The hair growth cycle normally lasts for 2 to 6 years. Each strand grows approximately 1 centimeter per month during this phase. About 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is randomly growing. The remaining 10 percent of the hair on your scalp, at any one time, is in a resting phase. After 2 to 3 months, the resting hair falls out and new hair begins to develop in its place.

This resting phase makes it normal to shed some hair each day as part of the cycle. However, some people may experience excessive hair loss. Hair loss that is more than normal can affect everybody, and it is good to know what causes this.

There are a number of things that can cause excessive hair loss. For example, about 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, a patient may abruptly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is associated to the stress of the illness and is temporary. Another example is when women just had a baby. This loss, that may occur 3 months after giving birth to most women, is also related to hormones. During pregnancy stage, high levels of certain hormones make the hair more attached to the body which minimizes hair loss. After birth, the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels making that hair fall out. Then the normal cycle of growth and loss starts again.

Hormonal problems may cause hair loss too. For example, if your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, your hair may fall out. This hair loss usually can be helped by treating the thyroid disease. Hair loss may also happen if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are having an imbalance state. Correcting this hormonal imbalance may stop the unwanted hair loss.

Some medicines can also cause hair loss. But the moment you stop taking the medicine, hair loss stops too. The medicines that we are talking about include blood thinners (anticoagulants), medicines used for gout, medicines used in chemotherapy to treat cancer, vitamin A (if too much is taken), antidepressants and birth control pills.

Certain infections can also cause hair loss such as fungal infections of the scalp. The infection is easily treated with antifungal medicines. Improper hair care may cause hair loss as well. Wearing pigtails, cornrows, or tight hair rollers put much stress on your hair that can cause hair loss. Minimize using these regularly to avoid scarring of the scalp. Scarring can cause permanent hair loss.

Finally, hair loss could be part of an underlying disease you are suffering, such as lupus or diabetes. Since hair loss may be an early sign of these diseases, your urgency is to find the cause so that it can be treated. Examples of hair treatment that can scar your scalp in the process are hot oil treatments and chemicals used in permanents (commonly known as perms).

You may address your hair loss depending on the of type you are experiencing. If a medicine is causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternative. Spotting and treating an infection may help prevent hair loss. Correcting a hormone imbalance may stop further hair loss.

Medicines may also help slow or stop the occurence of common baldness. One unisexual medicine, minoxidil (with brand name: Rogaine), is available over the drugstore counter. Just apply it simply to the scalp. Another medicine (however, for men only), finasteride (brand name: Propecia) is available with a prescription and comes in pills. Effectivity of these medicines may take up to 6 months.

If the type of your hair loss has no adequate treatment available for your type, you may consider trying different hairstyles or wigs, hairpieces, hair weaves or artificial hair replacement.