What might be causing hair loss?

No matter your age, race or gender, hair loss can plague us all. So, how do you determine what’s going wrong? Queue our expert, Consultant Dermatologist and Hair Specialist, Dr Sharon Wong, to give us the lowdown.

First up is intermittent shedding, aka going through phases of seeing more hair in your drains. “Seasonal hair shedding is a perfect example,” says Dr Wong. “Some people’s hair follicles are sensitive to changes to the number of daylight hours, leading to shedding that will self-limit without any treatment.

“Intermittent shedding can also be due to stress, dietary changes, periods of time when sex hormones are in flux – such as when starting, changing or stopping hormonal contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), or after pregnancy – and following illnesses accompanied by a fever.”

There’s also the stuff that can be trickier to treat:

Genetic hair loss: Such as male or female pattern hair loss.

Telogen effluvium: Sounds like a Harry Potter spell, but actually means excess hair shedding.

Alopecia areata: This autoimmune hair loss condition may affect a single patch of skin, but it can also take over multiple areas across the body, scalp and face.

Traction alopecia: Hair loss due to excessive pulling from tight hairstyles (that slicked-back ponytail look ain’t worth it if you ask us). If you notice inflammation, spots or sores around the area of hair loss, Dr Wong advises making an appointment with your GP. They can arrange a blood test to find out what’s going on and give you a prescription if necessary.

Do hair growth serums work?

No hair growth treatment or serum will make you sprout Disney princess-style hair, especially not overnight. They can, however, have a positive impact on the condition of your scalp, encouraging healthier hair growth, as well as improving the look and feel of your existing strands.

Dr Wong explains that “many hair growth serums contain peptides/amino acids and conditioning agents such as hyaluronic acid. These have an aesthetic effect on the hair that’s already on your head, giving it more volume and plumping up its fibres to make them seem thicker and denser.”

Best hair growth serums

“/>