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Female Hair Loss: Causes and Prevention
by Jane Meggitt
Men with male pattern baldness often start losing their hair while still in their 20s. By the time they hit 40, their heads are likely hairless. It’s a different story for women. While it’s unusual for females to suffer alopecia – the technical term for hair loss – because of genetics, hormones and medications often play a role in hair thinning.
Peak Hair Years
Humans have the greatest numbers of hairs on their heads shortly after puberty, in their early teens. It’s really all downhill from there, but most women won’t notice any thinning until much later in life, unless there’s a problem. Hair thinning starts at the top of the scalp. Regular hair loss is normal – you’ll always find some hairs in the shower or sink. It’s excessive hair loss that should send you to the doctor.
Hormonal Issues
Various hormonal issues affect female hair. Hair loss may result from thyroid problems. These butterfly-shaped glands regulate hormones throughout your body. Women with polycystic ovary disease and other reproductive system disorders may also deal with alopecia. If hormones are diagnosed as the primary cause of hair loss, your doctor may prescribe birth control pills. These pills contain the female hormone estrogen, and along with regulating your periods estrogen also stops hair loss.
Stress
You may not literally tear your hair out due to stress, but stress can trigger literal hair loss. If you are going through a trying time, your body releases more cortisol – the stress hormone. Cortisol speeds up the hair loss cycle. You can try yoga or meditation, or ask your doctor for some mild antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication to get you and your hair back on an even keel.
Accutane
If your dermatologist prescribes the acne drug Accutane, it is probable that other acne medications and treatments did not work on your skin. Accutane is powerful, and doctors usually put their female patients on birth control since Accutane can cause serious birth defects. You’ll also need to have regular blood testing done while on the drug. It will clear up your face, but you may experience temporary hair loss. Other strong medications for fighting acne have similar effects. It’s a tough decision, but you may have to put up with hair thinning for a while in order to recover your complexion.
Crash Dieting
Normal dieting shouldn’t affect your hair, but that’s not true of crash dieting. If you want to lose weight, research a healthy eating plan or visit a dietitian. You might lose rapidly with a crash diet, but you might also lose your hair and health.
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hair loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!
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