 All
women have some of the male hormone testosterone in their bodies, but women with
androgenetic alopecia are more sensitive to the hormone. This sensitivity causes
hair to thin all over the head, and some women develop thinning patches similar
to male-pattern hair loss
One of the most traumatic experiences a woman
could endure in her life would be baldness. Hair thinning or slight hair loss is
bad enough but total baldness can be completely heartbreaking. To see one's hair
fall out in clumps and be able to do nothing about it is something no woman ever
contemplates. Sadly there is a hair disorder that affects women for no reason,
which causes the hair to fall out in handfuls. There is no known cure for the
problem and many women with the disorder sadly spend vast sums of money with the
so called "hair specialists" on wonder shampoo's which they claim will restore
their crowning glory.
Baldness occurs when the hair falls out but a
new hair does not grow in its place. The cause of the failure to grow a new hair
is not well understood, but it is associated with genetic predisposition, aging,
and levels of endocrine hormones. Changes in the levels of the androgens can
affect hair production. For example, after the hormonal changes of menopause,
many women find that the hair on the head is thinned, while facial hair is
coarser. Although new hair is not produced, the follicle remains alive,
suggesting the possibility of new hair growth.
Genetic hair loss and molt or increased hair
shedding (chronic telogen effluvium), accounts for by far the majority of all
hair loss complaints in women - up 95% in fact before menopause. Unlike men who
tend to lose a lot of hair in particular areas, like the temples and crown -
Male pattern baldness - women are more likely to thin diffusely from behind the
front hairline to the crown.
The most common type of hair loss seen in
women is androgenetic alopecia, also known as female pattern alopecia or
baldness. This is seen as hair thinning predominantly over the top and sides of
the head. It affects approximately one-third of all susceptible women, but is
most commonly seen after menopause, although it may begin as early as puberty.
Normal hair fall is approximately 100-125 hairs per day. fortunately, these
hairs are replaced. True hair loss occurs when lost hairs do not regrow or when
the daily hair shed exceeds 125 hairs. Genetically, hair loss can come from
either parent's side of the family.
There are two different types of hair loss, medically known as anagen
effluvium and Telogen effluvium. Anagen effluvium is generally due to internally
administered medications, such as chemotherapy agents, that poison the growing
hair follicle. Telogen effluvium, is due to an increased number of hair
follicles entering the resting stage.
The most common causes of telogen effluvium are:
surgery, illness, anemia, rapid weight change.
Emotional stress:
mental illness, death of a family member.
Thyroid abnormalities.
Medications: High does of
Vitamin A -- Blood pressure medications -- Gout medications.
Hormonal causes: pregnancy,
birth control pills, menopause.
Causes of temporary hair loss
include:
Drugs used to
treat cancer, blood thinners, antidepressants and high blood pressure
medications, as well as birth control pills and high doses of vitamin A, may
cause hair loss.
Diet - Too little protein and
too little iron in your diet can lead to hair loss.
Stress or illness - You may
begin losing hair one to three months after a stressful situation, such as
major surgery. High fevers, severe infections or chronic illnesses can result
in hair loss.
Childbirth - You may lose
large amounts of hair within two to three months after delivery.
Alopecia areata - A condition
in which hair loss occurs only in certain areas, resulting in hair loss
patches the size of a coin or larger.
Thyroid disease - An
overactive or under active thyroid can cause hair loss.
Ringworm - If this fungal
infection occurs on your scalp, it can cause small patches of scaling skin and
some hair loss.
When the above causes of telogen effluvium are reversed or altered you should
see the return of normal hair growth.
The typical pattern of female-pattern baldness is different than that of male
pattern baldness. The hair thins all over the head, but the frontal hairline is
maintained. There may be a moderate loss of hair on the crown, but this rarely
progresses to total or near baldness as it may in men.
Hair loss can occur in women for reasons other than female-pattern baldness.
These may include temporary shedding of hair (telogen effluvium), breaking of
hair (from such things as styling treatments, and twisting or pulling of hair),
patchy areas of total hair loss (alopecia areata--an immune disorder causing
temporary hair loss), oral medications, as well as certain skin diseases.
The hair loss of female-pattern baldness is permanent. The hair loss is
usually mild to moderate. No treatment is required if the person is comfortable
with her appearance.
Diet
Hair loss may also occur due to dieting. Diet programs which are designed or
administered under the direction of a physician with prescribed meals, dietary
supplements and vitamin ingestion have become popular. Sometimes the client is
told the vitamins are a necessary part of the program to prevent hair loss
associated with dieting. From a dermatologist's standpoint, however, the
vitamins cannot prevent hair loss associated with rapid, significant weight
loss. Furthermore, many of these supplements are high in Vitamin A which can
magnify hair loss.
Vegetarianism and dieting can result in hair loss if they cause iron
deficiency. Iron and zinc supplements should be taken if the diet does not
produce enough on it's own.
If someone is anemic this can cause excessive hair loss. A doctor should be
consulted as a course of iron tablets may be all that's needed to sort the
problem out.
Physical And Emotional Stress
Surgeries, severe illnesses and emotional stress can cause hair loss. The body
simply shuts down production of hair during periods of stress since it is not
necessary for survival and instead devotes its energies toward repairing vital
body structures. In many cases there is three month delay between the actual
event and the onset of hair loss. Furthermore, there may be another three month
delay prior to the return of noticeable hair regrowth. This then means that the
total hair loss and regrowth cycle can last 6 months or possibly longer when
induced by physical or emotional stress. There are some health conditions which
may go undetected that can contribute to hair loss. These include anemia or low
blood count and thyroid abnormalities. Both of these conditions can be detected
by a simple, inexpensive blood test.
In woman some hormonal preparations may produce hair in places where it is
least desired, such as on the face.
Hormonal Change
Hormonal changes are a common cause of female hair loss. Many women do not
realize that hair loss can occur after pregnancy or following discontinuation of
birth control pills. It is important to remember that the hair loss may be
delayed by three months following the hormonal change and another three months
will be required for new growth to be fully achieved.
It is estimated that up to 45% of women suffer considerable hair loss after
the birth of a baby, although hair may not fall out till three months later. A
small number of woman suffer severe or even complete hair lose after pregnancy.
The reason for this is hormonal. When a woman is pregnant the levels of the
hormone progesterone are unusually high and this has the effect of forcing hair
into the resting phase prematurely. After pregnancy when hormone level's
re-balance, new hair begins to grow and eventually pushes the resting hair out.
When the hair begins to fall it is usually a good sign that new growth is on the
way. However the fall can last up to six months and few women find their hair
never regains its former luxurious thickness. All you can do is eat a
well-balanced diet to ensure that the hair has all it needs for healthy growth
and treat it with care.
An under active thyroid, a problem which is related to auto-immune disease,
also leads to increased hair loss and this may be one of the first symptoms
noticed. Many women suffer thyroid dysfunction after childbirth, that coupled
with post-pregnancy hair fall, sometimes confuses the issue. A treatment of
thyroid hormone prescribed by your doctor will usually clear up the problem up.
High fevers or a local skin problem with the scalp are two more possible
causes of hair loss. In fact persistent hair fall can be a symptom of such a
wide variety of underlying health problems that it's always advisable to consult
a doctor if you are worried in the slightest.
Hair transplants consist of removal of tiny plugs of hair from areas where
the hair is continuing to grow and placing them in areas that are balding. This
can cause minor scarring in the donor areas, and carries a modest risk for skin
infection. The procedure usually requires multiple transplantation sessions and
may be expensive.
Suturing of hair pieces to the scalp is not recommended as it can result in
scars, infections, and abscess of the scalp or brain. The use of hair implants
made of artificial fibers was banned by the FDA because of the high rate of
infection.
Hair weaving, hair pieces, or change of hair style may disguise the hair loss
and improve the cosmetic appearance. This is often the least expensive and
safest method of treating female-pattern baldness.
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