While most people think of baldness and instantly picture the male pattern look, women hair loss concerns are also prevalent. Treating hair loss in women often hinges on the causes. Sometimes efforts are successful and in other cases the results leave something to be desired.
There are a number of different conditions that can cause hair loss in women. Some of the most common include:
•Andogenetic Alopecia -This is a condition that causes thinning of the hair throughout the scalp. This condition is caused by an abundance of androgens, or male hormones, in the body. This is often linked to heredity.
•Telogen Effluvium – This, often extreme, loss of hair is caused by an undue amount of stress on the body. Things like malnutrition, surgery, infections and even traumatic events can cause the condition. It is not uncommon for telogen effluvium to cause women to lose handfuls of hair at a time. This condition will often go into remission on its own if the stressors are removed.
•Anagen Effluvium – In this particular condition, women’s hair loss is caused by damage to hair follicles. This is commonly brought on by chemotherapy treatments and can result in total hair loss throughout the body.
•Traction Alopecia – This unique form of hair loss is caused by the pulling of hair into certain styles over time. High and tight buns and pony tails, for example, can cause damage to the follicles and cause hair to fall out.
•Other causes – Medications, other than chemotherapy, thyroid disorders and chronic illnesses can also contribute to hair loss in women.
While it is not common to think of women and hair loss together, the condition is more prevalent than many realize. There are a number of causes of women hair loss complaints. Some can be reversed, but others are more difficult to treat.
By: Carl Stane
Posts Tagged ‘Cause Hair Loss’
Common Causes of Women Hair Loss Complaints
December 27th, 2009Can Shampoos and Other Hair Styling Products Cause Hair Loss?
December 10th, 2009An allergic reaction to any constituent in shampoo or hair products can cause hair loss. Shampoos are designed to be as safe as possible, although there is always someone who will react to them. Caustic hair dyes, straighteners, and other products can certainly cause inflammation of the scalp and result in hair loss.
Can my hairstyle cause my hair to fall out?
Certain hairstyles can contribute to hair loss, most notably styles involving tight braids or pull-backs.
This form of hair loss is called traction alopecia. This occurs when the hair is pulled tightly back and fastened at the base of the skull, or braided into tight braids or rows. Exposure to this type of hairstyle over long periods can result in a scarring alopecia,
with no potential for regrowth.
If you are uncertain about the condition of your hair and scalp then take advice from a qualified trichologist.
www.thewestminsterpractice.com
By: Gary Heron
The Causes of Hair Loss in Women
November 6th, 2009You’re not alone if you’re experiencing breakage, increased hair shedding or significant hair loss.
Hair loss in women is most often very gradual and is more easily affected by hormonal changes, medical conditions, and external factors. Hair loss in women is no less distressing than in men. More often women s hair loss is limited to the thinning of the hair especially around the crown area. A receding hair line is rare in women. It usually starts with the hair follicle becoming thinner, revealing more skin.
Hair loss or hair shedding is consistent within the hair growth cycle and it is normal to lose some scalp hair each day. The average human scalp has roughly 100,000 to 150,000 individual hairs and the normal hair growth cycle results in the loosening or shedding of about 100 to 150 hairs on a daily basis. New hair growth then emerges from these same previous dormant hair follicles, growing at the average rate of about half an inch per month.
Baldness or Alopecia happens when the normal pattern of hair growth is disrupted. The normal pattern of human hair growth is growing, resting, shedding and growing again. For a woman, thick, vibrant hair is our crowning glory, our vanity visible. Our culture strongly identifies femininity with a thick, silky head of hair. Society unfairly identifies dry, lack luster and thinning hair with old age, sickness and poverty.
Reasons for hair loss include physical, emotional, and genetic conditions. Hair loss can occur from many common causes that most women do not even think of. The number of women who suffer from stress and hair loss is growing. Stress leads to various health conditions which cause hair loss.
A woman’s hair is at its thickest by age 20. Once we pass 20, however, our hair gradually begins to thin, shedding more than the normal 100-150 hairs a day. For even the elderly woman, significant hair loss can threaten self image.
Female pattern baldness or Androgen tic Alopecia is the most common type of hair loss in women and is genetic in nature. The result is a shorter hair growth cycle, finer hair and excessive hair loss from shedding and breakage.
Coming off birth control pills and pregnancy can cause hair loss. Women may experience hair loss 2 – 3 months after having a baby.
Progesterone is another hormone that precisely targets the hair during menopause. It compensates by producing extra androstenedione, which prevents hair growth. Usually hair will return to its original thickness following menopause.
A healthy balanced diet, regular exercise, hydration and rest can go a long way towards preventing hair loss and maximizing the potential of your hair growth cycle.
Nutrition
Poor nutrition is often an underlying cause of hair loss as the hair is a reliable indicator of nutritional well being. Dull hair color or dry and brittle hair may be indicators of a deficiency in essential fats in the diet, oily hair may be a sign of a B vitamin deficiency.
Low-fat foods that rank high in protein, low in carbohydrates, can play a vital role in sustaining healthy hair growth and aid in preventing hair loss. Harsh chemicals may strip the natural oils from your hair and lead to breakage and poor hair growth. Dye, hair straightening and permanent solutions are highly destructive to the hair shaft and follicle as well as the delicate sebum balance of the scalp.
Be gentle with your hair. Allow hair to dry naturally rather than using a hair dryer. Wet hair is weak hair so handle with care.
Try not to constantly run your fingers through your hair, tug at the hair and avoid hair clips or rubber bands that pull at and break off the hair. Minimize the usage of mousse, gels and hair sprays. These products dry and weigh down the hair shaft and dull the natural luster of your hair.
Harsh hair treatment such as pulling with brushes, tight braiding and styling with irons and strengtheners can be a cause of female thinning hair.
Sun worshippers should make sure that hair care products have sunscreen properties to protect hair from the damaging affects of UV rays.
Hair loss is traumatic, however our hair is only part of who we are. Remember, that for some hair grows back as mysteriously as it disappeared
Finding what has caused your hair loss will greatly increase your chances of finding the right treatments to help re grow your hair.
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By: Endah Purwani
