If you want to deal with hair loss, the first thing to do is to find the root cause as several factors can affect hair fall. People do resort to home remedies when the hair fall is seemingly lesser in bulk or quantity. Though home remedies may reduce hair fall to some extent, they may not completely arrest it. Only a certified dermatologist can get to the root cause of your hair fall and suggest an effective treatment plan accordingly.

Dr. Nandini Dadu, a Delhi-based hair plant surgeon, explains reasons behind excessive hair fall in women.

1. Nutritional Deficiencies - Lack of nutrition in food is the major cause of hair loss among women. It can also negatively affect your hair's strength, structure, and growth. Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and Iron are the main nutrients that facilitate hair growth. A consistent lack of these three in your daily food intake can result in hair loss.

2. Telogen Effluvium - It is considered the second most common form of hair loss characterised by hair thinning or an increase in hair shedding. It is usually triggered by a disturbance to the hair cycle, which is majorly caused due to diseases like Typhoid, Malaria Dengue, or COVID. You may start facing hair fall three months after suffering from these diseases. It first appears as a thinning of hair on the scalp which may either be limited to one area or appear all over the scalp. In some severe cases, Telogen Effluvium can cause hair loss in other areas too like your eyebrows and pubic region. 

3. Hormonal Cause - Among women, the one major hormonal cause of hair loss is PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease). Though there are several symptoms of PCOD like irregular periods, mood swings, acne, and sudden weight gain, hair fall is also one among them. Women suffering from PCOD not only face hair fall but reduced hair density and decreased rate of hair growth as well. It may further result in female pattern baldness and may cause at least 20-25% of total scalp hair loss.

4. Hair Treatments - You may love to go over a Keratin hair treatment for sleeker, shinier and more manageable hair but it may result in hair loss afterwards. Other treatments like Hair spas and colouring can also have the same consequences; all three lead to weak hair roots.

5. Autoimmune Disease - Different types of autoimmune diseases cause hair loss. The most common among them is ‘Alopecia Areata’. It is a condition in which your autoimmune system attacks the hair follicles as foreign bodies and causes the hair attached to it to fall out. The hair loss occurs in small, round patches about the size of a quarter, although some people may lose bigger patches of hair. In case you notice any such patchy baldness, you must consult a dermatologist immediately as it can be cured.

6. Intake of Different Medicines - Hair loss is a common side effect of many medications which include antidepressants, birth control pills, chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, and many more. These medications damage the hair follicles themselves thus disrupting growth at different stages. Most of the time, these medications only cause temporary hair loss that goes away once you have adjusted to or stopped taking the medicine.

7. Cicatricial Alopecia - Also known as Scarring Alopecia, Cicatricial Alopecia is a rare kind of disorder that destroys hair follicles. People suffering from this disorder may notice a scar on their scalp where there is no hair. It is because, in this area, no hair follicle is present. If you see any such patch on your scalp, visit a dermatologist as soon as possible and start the treatment.

The reasons might sound overwhelming, but with the right guidance, proper medication, and good care, you can successfully deal with your hair loss problem.  

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