What Causes Thinning Hair and Shedding from Scalp and Body?'

Name: Stephen

Question: What is it that causes thinning of hair strands and diffuse hairloss from every part of body not just head… shedding numbers of hair are high…. if take section of hair and tug telogen effluvium style numbers wise shed..its quite significant everytime hair touched. 80 percent volume on head lost…..but all body hair affected same…what can do this?

Answer: Hi, Stephen. Telogen Effluvium is a disturbance in the hair growth cycle where a high percentage of your strong, growing (anagen) hair is prematurely pushed into its resting (telogen) phase, causing hair fall. It can affect any hair on your scalp or body, as can its chronic form, Diffuse Thinning.

This is a temporary hair loss condition and was most likely triggered three months prior to the shedding becoming noticeable. It is worthwhile looking back to see what may have triggered this blip in the hair cycle to ensure the underlying cause - usually stress-related - has been resolved.

Alopecia Areata can also cause hair loss all over the body and scalp. This is an autoimmune condition with very unpredictable nature. It has various iterations, from patchy hairloss on the scalp only in its mildest phenotype, to complete baldness of the head and/or body in its most severe forms, Alopecia Totalis and Alopecia Universalis.

Whilst hair loss from the scalp-only Alopecia Areata phenotype generally clears up of its own accord within 12 months, this does not apply to those forms which affect the body as well.

There are also some rare types of scarring hair loss - known collectively as Cicatricial Alopecia - that can leave permanent patches of baldness on the scalp and body.

There can be numerous reasons for all of these and it is important to discuss this thoroughly with your doctor. Some medical conditions, medications and severe dietary deficiencies can trigger such thinning hair and your doctor may wish to arrange a blood test for you to investigate further.

At Belgravia we do not treat hair loss on the body, so we advise you to speak with your doctor or dermatologist. With regards to shedding from the scalp, we may be able to offer hair loss treatment but this will be limited to the scalp hair only.

Additionally, we would first need to asses your medical history and the severity of the hair loss on your scalp to ascertain the best approach and whether pharmaceutical treatment is most suited to your overall situation. This is why a consultation with a hair loss specialist, dermatologist or doctor is vital.