There are many causes of hair loss; some are triggered by stress or medication. There is also a compulsive disorder called trichotillomania that is classed as one of the common causes of hair loss although it is hard to determine how prevalent the condition actually is.

Trichotillomania is the name given to compulsive hair pulling, which is often triggered by stress or depression. It is particularly common in teenagers, and can result in bald patches on the scalp, or missing eyebrow, eyelash or body hair.

Trichotillomania results in low self esteem and often sufferers find it difficult to seek help to treat such causes of hair loss. The condition is often linked with anxiety, and sufferers are often inclined to discontinue hair pulling when taken away from a stressful environment.

For more severe cases, there are treatments available to restore the hair, which should only be taken under the advice of a professional consultant.

Women’s hair loss is as common as balding suffered by men, especially if it is reaction to illness, stress or medication. It is very rarely however seen in the same form as male pattern baldness, as women tend to lose hair evenly rather than receding at the front and suffering severe thinning at the crown.

One of the causes associated with women’s hair loss in particular is a change in hormone levels, and as such more females experience thinning during pregnancy or after the menopause.

The change in hormonal levels causes the hair follicles to enter a resting stage. The loss of hair is delayed by around three months, which is the typical amount of time it takes for follicles to go from resting to shedding stage.

Once the hairs have been shed, many women find that normal hair growth is resumed after around three months as long as hormonal levels even out. It is possible to treat some women’s hair loss by altering the diet to restore desirable nutrient levels in the body, or by taking a vitamin supplement.