Hair loss mystery

I am 22, and for the past 12 months I have experienced a diffuse shedding of my hair. It seemed to have started up around the same time I got a bad virus where I was very ill for about three days. Within a  month of the virus, I developed some type of dry skin problem where the skin on my palms & the sole of my feet was coming off in layers. About a month after this I noticed I was getting awkward depressions and lines cutting across my finger nails and toe nails. The lines have ceased on my finger nails but are still cutting across my toe nails. Over the 12 months I have gotten sick with more frequency than any other time in my life so far as I can remember. There is really no history of significant hair loss, particularly this early in life, on either side of my family. My father is 60 and still has the vast majority of his hair, my older brother at 30 has no hair loss, and my mother's side of the family has no hair loss problems at all. Do you have any idea what might be causing this hair loss or a way that I can find out if there is something more sinister behind this?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Shedding of hair can follow an illness, but it wouldn't last a year.  A line across the nails can reflect an acute illness, like the ring of a tree, but that too is one-time affair, with the nail growing in behind.  I can't think of any diseases which would give you increased frequency of illness and chronic hair shedding.

I advise as follows:
1. Get a good physical exam to assess the state of your overall health.
2. For three days, count the hairs which come out by putting all that fall out when you comb into a plastic bag and then count them roughly.  It is normal to lose up to 100 hairs per day.
3.  See a dermatologist to assess the significance of what you find.  You can't tell what your genetic baldness situation is by looking at family, because there is such wide variation between family members.  Treatment is available if needed and if you are a male (I can't tell from your post.)

I do not suspect something sinister, and I don't think the acute illness that lined your nails and peeled your palms and soles left you with a health deficit.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff