Female Hair Loss

The average person sheds between 50 and 100 hairs a day. However, noticeable hair loss is not something only men battle. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 50% of women suffer from significant hair loss in their lifetimes.

Causes

Hair loss is often associated with:

• chemotherapy patients
• dieting, considerable weight loss or vitamin deficiency
• medications
• menopause or hormone imbalance
• those who recently gave birth
• stress, whether physical or emotional
• women older than 40
• women who frequently use tight hairstyles such as braids, extensions or ponytails
• women who frequently use harsh styling chemicals

Types of Hair Loss

There are three types of hair loss:

• Anagen effluvium – hair loss caused by interrupting the metabolic activity of hair cells, like chemotherapy, that poisons hair follicles.
• Telogen effluvium –hair loss is due to stress or a shock to the system. Harvard reports that hairs stop growing in this phase, and you can lose around 300 hairs per day versus 100.
• Androgenetic alopecia or female pattern hair loss – hair loss that is the most common and typically affects the crown of the head. It may first appear as a widening part in your hair, but rarely causes total baldness. Also known as alopecia, hair loss can have various triggers, including medical conditions, physical trauma, genetics, hormone imbalances and stress. Alopecia may be a temporary condition or a permanent problem.

Treatments

If you experience hair loss, you should see your doctor for a complete medical evaluation to rule out underlying medical conditions like thyroid imbalance or chronic stress. While postpartum hair loss generally has to run its course, other hair loss treatments might include multivitamins or minoxidil—a topical treatment.

Back