Causes of Sudden and Diffuse Hair Loss (Health Related Hair Loss)

There can be several reasons for hair loss in young women or for sudden hair loss in women who are below the menopausal age. This type of hair loss has nothing much to do about the genetic hair loss - andorgenetic alopecia (congenital) or alopecia areata (auto-immune) so it can also be termed as the health related hair loss. Some common medical conditions observed by the dermatologist as the causes for sudden, diffuse hair loss in women are the following: 

• Anemia
  
• Thyroid Dysfunction 
  
• Other Endocrine problems (especially those that produce excess androgens)
  
• Gynecological conditions - such as ovarian tumors
  
• Connective tissue disease (such as Lupus)
  
• Surgical procedures and general anesthesiarapid weight loss or crash diets that are not nuritionally balanced
  
• Severe emotional stress
  

Medication is another important and the most probable cause of sudden hair loss. It is also important to review the use of medications that can cause hair loss. The more common ones are:

•  Oral contraceptives
  
•  Thyroid medication
  
•  Blood pressure medication (such as beta-blockers or water pills)
  
•  Seasonal variations
  
•  Nutritional deficiencies (zinc, amino acid L-lysine, or vitamins B6 and B12, iron),
  
•  "Mood" medication (lithium, Prozac, or tri-cyclic antidepressants)
  
•  Blood thinners (heparin or coumadin)
  
•  Cholesterol lowering medications
  
•  Contact Dermatitis from hair dyes
  
•  Medication for gout, such as Zyloprim
  
•  Anti-Inflammatory drugs such as cortisone
  
•  Vitamin A or tryptophan in high doses
  
•  Street Drugs (such as cocaine or LSD)