Have you ever heard of alopecia?  Although you may not be familiar with this medical term, you are certainly familiar with the laymen's term:  hair loss.  

Although the term alopecia is used to refer to all forms of hair loss, whether on the head or other parts of the body, most people associate the condition with baldness of the head.  Regardless of which part of the body is affected by alpecia, however, the term is used when the hair loss is undesirable and involuntary.  

Unfortunately, there are many conditions that can cause alopecia to occur.  While some of these causes are preventable, many of them are not.  Some potential causes of alopecia include:

• Alopecia Areata - form of alopecia characterized by "spotty" baldness, which may occur on the scalp as well as other parts of the body
• Androgentic Alopecia - more commonly referred to as "male pattern baldness," though it can affect both men and women
• Chemical Breakage - generally caused by over processing the hair with chemicals such as chemical relaxers
• Drug Use - whether prescription or non-prescription, certain drugs and medicines can lead to temporary or permanent hair loss
• Fungal Infections - tinea capitis, also referred to as "black dot" tinea
• Heat Damage - usually caused by overuse of hot combs
• Hereditary Disorders - disorders may affect the genodermatoses or the hair shaft, leading to hair loss
• Hypothyroidism - condition that occurs when the thyroid produces insufficient amounts of hormones, which can lead to brittle hair
• Telogen Effluvium - "shedding" of the hair that results from psychological or physical stress
• Traction Alopecia - results from frequent traction taking place on the hair shaft
• Trichotillomania - a psychological condition that causes a person to pull out his or her own hair, which can ultimately lead to permanent hair loss

There are many other potential causes of hair loss, some of which can be an indicator of a serious medical condition.  

Therefore, if you experience unusual or sudden hair loss, it is a good idea to discuss the issue with your doctor to determine if it's aplopecia or not. This way, you can be certain the hair loss is not due to a medical problem that needs to be addressed.  

If you have a clean bill of health and your hair loss is caused by genetics or other non-medical factors, on the other hand, you may want to look into getting hair transplants so you can enjoy a full head of hair once more.

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