Diseases that can cause
hair loss, thinning, or breakage include:
Lupus, in which hair tends to become
brittle and may fall out in patches. Short, broken hairs ("lupus hairs")
commonly appear above the forehead. Hair loss is usually not permanent. Some
people with lupus also develop a form of lupus called discoid or cutaneous
lupus that affects only the skin ("cutaneous" refers to skin). Scars that
sometimes develop on the scalp may cause hair loss.
problems, which are a common cause of scattered hair loss. Both an overactive
thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can cause hair loss. Hair loss
associated with thyroid disease can be reversed with proper
How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.