What causes hair breakage?

  Hair breakage is one of the psychosomatic disorders that may be caused by psychological factors such as stress and anxiety or family factors. It is characterized by impulsive hair plucking resulting in hair loss, which is not a reaction to delusions or hallucinations. There is usually an increase in tension before plucking and a sense of relief or satisfaction afterwards. Classified under the Habit and Impulse Control Disorder section.  Typical episodes of trichotillomania are characterized by recurrent or impulsive hair removal over a long period of time. The patient consciously or unconsciously removes hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, and axillary hair, resulting in non-scarring hair loss.  Stress appears to be an important cause of alopecia areata. Some patients do not show any symptoms in a low-stress environment, i.e., hair-pulling behavior. After leaving the low-stress environment, the symptoms return.