Several risk factors that may cause Alopecia include:
- Genetic factors: Alopecia tends to run in families.
- Stress is an important precipitating factor in hair loss. Long term chronic stress or sudden stressful situations (e.g. emotional trauma of a family death or involvement in an accident) may act as triggers for alopecia.
- Local injury
- Viral and bacterial infections
- Autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Addison’s disease, leucoderma
- Allergic problems (like asthma, dermatitis)
- Nutritional deficiency: Lack of zinc, iron, vitamin B complex in the diet.
- Chemotherapy and radiation therapy
- Hormonal changes as seen in pregnancy, menopause or thyroid disorders.
- Excessive shampooing and blow drying.
- Prolonged illness like typhoid, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis.
- Skin diseases like ringworm infection, lichen planus, syphilis.
- Medications like oral contraceptives, methotrexate, colchicine
- Trichotillomania: It is a type of compulsive behavior characterized by pulling and twisting of the hair until it breaks