So what can cause excessive hair loss? The answer could be a number of things. For example, after a major surgery or sickness, you may find yourself losing a lot of hair. The loss of hair is related to the stress of the sickness or surgery and is most likely only temporary. Another possible factor in excessive hair loss, is hormonal problems. An overactive or underactive thyroid gland could result in hair loss, as well as androgens or estrogens that are out of balance. Correcting the imbalance of hormones should help to stop the hair loss. Also, some types of medicines are known to cause hair loss. Some of these medications include blood thinners, chemotherapy, birth control, antidepressants and even vitamain A (if too much is taken). Types of infections may result in hair loss as well, such as a fungal infection. Lastly, hair loss may be an early sign of a disease. Some diseases linked to hair loss are lupus and diabetes. So if you suddenly find yourself losing unusual amounts of hair, it is very important that you consult with a doctor to find the source of the problem.

Now that you know some of the causes of excessive hair loss, what can be done to treat it? Fortunately there a few options available for you. If you can determine that a medicine is causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able prescribe a different medicine. If you recognize and treat an infection, this may help end the hair loss. As mentioned earlier, hormonal imbalances could be causing hair loss, so if you’re able to correct the imbalance, this may prevent further losing of the hair. Finally, there are a few forms of medication available, designed to help slow, prevent baldness, and even help regrow the lost hair in some cases. One of the most common is minoxidil. This is available without a prescription and it used by applying it to your scalp. Another known medication is finasteride, this is available with prescription and is taken in pill. If you’re unable to find treatment through medication, you may consider trying different hair styles to cover up the bald spot, or find an artificial hair replacement (ie: a wig or a toupee).