Hair Loss

Summary

You lose up to 100 hairs from your scalp every day. That’s normal, and in most people, those hairs grow back. But many men — and some women — lose hair as they grow older. You can also lose your hair if you have certain diseases, such as thyroid problems, diabetes, or lupus. If you take certain medicines or have chemotherapy for cancer, you may also lose your hair. Other causes are stress, a low protein diet, a family history, or poor nutrition.

Treatment for hair loss depends on the cause. In some cases, treating the underlying cause will correct the problem. Other treatments include medicines and hair restoration.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Children

• Alopecia (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Hair Loss (Alopecia) American Academy of Pediatrics

Patient Handouts

• Alopecia areata Medical Encyclopedia
• Coping with cancer — hair loss Medical Encyclopedia
• Female pattern baldness Medical Encyclopedia
• Hair loss Medical Encyclopedia
• Hair transplant Medical Encyclopedia
• Male pattern baldness Medical Encyclopedia
• Trichotillomania Medical Encyclopedia

Images

• Alopecia Areata VisualDX
• Female Pattern Alopecia VisualDX
• Male Pattern Alopecia VisualDX

Genetics

• Alopecia areata: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Androgenetic alopecia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Find an Expert

• American Academy of Dermatology American Academy of Dermatology
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Related Issues

• Chemotherapy and Hair Loss: What to Expect during Treatment Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Do You Have Hair Loss or Hair Shedding? American Academy of Dermatology
• Hair Loss (Alopecia) and Cancer Treatment National Cancer Institute
• Stress and Hair Loss: Are They Related? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Alopecia National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Hypotrichosis National Institutes of Health

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• Close to Home: NIH Researcher and Alopecia Patient Seeks a Cure
• It Doesn’t Define You: Living with Alopecia Areata
• NFL Quarterback Joshua Dobbs: Alopecia Shouldn’t Stand in Your Way

Living With

• Experiencing Hair Loss? Your Hair Care Matters American Academy of Dermatology
• Living with Alopecia Areata National Alopecia Areata Foundation
• Missing Strands? Dealing with Hair Loss National Institutes of Health

Women

• Female Pattern Hair Loss American Osteopathic College of Dermatology
• Thinning Hair and Hair Loss: Could It Be Female Pattern Hair Loss? American Academy of Dermatology

Start Here

• Hair Loss American Academy of Family Physicians
• Hair Loss Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• What Causes Hair Loss? American Academy of Dermatology

Treatments and Therapies

• Hair Transplants American Society for Dermatologic Surgery
• Lavender National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
• Treatment for Hair Loss American Academy of Dermatology

Journal Articles

• Hair Loss

Statistics and Research

• Researchers Identify Cellular Pathway that Regulates Inflammatory Hair Loss National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Specifics

• Telogen Effluvium Hair Loss American Osteopathic College of Dermatology
• What Is Alopecia Areata? National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Teenagers

• Trichotillomania Nemours Foundation