I often hear from people who are having trouble determining the cause of their hair loss. They often can't see where anything is wrong on the outside. I hear comments like: "my hair is shiny and healthy. My scalp seems fine. I don't have any genetic or family history of thinning or baldness. And yet I am shedding hair more and more all of the time. Could there be some wrong internally that is causing my shedding?"

Before I answer, I have to tell you that I'm not a doctor. I highly encourage you to see one. I can tell you some internal issues that can cause hair loss, but should you suspect any of these issues, please see your doctor.

Yeast Issues: I have had many people with shedding tell me that they discovered that they had yeast overgrowth and once they got control over the situation, their hair loss improved. Also, sometimes the yeast will also be present on the scalp which can cause further problems. That's why, anti dandruff shampoos can actually help to improve this situation for some.

Stress: Many specialists deny that stress can cause hair loss, but I have to admit that I have some doubt about this. I know too many people who can pinpoint nothing other than stress as the trigger for their hair fall. This is only my unscientific theory, but I've always wondered if the elevated cortisol associated with stress can aggravate or be a trigger for shedding. Regardless of my theories, it's relatively easy to try to cut down on your stress. It's noninvasive and it doesn't cost anything, so it's definitely worth a try.

Diet Or Supplements: Many times, if you drastically change your diet (like removing a lot of carbohydrates, turning vegetarian, or loading up on protein) you might bring on a form of hair loss known as telogen effluvium as the result. So, take a look at your lifestyle to see if you've made any changes to your diet that might be a culprit. I've also had people tell me that they believe dietary supplements or vitamins have caused hair loss for them, particularly women who take supplements which can affect or alter their hormones. Any change or addition to medications can cause shedding and many people don't realize that supplements can bring out similar changes, especially when you start or stop them.

Medical Issues That Can Often Be Detected With Blood Work: There are many health issues that can cause hair loss. Low iron, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid issues, endocrine disorders, and autoimmune driven illnesses can cause changes in your hair. Your doctor can order blood work to see if any of these issues are likely based on your results. If so, you can then go to a specialist for treatment. But very often, blood work is the first step.

I hear from a lot of people who are discouraged that their doctor can not find the cause of their hair loss. (This was very much the case with me.) I do understand this because you figure if you could determine the cause, you could then also determine the appropriate treatment and end this nightmare once and for all. However, it's important to keep this in perspective. If your blood work shows no medical issues, then you can then move on and start looking at other triggers.

I know that it can be very frustrating to know have a definitive answer as to what is causing your hair loss. But, try not to give you prematurely. You never know when the answers are right around the corner. I almost gave up several times when I was trying to determine the cause of my hair loss. Looking back now, I believe that I had more than one trigger, which made things especially difficult. But I eventually found answers, which would not have been possible if I had given up. If it helps, you can read the whole story on my blog at http://stop-hair-loss-in-women.com/