Diseases and pathological conditions associated with hair loss

Anemia is a pathological condition in which the total mass of red blood cells is less than normal.

The main cause of anemia is iron deficiency.

Apart from the general effects that this condition has on health, appearance, and well-being, it is considered one of the important causes of hair loss.

It is typical that a large percentage of women who visit hair clinics are anemic to some extent.

For this reason, in cases of hair loss, examining for possible anemia is one of the first recommendations.

• Diabetes can affect the hair in several ways, leading to hair loss.

• Possible damage to blood vessels results in insufficient nourishment of the hair follicles due to lack of oxygen, which can affect the normal hair growth cycle.

  Additionally, diabetes seems to increase the risk of developing alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks hair follicles.

  Finally, the stress that often accompanies chronic diseases is considered a potential aggravating factor for hair loss.

Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can lead to hair loss.

Indeed, hair loss is a sign of an imbalance in thyroid hormones.

In most cases, the effect is reversible with medication to treat the disorder.

However, in rare cases, hair loss may occur after starting treatment.

In such cases, it is not easy to determine whether the hair loss is due to the prior condition or the medication.

In most cases, thyroid disorders have autoimmune causes.

This fact increases the risk of developing other autoimmune diseases related to hair, such as alopecia areata or lupus erythematosus.

This is a fungal infection that does not necessarily occur only on the scalp but can develop on any part of the body.

The fungus enters the hair fibers, making them brittle and creating areas of thinning that expand outward.

A red tint is observed around the affected areas, with the inside maintaining a more normal color.

The infection is spread through skin-to-skin contact and also develops in pets—especially cats, from which it can be transmitted.

Hair loss is one of the symptoms of the systemic form of the autoimmune disease lupus erythematosus.

In its discoid form, which affects the skin, it is the second most frequent cause of scarring alopecia.

In some cases, a high fever can lead to hair loss. During traumatic events for the body—of which high fever can be considered—it has been shown to lead to hormonal imbalance, which in turn affects hair follicles.

In such cases, hair growth may cease, resulting in hair loss within 2 to 3 weeks following the fever episode.

Cancer-related hair loss is primarily associated with cancer treatments.

Hair loss due to chemotherapy or radiation results from the cessation of growth in hairs that are in the anagen phase of the growth cycle.

In the case of chemotherapy, about 90% of the hair is affected.

In most cases, however, hair growth resumes afterward, as unlike cancer cells, normal cells recover.

In the case of radiation therapy, the loss is localized to the area of radiation.

The result is reversible for low-frequency radiation, although changes in hair quality may occur.

In some cases, however, hair growth may not resume.

While hair loss generally does not seem to be associated with an increased risk of cancer, men with androgenetic alopecia appear to have a 40% increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This is likely due to the association of the hormone DHT with both conditions.

However, the risk of developing non-aggressive prostate cancer does not seem to be increased in patients with androgenetic alopecia.

One of the symptoms of syphilis in the second stage is hair loss, which occurs in 4% of patients.

Lesions are primarily located in the parietal and occipital regions and consist of multiple, irregular patches of alopecia that do not have a scarring form and present a characteristic appearance.

Hair loss can either be a result of the disease if it affects the scalp, or a side effect of the treatment the patient undergoes.