What Causes Hair Loss in Women?

Woman's Hair Loss

A person’s activities, diet, medications, natural hormones and childbirth, use of birth control pills, improper hair care and certain diseases can contribute to hair loss.

By: Natasha Morgan

Baby-boomer women have enough changes in their physical appearance without the added burden of hair loss. In my search for solutions I contacted the experts over at Bosley, a hair restoration firm with offices all over the U.S. and Mexico, who provided me with some answers to my questions about hair loss.

What causes hair loss in women?

Hair loss or baldness is a genetic trait, but how much of it is genetic, varies from one individual to another. Hair loss with genetic predisposition is called “androgenetic alopecia.”

Factors such as a person’s activities, diet, medications, natural hormones and childbirth, use of birth control pills, improper hair care and certain diseases can contribute to hair loss, but these factors may affect an individual more than another. While chemical treatments, pollution, hair-styling products and blow-drying have not been found to directly cause hair loss, they can dry and weaken hair, increasing breakage and perpetuating hair loss.

Are there some hair products worse than others?

There are a couple of hair products that could cause hair damage and escalated hair loss, if used excessively. One is hair dye, especially one with bleach ingredients. The harsh chemicals that most hair dyes contain can dry the hair strands excessively, result in split ends and ultimately cause some hair loss in many people.

The other is Perms”also known as a permanent curl.  Hair loss from a perm occurs when the solution is left on the hair too long, when too much solution is used, or when the chemicals in the solution are too strong for the individual’s hair type. Hair damage from perms is more prevalent if the hair wasn’t in good condition in the first place.

Are there other factors that cause hair loss?

The lack of good blood circulation to the scalp may also contribute to hair loss. When the hair root is well supplied with blood it is stronger and less susceptible to the shrinking effects caused by hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone).

Good blood flow strengthens and rejuvenates the small blood vessels in the scalp. Stronger blood vessels Increases the longevity of the hair follicles specially in thinning areas and encourages hair growth.

Finally, you cannot fight the effects of aging. As you age, your hairs tend to break more easily, and hair follicles do not grow as much hair.

Does hair loss occur primarily in older women or can younger women suffer from it?

In women, hair loss usually begins at menopause. Although hair loss in females normally occurs after the age of 50 or even later when it does not follow events like pregnancy, chronic illness, crash diets, stress among others, there has been rare cases reported, in which hair loss affects women as young as 15 or 16.

The balding process and rate vary with each person. Whether it is slow or rapid, the individual would usually notice. Hair loss tends not to be something people ignore.

What suggestions can the hair loss experts offer to give hope to women suffering from hair loss?
Visit us in two weeks for the answer to this and other questions on hair loss.

* Please keep in mind that hair loss and its treatments are medical considerations. And with everything of the medical nature, you and your readers should seek the opinions of your qualified physicians.