HAIR LOSS TREATMENT

Hair has been called a person's "crown and glory," so when a person starts to lose their hair, it can be stressful, distressing and confusing. The causes of hair loss run the gamut, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, from age and poor diet, to significant weight loss, chronic iron deficiency, thyroid disorders, childbirth, and more. In the United States, the most common type of hair loss, androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male or female pattern hair loss, is hereditary and affects more than 50 million men and 30 million women, according to the National Institutes of Health. Given that hair loss is so common, the marketplace can seem crowded with products promising to help. The first step to treating hair loss, though, is to work with a health care provider to identify the cause, according to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News chief medical correspondent and a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist.