Hair restoration offers an effective way for those suffering from illness-related loss of hair, with a range of hair treatment options on offer including transplants or non-surgical treatments. Speak to your hair surgeon to learn more about recommended courses of treatment to best suit your specific hair fall needs. Some of the most frequent illnesses that cause loss of hair could include the following:

  • Alopecia Areata: Alopecia areata is a highly unpredictable autoimmune skin disease that causes loss of hair on the scalp and areas of the body. This illness causes the body’s immune system to mistakenly attack hair follicles, retarding hair growth. It begins with small, round bald spots on the scalp, and develops into total loss of hair on the scalp and often on the body too. Alopecia areata occurs in males and females of all ages and races, and often starts in childhood. This is a long-term loss of hair disease, which often requires a transplant of hair.
  • Cancer: Cancer patients often lose hair due to the harsh medications and treatments they have to undergo. Chemotherapy and radiation have an extremely aggressive method of killing cancer cells, and as a result, patients lose all hair on their scalps. This hair will only grow back once treatment has been finished, and often hair growth can take a full year to fully recover. In some cases, patients have recorded changes in their hair pattern, with thinner hair or even lighter or dark regrowth hair reported. Generally, the best course of hair loss treatment for temporary loss is to wait and see how the new hair grows and to take it from there.
  • Other Illnesses: A number of other illnesses can cause temporary loss of hair, and in some cases, pattern baldness can be triggered, causing long-term hair loss. If you have suffered from any illness such as amenia, lupus, diabetes, scleroderma, secondary syphilis, polycystic ovarian disease, malaria or thyroid disorders to name but a few, you may experience loss of hair. Speak to your hair clinic if you have any concerns about losing hair as a result of illness.