Every hair growth cycle involves some amount of hair loss daily. 90% of our hair is in a growth phase; 10% in a resting phase which is lost every 2 or 3 months. When the hair care is in excess of the usual limits, people get concerned. Reasons for this are many including: Hair loss can be due to several factors including: There are more than one reason for hair loss. It affects men and women and the hair loss is very rapid. The cause is usually some immunity disorder where the white cells attack the hair follicles. Alopecia Totalis occurs when all of the scalp hair is lost. When all the body hair is lost it is called Alopecia Universalis, a rare condition.

Hereditary factors: This can affect 25% of men by the time they are 30 years of age. It is primarily genetic but is also due to the male hormone testosterone. This hormone either retards or stops growth and produces weak and unhealthy hair. Male pattern baldness is absent with men devoid of testosterone.

Skin diseases: hair loss and affectation of the scalp can also happen due to this. The particular skin conditions which cause hair loss include: dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, scalp fungus such as ringworm and tinea captis.

Sudden illness or fever: hair can come off in large tufts after an illness or fever. This is a temporary event though and soon passes off.

The other common factors which can also result in hair loss include childbirth, menopause, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and getting old. Apart from these reasons, there are several others too.

With the right hair loss treatment, you can stop hair loss as well as promote re-growth. Some ways you could treat hair loss naturally are:

1. Vitamins A, B, C and E are hair promoters. Include them in the diet. There are several ways these vitamins work to promote hair growth: they provide sebum and promote blood circulation to the scalp by increasing oxygen absorption and collagen.

2. Taking care of your scalp: Learn to massage your scalp regularly with herbal oils like olive oil, jojoba oil, amla oil. Some of the essential oils which are effective in conditions of alopecia areata include that of thyme, rosemary, lavender and cedar wood.

3. Avoid scalp abuse - Avoid daily use of chemical shampoos and blow drying. Hair and scalp get damaged by chemical treatments such as coloring and straightening. Even daily hair wash with hot water can damage the hair and scalp as hair then turns brittle and the natural oils dry up.

4. Switch to herbal therapy: Powders of amla, shikakai, henna and ritha as shampoo and conditioner could provide you with a natural and herbal option to treat hair loss. It is also excellent in preventing graying and hair loss. If you want a thorough hair cleanser which does not rob hair of its natural oil, choose Shikakai, also know as the Fruit for hair. You could then use henna which acts like a natural conditioner.

5. Lifestyle changes: This involves doing some stress management by doing exercises and meditation, as stress causes hair loss. Give up Smoking: Smoking causes constriction of the blood vessel which supply blood to the scalp. Avoid over exposure to the sun as the UV rays could damage your scalp.