Nobody wants to lose their hair, but hair loss in women is perhaps the hardest to deal with. Understanding reasons for hair loss in women is important, therefore, because it can mean that there is some sort of treatment available to slow it down. Women take a lot of pride in their hair and hair style, and it is incredibly distressing to think of going bald, something usually reserved for men.
Hair loss in women is surprisingly common. Additionally, perhaps due to the many environmental pollutants we are exposed to on a daily basis, it seems to be getting more common as well. When you start understanding reasons for hair loss in women, you will quickly come to see that they are wholly different than in men. That being said, once you know the reason for your own personal hair loss, you can also start to understand how to prevent it and how to treat it, thereby minimizing how much hair you lose.
Androgenetic Alopecia:
This is the most common cause for hair loss in women and basically is is due to an imbalance in hormone production. When there are changes in hormones, for instance, during puberty, pregnancy, thyroid problems, menopause, or taking a hormone replacement or the contraceptive pill, it is quite common for women to experience hair loss to a certain degree. By understanding the reasons for hair loss in women, you will also learn that this type of hair loss is generally of a temporary nature. However, it is also possible that women can have a permanent reduction in the production of estrogen, often caused by genetic factors, in which case they experience androgenetic alopecia.
Telogen Effluvium:
This type of effluvium happens after giving birth, malnutrition, extreme stress, major surgery, or severe effuvium. In around 90% of women, this affects their hair. Usually, it only lasts for between six weeks and three months, during which time hair loss occurs. If the trauma has been resolved, hair loss will stop and regrowth is expected.
Traction Alopecia:
This happens as a result of degradation of the hair follicles. When women wear their hair pulled back or have very tight styles for long periods of time, this can usually happen. If caught early, hair will grow back.
Thyroid Problems/Menopause:
Menopause is in fact the most common reason for hair loss. Often, women also experience low thyroid function at this point. They start to produce too much testosterone, sometimes made worse by medication, and this can attack the hair follicles, leading to baldness.
In many cases, women’s hair loss is of a temporary nature. That doesn’t make it any less distressing, however. It is also important that treatment is offered as early as possible, so that women don’t have to experience permanent hair loss. Should that happen other options, such as wearing a wig can be offered. However, women should then also be offered significant counseling, as it can be very difficult to come to terms with having suddenly thinning hair or even going completely bald.
