Hair Loss In Women Explained

Walk though the average mall in the average town and you’ll be sure to pass by dozens of men of all ages with thinning hair or even advanced hair loss. You probably won’t give them a second look. Come across a woman with advanced hair loss and it’s a totally different story.

Hair loss in men is an accepted, albeit largely avoidable condition. Living with hair loss as a woman is much more likely to be the cause of embarrassment, low self esteem and even affect the overall quality of life.

The numbers however make for some pretty sombre reading. According to the American Hair Loss Association (AHLA), as many as 40% of hair loss sufferers are women. As with men, the figures follows the same age patterns, with as many as 50% of women over the age of 50 showing varying degrees of hair loss.

Living with hair loss as a woman has a much greater social effect. Men are better able to cope with hair loss as the social effect isn’t as great. For a woman it’s a different proposition. Learning to live with hair loss as a woman goes against the high standards of self-criticism most women have. I’m pretty feisty myself, but put me in my hair stylist’s chair and I’m pretty much putty. If they were being honest with themselves most women would agree with me on that one.

As women, we also subject our hair to far more harsh treatments than the average man and our bodies have to cope with a much wider range of hormonal changes during our lives. With hindsight, the statistics from the AHLA aren’t really that much of a surprise.

Hair loss as a woman can be triggered by a variety of causes and reasons. Most of these can be successfully treated and the effects vastly reduced. Some simple precautions when choosing birth control for example can have a huge effect on how you can cope with your hair loss as a woman.

Some of the main culprits and solutions to hair loss in a woman include:

Androgenetic Alopecia
Also known as Pattern Baldness Androgenetic Alopecia is a pattern of hair loss triggered by a form of Testosterone known as Dihydrotestosterone or DHT for short. DHT effectively kills hair follicles by reducing the flow of nutrients, until the follicles can no longer grow hair. The most common cause of hair loss in men, Androgenetic Alopecia is rapidly becoming the number one cause of hair loss woman as well.

Hereditary conditions, oral contraceptives and the menopause can trigger Androgenetic Alopecia in women. DHT blockers can provide an effective antidote to the formation of DHT and greatly reduce or even eliminate the symptoms of hair loss.

Androgens
Hormone injections and oral contraceptives contain Androgens which can lead to significant hair loss in women. Choosing products with a low Androgen Index (AI) is the first step toward limiting the effects these products can have on our hair.

Stress
A woman’s body has to go through significant phases of high stress. Pregnancy and childbirth for example place a huge amount of stress on our bodies and this can lead to a particular form of hair loss called Telogen Effluvium. This is characterised by hair falling out in large chunks and usually subsides when stress levels get back to normal.

Immune System Disorders
Typically manifested as Alopecia Areata, immune disorder hair loss is a condition where your body creates antibodies to your own hair. Getting your system back into balance is key to treating this type of hair loss and a good regime of mineral and vitamin supplements as well as courses of essential aromatherapy oils (Lavender, Thyme, Ceder Wood, Rosemary) can help to alleviate the underlying problems. DHT blockers like Minoxidil have also shown encouraging results in treating Alopecia Areata.

Stress Hair Loss
Tight braids and other hairstyles that pull the hair back can contribute to hair loss. This type of hair loss is cumulative. The more you use these hairstyles, the worse the condition gets and usually ceases as soon as the particular hairstyle is changed.