Hair loss is relatively common in women with about 30% experiencing at least some degree of thinning in their lifetime. Because female hair loss tends to be diffuse (less hair all over), rather than showing the characteristic “patterned alopecia” of men, and the fact that the frontal hairline in women is often maintained, there is a misconception that hair loss in women is rare – but it is not.Causes of Hair Loss
Birth control pills
Women who have a genetic predisposition to suffer from Androgenic Alopecia can have it occur at a much younger age by taking birth control pills. The hormonal changes that occur trigger the onset of the Androgenic Alopecia. If a woman has a history of female pattern loss in her family she should advise her doctor before going on the pill. After the discontinuation of the pill the woman may notice that her hair begins shedding two or three months later. This may continue for six months when it usually stops. In some cases the process cannot be reversed and the woman may not regrow some of the hair that was lost.
Trichotillomania
This melodramatic name refers to the habit of pulling at hairs or twisting them, sometimes without realizing it. The scalp and eyelashes are often affected. Unlike alopecia areata patches, which are perfectly smooth, hair patches in trichotillomania show broken-off hairs. Treatment is entirely behavioral: You have to notice that you’re doing it and then stop!
Stress and some illnesses such as anemia and infections, can also lead to hair loss. Stress can lead to an increase in hormones circulating through the blood stream and can also cause problems with the body systems responsible for hair growth. Infection can disrupt the normal operations of the body’s system and cause problems with normal hair growth and patterns.
Genetic hair loss, or pattern baldness, means that we inherit a tendency to lose our hair from our parents or grandparents. The genetic programming is embedded in certain hair follicles, specifically those on the top of our heads.
It is these hair follicles that cause the common hair loss pattern: first receding temples, then thinning on the top, followed by a bald spot on the crown, and eventually no hair at all on the top of the head. Usually, hair on the sides and on the back of our head remains, even with advanced inherited pattern hair loss.
Genetic hair loss, or pattern baldness, means that we inherit a tendency to lose our hair from our parents or grandparents. The genetic programming is embedded in certain hair follicles, specifically those on the top of our heads.
It is these hair follicles that cause the common hair loss pattern: first receding temples, then thinning on the top, followed by a bald spot on the crown, and eventually no hair at all on the top of the head. Usually, hair on the sides and on the back of our head remains, even with advanced inherited pattern hair loss.
Female-Pattern Hair Loss
As women age, their hair tends to thin out, although the results are not as dramatic as they are for many men - think of your grandmother’s hair compared to your grandfather’s (if he has any). Women’s pattern of hair loss is analogous to men’s, but has several important differences. The ages we begin having hair loss are the same. A few of both sexes will begin having hair loss very early–in their twenties, but most do not note changes until the mid-thirties to forties. Women’s hair loss tends to be an even overall thinning; as opposed to men’s hair loss in which the hairline recedes and/or there is balding at the crown of the head. Women tend to lose hair on the crown and at the hairline, which is referred to as female-pattern hair loss.
Tags: hair loss hair loss in women hair loss in women causes
Related Posts
Fatal error: Call to undefined function: wp23_related_posts() in /home/healthan/public_html/wp-content/themes/bloggingpro_wr/single.php on line 158