Hair loss is a non life-threatening condition that is commonly associated with men. But women can also suffer hair loss. According to the American Hair Loss Association, women make up approximately 40 percent of American hair loss sufferers. There are several reasons why women lose hair.
Heredity
Androgenic alopecia is a condition that is caused when women have an overabundance of male hormones, called androgens. Unlike male pattern hair loss, this type causes hair to fall out in a diffuse pattern, which is thinning throughout the whole scalp. One of the main risk factors for this type of hair loss is hereditary.
Contraceptives
Birth control pills are used to stop the process of ovulation. They can also cause hair loss to occur. This happens because the hormones interfere with the actions of progestin and estrogen. Women who are hypersensitive to these changes can suffer hair loss while they are on the pill and in the weeks or months after they stop using it.
Traction
Some women style their hair with it pulled back in a ponytail, dreadlocks or corn rows. This constant force on the scalp can cause hair to fall out in a condition called traction alopecia. If the scalp becomes scarred, the hair loss can be permanent.
Nutrition
Crash diets are used to lose weight in a hurry. But they can also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can cause hair loss. Eating disorders, like anorexia, can also lead to vitamin deficiencies. Iron and protein are two of the most common deficient nutrients that cause hair loss.
Cancer Treatments
Chemotherapy and radiation are two treatments that are used for cancer. They are designed to keep the cancer from spreading, but they can also lead to hair loss. When the treatments are over, hair usually grows back.
Infections
If a woman has ringworm, this can cause hair loss. As the name implies, hair is lost in the shape of a circular ring. Hair generally grows back once this condition is treated.
Damage
The overuse of chemicals, dyes and bleach can cause hair to fall out. Hair loss can also occur as a result of excess combing or over-styling.
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