Hair loss or excessive falling of hair can be caused by anxiety, shock, stress, certain drugs, radiotherapy, high fever and crash diets, but the most common causes are hormonal, particularly after pregnancy and during menopause. There are many types of alopecia, which literally means loss of hair. Alopecia totalis, when all the hair falls, is very rare. The more common alopecia areata is hair loss that appears in patches, with very short, bristly hair surrounding the bald patch. If it is triggered by stress, the patches can appear immediately or up to 6 weeks later. Mechanical alopecia is caused by external factors, such as prolonged, severe scratching or sleeping in rollers. New mothers suffer from post-natal alopecia. It usually occurs 2-3 months after the birth of the child and can be distressing to the new mum. Hair will grow back, however.

In the middle aged, hair may become less plentiful or begin to recede from the temples. This is a hereditary tendency. Androgenetic alopecia affects up to 90% of men by the time they are 50 years old, but less then 30% of women. Find ways to cope with stress to minimize its effects on hair.