Loss of hair is something which both men and women fear equally. More so men, as baldness is something very common in the male gender and rare in females. Let's see the various causes for the same given below. In Women

• As a woman gets older, her hair can become thin if new hair stop growing on the scalp.
• During menopause too, many women suffer from hair loss.
• Taking an unhealthy diet, resulting in iron or vitamin deficiency, is another major reason.
• If a woman is taking certain drugs or is under some treatments, such as chemotherapy, then she can suffer from hair loss as one of the side effects for the same.
• Certain diseases and health conditions, such as thyroid problems, are also among the major causes.
• Pregnancy and childbirth, which cause lots of hormonal changes in the body of a woman, can also be a cause.

In Men

• Thinning hair or hair loss in men could be due to hereditary reasons.
• Researches have shown links between stress and male balding. Anxiety, stress, and depression can cause hair loss in men even when they are still in their twenties.
• Poor diet is another cause.
• Any severe illness or certain drugs to treat that illness can also be a cause.
• Alopecia, a medical condition in which hair is lost in patches from different parts of the body, usually the scalp, is another reason. Androgenetic alopecia, although, is found in both men and women, yet men are known to suffer from it more.

Prevention Thinning of hair can indeed be prevented, if proper care and precautions are taken. To prevent it, it is very important to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, which is especially rich in proteins. This is because a hair strand itself is made up of proteins. So, eating protein-rich food, such as meat, cheese, fish, etc., is mandatory to maintain the health of hair. Also, iron deficiency, which affects women a lot during pregnancy, is also one of the primary causes of hair loss in them. So, eating iron-rich foods, such as clams, chicken liver, pork liver, egg yolks, beans, lentils, etc., can be beneficial.. Massaging the head on a weekly basis with oils, increases the blood flow in the scalp, so it should be done regularly. For massaging the scalp, essential oils, such as olive oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil, and even coconut oil can be used. For men especially, staying away from stress and depression by doing yoga, regular exercises, or aromatherapy will help in preventing baldness to a great extent. Hair loss caused due to the intake of certain drugs or medication, can be prevented by consulting the doctor and if possible, asking him/her to change the medicine or treatment, which is causing loss. Besides this, refraining from using chemicals on the hair, by avoiding dyes, as well as avoiding various treatments offered by salons, such as straightening or perming, can prevent damage of the hair to a great extent too. There is nothing much you can do about hereditary baldness in men and women. However, hair loss due to other reasons is avoidable. As far as alopecia is concerned, there are various treatments, such as application of topical steroid creams, immunotherapy, and taking steroid injections. If it still continues, despite these precautions and treatments, then having a hair transplant is the only option left.