Factors at Play in the Hair Growth Cycle

So what happens when a person has trouble growing hair or suffers from hair loss? Your genes control how fast or how long your hair will grow. Some people have a “longer than usual” anagen growth period. These people may be able to grow more hair than the average person. However, others struggle to grow shoulder-length hair. These people have a “shorter than normal” anagen period.

Your health can also affect hair growth. Poor nutrition can cause some hair follicles to stop growing or cause the hairs that grow to become weak or thin. Problems with hair growth can result from thyroid problems or other conditions like anemia, diabetes and lupus. Health experts say people who experience a sudden increase in hair loss should seek medical advice.

Some hair loss can result from a combination of genetics, aging and hormones. When this happens, the hair growth cycle changes and the hair follicles get smaller. In addition, the hairs may get thinner and shorter. Soon the hairs stop growing completely on some parts of the head. People with this condition usually have family members who have experienced a similar type of hair loss. This kind of hair loss is known as pattern baldness. It is the most common kind of hair loss. The official medical term for the condition is androgenetic alopecia.

The Latin word alopecia means loss of hair or baldness. It is also the term used to describe the medical condition that results in the loss of hair. Alopecia areata is the second most common form of hair loss after pattern baldness. It is the most common form of autoimmune disease. In alopecia areata, the body’s defenses against disease attack the hair follicles, resulting in a loss of hair on the scalp and other parts of the body.

The condition usually begins with small round areas of hair loss on the scalp. When hair loss takes place over the whole surface of the scalp, it is called alopecia totalis. Sometimes a person may lose their eyebrows, eyelashes or hair on other parts of the body. This condition is called alopecia universalis. It is the rarest form of alopecia.