Causes of Hair Loss in Women
Although not as common as hair loss among men, women also suffer from lost or thinning hair. There can be many causes behind a women losing her hair, including stress or depression, hormonal changes, menopause, illness or disease, or nutritional deficiency. Some medications can have the side effect of causing hair loss.
The connection between mind and body is much stronger than most people realize. Mental conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or stress and cause hair loss. In such circumstances, it’s necessary to treat the underlying mental condition, not the hair loss directly. Anti-depressants, stress management and lifestyle changes can have a positive effect. Intensely stressful physical events, such as major surgery, can cause temporary hair loss.
It’s also an unfortunate circumstance that many people don’t realize the importance proper nutrition play in the overall health. You diet should include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. You should also limit your intake of refined products such as sugars and breads. A deficiency on vitamin D is known to cause hair loss, as is a deficiency in vitamin A. It’s rare for people in the developed world to suffer from nutritionally elated hair loss. There are some health conditions that can impair the body’s ability to absorb certain vitamins or minerals that could have this result.
Some medications are known to cause hair loss. Some common medication used to treat high blood pressure or high cholesterol can have this effect. Acne medication containing vitamin A, certain antibiotics and anti-fungal drugs, steroids, thyroid medications, and immune suppressant drugs have all been known to cause hair loss in some users. If your hair loss is recent and comes after you’ve started a new medication, that might be the cause.
One of most common causes of hair loss in women is a dysfunction of the thyroid. Both hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism have been known to cause changes in hair health, including hair loss and changes in hair texture. For some people, these changes are the first indication that they have a thyroid problem. Thinning hair can be a side effect of Synthroid, the most common drugh used to treat thyroid disorders. If you’re on Synthroid and having hair loss, consult with your doctor.
Heredity can also play a role. Did any of your female relatives suffer from hair loss? Especially your mother, aunts, or grandmothers. Doctors can examine your scalp to see the size of your hair follicles. If a woman’s follicles vary in size, some thick and others thin, and there’s a history of hair loss in the family, there’s a good chance you might suffer from female pattern hair loss, also called androgenetic alopecia. This hereditary condition affects about 30 million women in America, or about 50% of adult women. It mostly occurs in the 50s to 60s, but has been know to appear at even younger ages.
There’s even a chance your hair loss is self-induced. Hair treatments can damage the hair and scalp. Dyes, chemical treatments, harsh brushes, hot blow dryers, and hair straighteners can all cause damage and breakage.
Most of these conditions are treatable, and the hair loss can be reversed with medical treatments. But it’s important to know that the sooner treatment is started, the better the chances for resolving whatever condition is causing your hair loss.