Hair loss is a distressing problem no matter what your sex, but may be even more difficult to accept if you are a woman. Female hair loss may occur due to one of several reasons, including the effects of hormones on hair follicles or damage to the scalp. Treatment for hair loss varies depending on the cause of the problem.
Identification
Losing hair is part of the normal hair growth cycle. The National Institutes of Health reports that approximately 100 hairs fall from the head daily. Areas of thinning hair or hair loss in excess of 100 hairs per day may be a cause for concern and should be evaluated by your doctor.
Female Pattern Baldness
Female pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia, causes thinning hair on the scalp due to the effects of male hormones called androgens. Dihydrotestosterone, a derivative of testosterone, shrinks hair follicles and makes it impossible for healthy hair to survive, according to the American Hair Loss Association. Men who have androgenetic alopecia develop bald spots on the crown of their heads, but women don’t develop this same hair loss pattern. Female pattern baldness causes hairs to grow much shorter than normal, creating a peach fuzz appearance to the hairline.
Considerations
Changing hormone levels may cause hair loss during pregnancy, menopause, while using hormonal birth control methods or if you have an ovarian cyst. Female pattern baldness may be more likely to occur around menopause, when female hormone levels begin to decrease. Women’s hormone levels decline as menopause approaches and drop sharply during menopause and beyond, according to the American Hair Loss Association.
Hair loss during pregnancy is not usually serious enough to cause permanent hair loss or bald spots and should begin to diminish within three to four months following delivery, according to the American Pregnancy Association.
Other Causes
Serious illnesses, major stress and recovery from major surgery can cause more hairs than normal to enter the shedding phase of the hair cycle. This type of hair loss is usually temporary, but it may take up to eight months for full regrowth of hair, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Hair loss also occurs if you experience trauma to the scalp, due to injury or wearing tight hair styles. Other possible causes of hair loss include alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair to fall out in patches, and triangular alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss at the temples. Some women suffer hair loss when they compulsively pull out their own hair.
Treatment
Your doctor may prescribe minoxidil, a topical medication used to regrow hair, if you suffer from thinning hair or bald spots. Drugs that block androgens, such as spironolactone and cimetidine, may be prescribed. Hormonal replacement therapy may help reduce hair loss in menopausal women, according to the American Hair Loss Association. If you have a good supply of healthy hair in other areas of your scalp, your doctor may recommend a hair transplant. During a hair transplant, small numbers of healthy hairs are removed from your scalp and attached to balding areas.
Member Comments