Hair Symptoms

What are the signs of hair problems?

Hair symptoms include hair loss, baldness, changes in patterns of hair growth, dry hair, or fragile hair. Hair symptoms can result from a variety of conditions and can occur alone or as part of a disease or other condition. Although changes in your hair can occur normally, hair symptoms may occasionally indicate something more serious.

Hair loss is normal; everyone loses some hair every day. If your rate of hair loss outpaces the rate of hair growth, you may start to notice areas of thinning or baldness. In both men and women, thinning or baldness is often the result of genetic makeup, and is called hereditary hair loss. If hair loss is sudden, it could indicate an underlying illness, dietary insufficiency, or problem with a medication.

If you experience gradual changes in the amount or quality of your hair, you should consult a physician to learn about treatments that may help slow down or reverse these changes. If you notice sudden changes in the amount or quality of your hair, you should promptly see a physician so that the cause of these changes can be determined quickly.

In most cases, hair symptoms are a normal occurrence. Seek prompt medical care if you notice a sudden change in the amount or quality of your hair, as this may be a sign of a more serious condition. If your hair symptoms are persistent or cause you concern, seek prompt medical care.

Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have hair symptoms along with other serious symptoms, including difficulty breathing or sudden loss of large quantities of hair, as these could be signs of a life-threatening condition.