of causing hair loss and some women will lose hair while taking birth control pills. Undergoing chemotherapy will usually cause hair loss, but once treatment ends and the chemicals work out of the body, the hair typically grows back.