Other Causes of Temporary Hair Loss

A severe lack of iron, including severe anemia caused by heavy menstruation and/or inadequate iron intake after pregnancy, can also lead to diffuse hair loss. In most cases, that type of hair loss can be corrected with some form of treatment, most likely an iron supplementation.

It is quite common for women to experience hair loss during or after pregnancy. This is caused by hormonal changes after a pregnancy that may cause an unusual amount of hair follicles to shift into their catagen or “shedding” phase. Due to an increased level of placental estrogen following a pregnancy, there is a pause in the catagen phase and an increase of hairs in the anagen (growth) phase. In the following months after a pregnancy, there is a subsequent drop of the higher estrogen levels, allowing more hairs to return to the catagen phase. Hair loss associated with pregnancy is temporary, and the hair will return after the cause has been balanced out.

Extreme levels of physical or emotional stress can occasionally be the cause of temporary hair loss. A serious illness or high fever can also be a cause of temporary hair loss. A wide range of emotional and physical stresses have been directly linked to the cause of an increased level of hair loss.