the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women is genetic. in fact heredity accounts for 95% of all the cases of alopecia (baldness) in this country. the remaining 5% of the cases can be due to a number of things including diet stress illness and/or medications. factors that can cause hair loss include: medications vitamins or minerals. drugs used to treat high blood pressure heart problems depression or gout; chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer patients; and in some cases unusually high levels of vitamin a or low levels of iron or protein. for women birth control pills can cause hair loss. illness. including thyroid disease severe infection or flu; fungus infections such as ringworm of the scalp. for women childbirth may cause temporary hair loss as well due to the changes that take place in the body. in some cases adults or children may have a condition known as trichotillomania where there is a compulsion to pull out hair on the scalp; eyebrow hair or eyelashes.
what causes hair loss?