Hair Loss in Women: Causes, Natural Solutions, and Medical Treatments

Hair loss or baldness is often associated with men. But hair loss does affect women too. Since the hair is the woman’s crowning glory, this problem can be potentially devastating to the person. With the use of hair loss treatments for women, this problem can be minimized.

Causes of Hair Loss

Hair loss occurs due to a variety of reasons. Genetics plays a vital role. Women who have a family history of female baldness can suffer from hair thinning and eventually hair loss. The genetic history of both parents is a factor in baldness.

Another possible reason is hormonal changes. Women are prone to hormonal changes especially during menopause. This is when changes in the hair can be noticed. Changes in estrogen levels can possibly affect hair thinning.

Another factor is aging. When a woman ages, hair may start to fall. Other causes of female hair loss include too much use of hairstyling tools, stress, medical conditions, contraceptives, and childbirth.

Natural Hair Loss Solutions for Women

1. Healthy diet. A healthy balanced diet can minimize or prevent the occurrence of hair loss. Adding fruits and vegetables to the diet is very helpful. It is also a good idea to minimize the intake of animal fats. Fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that can help maintain the health of hair. Vitamin B-complex and biotin counter the effects of fatty acids which can cause hair loss. Vitamin B5 can help maintain the health of the hair follicles.

2. Massaging the scalp. Massaging the scalp can help the blood circulation in the head which keeps the hair follicles healthy.

3. Using hairpieces. Donning a wig can disguise thinning hair. This is one of the cost-effective, though short-term, methods of treating hair loss.

4. Herbal treatments. Taking herbs can help remedy hair thinning or baldness problems. One effective herbal remedy is the rosemary tea. Ginseng, saw palmetto and nettle roots are also found useful in revitalizing dormant follicles.

5. Aloe vera gel. Using topical applications of aloe vera gel can help stimulate hair growth. Aloe vera is known to thicken the hair and stimulate hair growth.

Medical Treatments for Female Hair Loss

It is best to ask a doctor about the best medications to take when suffering from hair loss. This is because hair loss drugs for men may not be appropriate for women. As a matter of fact, treatment for men’s hair may harm women’s hair. This is why it is important to ask the doctor what medications to take as a hair loss treatment for women.

1. Minoxidil. This drug can be used for both women and men. Baldness does not progress quickly when the patient uses this drug. This medication needs to be applied two times a day to see results.

2. Hair replacement surgery. A hair transplant surgery involves the removal of hair-bearing areas of the scalp and transferring them to a balding area of the scalp. Surgical hair restoration is the most expensive means of treating hair loss.

Why Women Experience Hair Loss

Every year, hundreds of thousands of women — and some men — suffer from unexpected hair loss. Here the experts reveal the causes, and what you can do about the problem.

POLYCYSTIC OVARY

The most common cause of female hair loss, especially in premenopausal women, is polycystic ovarian syndrome, leading to excessive amounts of testosterone.

This can trigger excessive body hair — but hair loss on the head.

Hair loss occurs as a receding hairline around the side of the head and temples, similar to men as they age. Other symptoms include acne, weight gain and depression. Contraceptive pills designed to lower the level of testosterone can be helpful.

SKIN CONDITIONS

Pityriasis amiantacea — basically adult cradle cap — can cause hair loss. It’s linked to eczema, and may be confused with psoriasis.

Like psoriasis, patches of scaly crusts form in a similar way to overlapping tiles on a roof. The scales stick to the scalp and are attached in layers around the shafts of the hairs, binding them down in tufts.

This effectively strangles the hair shaft, causing loss. But with medical treatment, the plaques of scaling can be removed so the hair can regrow.

CRASH DIETING

There is evidence that crash dieting, particularly a low-carb diet, can cause hair loss. Here, a lack of energy — i.e. calories and glucose — could be the problem.

You can eat as much protein and iron as you like, but without any energy, your hair will suffer. That’s because if the brain or other vital organs are desperate for energy, it will often be taken from non-essential sources, such as the hair and nails.

THYROID PROBLEMS

An overactive or underactive thyroid can cause hair thinning. It’s particularly common where there is a family history of the disease or in women who have just given birth.

What Every Woman Should Know about Men

Roughly 50% of men suffer from male pattern baldness to some degree by the time they hit 50 years of age. This certainly creates a real dilemma for them and pretty much any man is going to want to look for ways of stemming the tide of their hair loss. Is there anything that they can do? Well, the truth is that several things can be done in order to help prevent this issue. Here are some hair loss prevention tips specifically for men.

It is very important that you first have a quick check on your family history. Baldness is very much genetic and while there are some things that you can do in order to prevent early baldness, it is unlikely that you can completely stem the tide if male pattern baldness runs in your family. Look back at some of your relatives and see if they suffer from any hair loss problems. This will give you a good idea as to what to expect.

You need to then have a quick look at what your habits are. A number of bad habits can certainly lead to early hair loss. For example, if you are relentlessly stressed, because of your job or other commitments, then this can have a negative impact. At the same time, if you do not get sufficient amounts of sleep regularly, then this is also going to have a profound effect upon your hair loss. Try to eliminate these habits if possible.

Make sure that you take vitamins regularly. It is best if you can incorporate these into your diet. Vitamins such as iron, copper, calcium, zinc, and vitamins B7 and B12 should be incorporated. If you don’t eat foods that contain these vitamins, then make sure that you purchase a multivitamin supplement so that you get your full dosage daily.

Massaging may also be something that can help. Massage has been proven to increase blood flow and therefore improve the overall health of your head and scalp. You should, therefore, gently massage your scalp on a frequent basis in order to remove tension from the hair follicles. While this step may seem relatively small, in the long run it can lead to significant tangible progress.

It is very important for you to relax as well. As mentioned, stress is a significant habit that can lead to early hair loss, and as such, you need to make sure that you relax regularly in order to prevent this from speeding up your baldness. Numerous different techniques can be incorporated in order to help, such as deep breathing exercises and meditation.

You also need to make sure that you get plenty of exercise. Exercise releases positive endorphins and these only lead to positive results for your entire body. Make sure that you exercise outdoors as well, in sunlight preferably, in order to get healthy doses of vitamin D.

Of course, there are alternative methods that you could use. Herbal supplements, for example, are available and these may also lead to positive results. Talk to your doctor as well. They may be able to offer you some advice on different techniques that you could follow.

Hair Help for Women with Post-Partum Hair Loss

Childbirth is a huge event in a mother’s life but the post-partum hair loss that women face can dampen the joy of it all.

Most women experience post-partum hair loss. Hair fall always is a cause of alarm and just when you heave a sigh of relief after the roller coaster ride of pregnancy — with its mood swings and delivery followed by nursing — the fact that you are also losing hair can be a shocking damper.

Dermatologists and trichologists say that the average head loses 80 to 100 hairs a day. During pregnancy, hormones keep those hairs from falling out. But when those hormones drop back to normal, the extra hairs drop, too. A cosmetic surgeon says, ‘Hormonal changes are a common cause of hair loss. Many women don’t realise that hair loss can occur after pregnancy or following discontinuation of birth control pills. It is important to remember that hair loss may be delayed by three months following the hormonal change and another three months will be required for new growth to be fully achieved’.

Causes

One dermatologist explains, ‘The culprit is the female hormone oestrogen. When oestrogen levels are high — when you are pregnant and breast feeding — they send a message to hair follicles to hold on to your hair that would have normally fallen out if you weren’t pregnant. Once oestrogen levels dip, hair slips into the resting or telogen stage and all those “resting” hair follicles begin to fall out. This occurs between three and six months after pregnancy’.

Another reason for hair loss is the use of oral contraceptives till the time of conception, say experts. Discontinuing birth control may cause hair loss in women for the same hormonal reasons. One hair loss expert shares, ‘In a pregnant woman, levels of the hormone progesterone are unusually high, and this has the effect of forcing hair into the resting phase prematurely. After pregnancy, when hormone levels re-balance, new hair begins to grow and eventually pushes the resting hair out. When the hair begins to fall, it is a good sign that new growth is on the way. However, the fall can last up to six months and some women discover that their hair never regains its former luxurious thickness’.