Women over 40 lose hair for a variety of reasons, ranging from genetics to hormone imbalances, stress and diet. Before treating hair loss, or alopecia, doctors at the Mayo Clinic recommend that women get a medical exam to determine the cause. Sudden hair loss in patches can be a sign of a serious medical condition.
Female-Pattern
Female-pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia, is the most common form of hair loss in women over 40 and affects nearly one-third of the population. This condition is passed down through generations and usually can be predicted by looking at older relatives. While not every descendant develops female-pattern baldness, early signs include thinning of the hair in the front over the forehead, along the sides, and most noticeably on the crown.
Skin Disorder
A skin disorder such as psoriasis can cause cicatricial alopecia, which leaves scars on the scalp that dry up and kill the hair follicles. Intense scratching exacerbates the condition, as do some of the chemical treatments used to heal the condition.
Hairstyles
After years of pulling their hair back into ponytails or putting it up in tight braids or cornrows, many women start losing their hair. Often the hair loss from hairstyles and tight rollers is temporary and can be reversed if the woman changes styles. Called traction alopecia, the baldness usually occurs in patches around the area that has been pulled for years.
Hormones
According to the American Hair Loss Association, when levels of testosterone change, as during peri-menopause and menopause in women over 40, the hair follicles can begin to die. While women have just a fraction of the amount of testosterone as men, any change can trigger the disruption of hair growth. In men, testosterone levels can drop by as much as 10 percent each decade after 30, while in women, the levels begin slowly to drop off as they approach menopause and take drastic plunges during the change of life.
Events
Women over 40 who have experienced a traumatic event such as childbirth or surgery may get what's called telogen effluvium, a hair loss disorder that can become chronic and last for years. Many women begin to lose hair when they undergo a long period of emotional stress that sets their hormones out of balance even more. Quick and dramatic weight loss is another cause of sudden hair loss in women over 40. Certain medications, such as chemotherapy drugs, also are known to cause hair loss, which will be reversed when the drugs are stopped.
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