While it's fair to say that men are typically more prone to the issue of hair loss than women, particularly as a factor of natural aging, the condition is increasingly becoming more of an issue among women too. Indeed, many women are now struggling with thinning hair, or hair loss as they age, or find themselves being exposed to new environmental and lifestyle factors.
Unfortunately, while hair loss can be a significant concern for anyone who experiences it, the truth is that losing your hair can be particularly traumatic and depressing for women, who are often more concerned with the stigma surrounding baldness and bald patches. Below, we will cover 5 reasons why women lose their hair.
1. Genetics
One of the primary reasons why women lose their hair is because they are genetically predisposed to the condition, thanks to a certain number of hormonal imbalances in their system. Along with the general conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, genetics can be a primary concern in the issue of hair loss, and contrary to popular belief, you can inherit this condition either as a problem that comes from your father or your mother's side of the family.
2. Trauma and Stress
Stress can lead to higher than usual levels of testosterone, which can convert into a substance known as DHT, as we mentioned above. This chemical is quite disruptive to the human body, and can represent one of the most significant reasons why women lose their hair. Through stress, trauma, and exposure to certain hormones, the hair growth cycle is disrupted, and the blood supply reaching the hair capillaries can be altered, leading to a lack of nutrient uptake and oxygen. If your hair is unable to properly absorb vitamins and nutrients that are required for growth, then it is likely that it will begin to thin and fall out.
3. Diet and Nutrition
Nutrition and the foods we eat have a significant role to play in almost every aspect of life. If we're not careful about the foods that we eat, we could suffer from various deficiencies, and a number of dietary diseases too. Rapid weight loss, poor nutrition, and the higher than normal consumption of animal fats can all have an impact on the hair. On top of that, deficiencies in iron, biotin, zinc, and protein can reduce the presence of vital amino acids and vitamins within the human system, leading to poor absorption in the nutrients required for good hair growth.
4. Environmental Factors
Exposure to certain environmental pollutants and issues within the water and air that we encounter every day is yet another of the reasons why women lose their hair. Exposure to pollutants, metals, minerals, and chlorine can all lead to hormonal imbalances that contribute to hair loss. Free radicals and UV exposure can also work to prematurely age cells within the scalp and cause damage to the hair shaft.
5. Health
Finally, thyroid diseases, and the medications that are used to treat such diseases are some of the most common health-related causes of hair loss. Everything from steroids to birth control pills can have an impact on hair growth.