There are a number of risk factors that are clearly identifiable.

Prescription drugs can cause temporary hair shedding in a small percentage of people

These conditions include:

• Childbirth: While pregnant, your hair grows more fully and stronger and the usual daily hair loss of 50 to 100 hairs per day does not occur.  However, after the baby is delivered, your hair cycle will change.  Within 2 to 3 months, you may start noticing large amounts of hair coming out in the shower or in your hair brush.  This will improve gradually, as your hormones return to normal.

• High fever, severe infections, major surgeries, significant life altering events: About a month to two months after a life changing event or major illness, you may see continuous hair loss. However, this condition usually corrects itself, if it does not improve, you may need to see a doctor.
• Thyroid disease: Both an overactive and underactive thyroid can cause hair loss.  However, once your thyroid condition is controlled, this will improve.
• Inadequate protein in diet: vegetarians, abnormal nutrition or lack of protein, may cause protein malnutrition.  When this happens, your body actually adapts and saves the protein it does have by changing the hair growth cycle into a resting phase.  About 2 to 3 months later, you will have an extreme hair shedding that can occur two to three months later. Of course, this condition can be changed or overcome by eating the proper amount of protein.
• Medications: Prescription drugs can cause temporary hair shedding in a small percentage of people.  These medications can include blood thinners, some medications for acne, psoriasis, or for heart problems. In changing the medication, you can prevent the continued hair loss.
• Cancer treatment drugs: As most people are aware, the drugs used in chemotherapy will cause advance hair loss. With this procedure, the hair shafts become thin and break off as they exit the scalp. This can occur one to three weeks after beginning chemotherapy. The patient may lose all of his hair, but it will re-grow after treatment ends, although at a slower pace.
• Birth control pills: If this occurs, you can change birth control pills or try another method.
• Low iron: Iron deficiency sometimes produces hair loss. Low iron can be detected by laboratory tests and corrected with iron pills.
• Infections: Ringworm is a common fungal infection in children. Patches of hair may be lost and replaced with pink scaly skin.

With all of these conditions, you can change the method or problem by seeking an alternative treatment.  If you have hair loss with another symptom, such as skin problems, breathing problems, poor appetite or unexplained weight loss, vomiting, fever, or pain, you will want to see a physician.