Hair loss might be the most common hair problem among both men and women. Doctors say this might be caused by several things but all connected to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Studies show that men are more likely to lose their hair than women, mostly due to male pattern baldness. But hair thinning and hair loss are also common among women. The reasons could be simple and temporary such as vitamin deficiency or more complex like an underlying health condition.

There are different ways to treat both male and female hair loss depending on the cause. We spoke to dermatologist Dr. Sahar Turki about both common and uncommon reasons why people might be losing their hair.

Hair loss might be caused by physical stress. “Any type of physical stress be it from a surgery, illness or even a simple flu could cause temporary hair loss. This physical stress could trigger a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium,” Dr. Turki said. “On the positive side, hair will start growing back as the body recovers from the physical illness,” she added.

Studies show that hair has a programmed life cycle that starts with a growth phase, then the rest phase and finally the shedding phase. “Especially when you have a stressful event, it can shock the hair cycle and push more hair into the shedding phase and hair loss often becomes noticeable three-to-six months after the trauma,” she added.

On of the most important phases in a woman’s life where she loses plenty of hair is during pregnancy, according to Dr. Turki. “It is a type of a physical stress where a woman’s hormones changes a little. Pregnancy-related hair loss is seen more commonly after the baby has been delivered rather than actually during the pregnancy. Giving birth is pretty traumatic,” she said. “Give it a couple of months and try as much as you can to feed yourself healthy foods and adapt to a healthy lifestyle to make it easier for you to grow your hair back quickly,” she added.

Believe it or not, too much vitamin A intake could cause hair loss. “According to a study by the American Academy of Dermatology, overdoing vitamin A-containing supplements or medications can trigger hair loss,” said Dr. Turki. “The normal daily intake of vitamin A should be 5,000 International Units (IU) per day for adults and kids over age 4; supplements can contain 2,500 to 10,000 IU,” she added.

Lack of protein is another big reason why you might be shedding a lot of hair. A study by the American Academy of Dermatology shows that if you don’t consume enough protein in your diet, your body might share the body’s protein and shut down hair growth. This can happen about two to three months after a drop in protein intake, they say.

Other studies show that about two out of three men experience hair loss by age 60, and most of the time it’s due to male pattern baldness. “This kind of hair loss is caused by a combination of genes and male hormones, usually follows a classic pattern in which the hair recedes at the temples, leaving an M-shaped hairline on men’s forehead,” said Dr. Turki. “Doctors usually prescribe topical creams and oral medications that could pause hair loss or even better, cause some to grow back. Other options include transplant or graft surgeries,” she added.

Androgenetic alopecia comprises female-pattern hair loss; it is actually the female version of male pattern baldness. “If your family includes women who started losing hair early, then you might face the same problem. Unlike men, women don’t tend to have a disappearing hairline, instead they may have noticeable thinning of hair,” said Dr. Turki. “Women can protect their hair by taking supplements from an early age and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Women also have the option of using the same treatment as men,” she added.

Dr. Turki lists five things you are doing now that cause hair loss:

1) Not eating well during the day: Skipping meals might sound like a good idea to lose weight but it is actually not, because it harms other parts of your body including your hair and skin.

2) Being too emotional: Always try to relax and look at the brighter side. Stress is a great reason why you might be shedding hair and it is really important to remind yourself that your worries are not worth your health and beauty.

3) Over washing the hair: The more you wash your hair, the more you’re making it dry and thin. Try to limit yourself to two washes a week and only use a thick, moisturizing shampoo and a conditioner. Try to let your hair benefit from its natural oils and if you’re in a hurry, just invest in a good dry shampoo.

4) Excessive use of heaters: It is important to let your hair relax and air dry especially after washing them because when your hair is wet it is very thin and fragile and applying high dose of heat on the hair will make it weak. Tugging the hair at the salon is also a huge problem because you are actually pulling your hair away from your scalp while your hair is wet and weak.

5) Tight hairstyles: Pulling your hair away from your face might sound like a good idea, but this will cause your hair to thin and fall. High-buns are now the new thing and many women like to pull all their hair up and in the process stretch and break the hair.