ALOPECIA – RISK FACTORS
Several risk factors that may cause alopecia include:
- Genetic factors : Alopecia tends to run in families.
- Stress : It is an important precipitating factor in hair loss. A long term chronic stress or a sudden stress (e.g. emotional trauma of a family death or involvement in an accident) may act as trigger for alopecia.
- Local injury like cuts, scrapes.
- Infections : Viral and bacterial.
- Autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Addison’s disease, leucoderma.
- Allergy : People suffering from 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 in 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.