Hair Shedding

A ton of hair on the shower floor, in your brush, or on your pillow is not a pretty sight. Medically known as SUDDEN, DIFFUSE  HAIR  LOSS or TELOGEN  EFFLUVIUM, it is the second most common form of hair loss. (Male-pattern baldness takes top place.) In this condition the hairs in the growing (anagen) phase prematurely go into the resting (telogen) phase. the result: more hairs than usual are cast off. And, as its name implies, the shedding occurs all over the scalp, rather than following a typical pattern of baldness.

Losing lots of hair at once can also be a sign that you have been under a great deal of psychological stress; have suffered some recent physical trauma, such as a car accident or major surgery; or have a skin disorder, such as psoriasis or eczema. The reason for this is unknown.

Unfortunately, as most of us are all too aware, sudden hair loss can be a reaction to chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer. Just as these treatments stop rapidly dividing cancer cells from multiplying, they also stop the rapidly growing hair cells. The result is that as much as 90% of hair can be lost, usually within the first month of treatment. Happily about six months to a year after cancer treatment ends, hair generally grows back





Sudden shedding can also be a delayed sign of a recent high fever or an indication that you are currently fighting a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection. But in these cases, you are likely to have other signs, such as itching, skin irritation, fever, or pain. It can also be an early warning sign of a hormonal disorder, especially thyroid disease or hypopituitarism; indeed, almost any hormonal imbalance can cause hair shedding.

If you have changed your eating habits or have been on a crash diet and you are losing your hair as well as weight, it may be a tip-off that you have a nutritional problem such as an iron, protein, or zinc deficiency. Hair loss may also be a telltale sign that you eat lots of raw eggs, eating too many raw egg whites, or food containing raw egg whites such as mayonaise, mousse, steak tartare, or caesar salad dressing, can lead to a rare condition called Biotin deficiency (egg-white injury syndrome). Other early warning signs may include dry skin, rashes, and fine, brittle hair. If untreated, neurological and intestinal problems can develop within weeks. So if you love to eat egg whites, be sure to thoroughly heat them first. You will be killing two birds with one stone: reducing your risk of egg-white injury syndrome and of salmonella food poisoning.

Nutritional deficiencies are not the only culprit. Hair loss can also be your body's way of telling you that you have had too much of a good thing. Indeed, an excess of certain medicine or even essential vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin A and selenium) can cause your hair to fall out.

Male-pattern baldness always leaves a horseshoe-shaped fringe of hair around the scalp, often called a MONK'S  CAP.