What Causes Female Hair Loss? Many people think that hair loss is a problem for men, but it also affects at least one third of women. But unlike men, women usually experience thinning hair without baldness and there can be many different causes for the problem. What causes female hair loss, how to prevent it, you can have an idea by reading the rest of the article.
Some are related to inflammation in the body. Some are female hair loss. But the good news is that in many cases this hair loss can be stabilized with treatment and can be reversible. When it is not, there are many new cosmetic approaches that can help.
Understanding hair loss
The first step in dealing with thinning hair is to find out what is going on inside your body causing these extra strands to stick to your shoulders and brush. Some hair loss is normal. Everyone loses hair as part of the natural hair growth cycle, which occurs in three stages:
- The anagen stage refers to an actively growing hair. This stage can last anywhere from two to eight years.
- The catagen stage is a short transition phase lasting up to three weeks. At this point the hair stopped growing and getting ready to shed.
- The telogen stage is the part of the hair cycle when hair is removed from the follicle (the structure that produces and holds hair). After hair loss, the follicle then remains dormant, usually for about three months, before new hair begins to appear.
- Normal hair loss is highly individual. Most people have a sense of how naturally they lose their hair. If you suddenly notice more hair falling out than usual, dropping your hair or your hair seems to be visibly thinning, it may be a sign that something is wrong.
Underlying causes for hair loss
Many problems can cause female hair loss. Some are external, such as taking certain medications, often wearing hairstyles that pull the hair too tight, or even a stressful event such as surgery. In other cases, thinning hair is caused by something happening inside the body – for example, a thyroid problem, a hormone change, a recent pregnancy or an inflammatory condition.
Hair loss can also be genetic. The most common genetic condition is known as female hair loss or androgenetic alopecia. Women with this condition may notice an enlargement of the top of the head, often starting when a woman is 40 or 50 years old. You can treat it if you inherit certain genes from one or both parents. Hormonal shifts that occur during menopause can also cause it.
Another cause of hair loss in women is an inflammatory condition that affects the scalp. This can be eczema, psoriasis or a condition called frontal fibrotic alopecia, which usually causes scarring and hair loss – sometimes permanent – on the front of the scalp above the forehead.
Other common causes of hair loss include excessive use of harmful hair products or tools, such as dryers and other hair heaters. Underlying disease, autoimmune conditions such as lupus, nutritional deficiencies or hormonal imbalances can also cause hair loss.
Drugs for the treatment of hair loss
Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Sometimes simply treating a medical condition that causes hair loss will be enough for hair regeneration. In other cases, a woman may consider a medication such as minoxidil, which helps with certain types of hair loss treatments to replace or regenerate lost hair.
A newer option used to hair loss treatment is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. For this treatment, the doctor draws your blood, divides it into separate components, reconstitutes the blood fluid (plasma) with a high concentration of platelets (blood clotting structures, among other functions), and inserts the resulting preparation into the scalp.
The science in this is not fully developed. We do not yet fully understand the mechanism behind PRP, but the growth factors contained in platelets can stimulate the regeneration of hair follicles and other tissues.
In addition, low level LED laser lights have been found to help regenerate hair in some cases. It is possible to develop even more treatments in the near future.
Cosmetic options for hair loss treatment
When medical treatments are lacking, women can also consider cosmetic options to cover lost hair, such as using a wig. At the other end of the spectrum is hair transplantation, a surgical procedure that moves active follicles from the back of the scalp to areas where the hair is thinning. Once transplanted, the hair grows normally.
Hair transplantation is usually performed as an outpatient surgery. For the right patients, it can be extremely successful, but it will not work for everyone. One downside is the cost: it can cost thousands of dollars and is not covered by insurance. The procedure also requires recovery time. And it may not be suitable for women who have diffuse thinning of the entire scalp. It is more effective in treating smaller, more defined areas of baldness.
What causes female hair loss?
We all lose hair every day. Hair loss is part of the natural cycle of hair growth, rest, loss and replacement. In fact, it is perfectly normal to shed up to 100 strands a day. But when these hairs are not replaced immediately or more hairs are shed at the same time than normal, we may notice thinning and even bald patches.
This disruption of the natural cycle is more common as we age and can be attributed to physical or emotional shocks in the body, underlying diseases, hormonal imbalances and even nutritional deficiencies. Many women experience increased hair loss as they grow older. About 40% of women experience some form of hair loss before the age of 50 and this number increases after menopause. Sometimes drastic hair loss is temporary, but other times it is permanent. In any case, women feel this loss.
We tried to explain what causes female hair loss. Supplements, shampoos and home remedies can help boost healthy hair growth if they support the special needs of your scalp and strands or hide thinning as you get to the root of the problem. If you are unsure about the needs of your hair, consult a hairdresser or dermatologist for a treatment program.
