Different Factors That Cause Hair Loss In Women
Hair loss is a topic that should be discussed in the domain of men. Unfortunately, it is fast becoming a topic that we discuss every day. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), about 30 million American women are currently experiencing hair loss. Some of these women, Wilma F. Bergfeld says, can even experience "emotionally overwhelming consequences" from losing their hair. Hair loss among the male society is commonly expected and accepted, but when women begin to lose hair, the damage (normally psychological) can be more critical just like any other serious disease as it takes an emotional charge that affects their physical health. According to the American Hair Loss Association, women who experience hair loss often suffer from body image issues and self-esteem, directly affecting their feelings of attractiveness and social life.
Different Factors that cause hair loss in women
It is not abnormal for someone to feel worried about her hair. However, whether your hair is curly or straight, short or long, your hair is an expression of your attitude, personality, and lifestyle.
Studies reveal that hair and self-esteem are closely related. If you are noticing a prolonged and uncommon hair loss, then you should consider visiting your doctor. Similarly, if you are concerned about the factors that contribute to your hair loss, read nothing more but this article. There are many contributing factors of hair loss among women, but the most common ones include:
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES
Losing hair is one of the signs of vitamin D deficiency. In order to increase your intake of vitamin D, get out more! The shortage of exposure to the sun’s rays is an invitation be deficient in Vitamin D. However, if the weather is awfully rainy and cold, you can substitute the exposure to the sun's rays with a supplement. Hair loss can also occur as a result of the deficiencies of zinc, copper, and amino acid lysine. Since the hair stands are made of protein, ensure to increase your protein intake. If there is a shortage of protein in the body, the body can divert the available one to the other important bodily functions.
HORMONAL IMBALANCE
Hormones play a crucial role in women hair loss problem. As women pass through some developmental stages such as menopause, pregnancy or menstruation, there is a change in their hormonal levels which can directly affect their hair growth. Hair loss may be the most common effect, but for some women, however, there are noticeable changes in the curliness, texture, and thickness of their hair. As a matter of fact, a women’s hormones may begin to decline and lose its balance as soon as they reach 30 years and which can significantly lead to hair loss. According to the experts, this can result from excessive (DHT) conversion. Although women produce estrogen as their main hormone, DHEA, testosterone, and other androgens also occur in their body. As they reach a specific age, there might be a conversion of these androgens to DHT.
As might be expected, there are a lot of hormonal issues that can cause hair loss in women. Some of them are:
Thyroid – the gland at the front of the neck is the thyroid. If the production of the thyroid hormone by the gland is too much or not enough, there might be a change in the hair growth cycle. However, losing hair is rarely the only sign if you have a thyroid issue. Changes in the heart-rate, sensitivity to heat or cold, and weight loss or gain are some of the related symptoms.
PCOS – one of the hormonal issues related to hair loss is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Women suffering from PCOS have an associated hormonal imbalance which develops greater levels of androgens than normal. Most times, this causes hair to grow particularly on the face and body, while the hair on the head becomes thinner. Also, PCOS can lead to weight gain, acne, and ovulation problems.
Pregnancy – During pregnancy, women may notice that their hair is thicker. This is as a result of the high levels of hormones that keep stopping hairs from falling out as they normally would. Thus, after the childbirth, when hormones return to how they were before the pregnancy, some of these strands begin to fall out. This can occur at an alarming rate, but the hair would definitely return to normal.
Birth Control Pills – Although, the majority of women are ignorant of this, hair loss is one of the potential consequences of pills. Most especially common in women with a history of hair loss, the hormones in the birth control pills can cause the thinning of the hair. Often, hair loss occurs when you stop using the pill.
MEDICAL CONDITIONS
Some of the medical conditions include:
Scalp Psoriasis – When it is severe, Scalp psoriasis may lead to an increase in the shedding of hair. However, with effective treatment, hair loss from Scalp is still reversible.
Alopecia Areata – When the hair starts falling out in patches, Alopecia Areata could be the cause. It is an auto-immune disease that results when the body's immune system attacks the hair follicles by mistake. Sometimes, the damage is reversible as the patches can start growing between six months to a year. In rare cases, to be noted, most people may lose the hair on their body or head.
Folliculitis – The local inflammation of the hair follicles is called Folliculitis. Sometimes, it would appear like acne having rings of inflammation around the opening of the hair follicle. The hair falls out as the folliculitis progresses. A severe folliculitis can lead to an extreme inflammation that can permanently destroy the hair follicles. Neomycin, mycitracin, bacitracin, and other topical antibiotics can be used to treat minor folliculitis. If the infections are severe, oral antibiotics such as griseofulvin or erythromycin can be used.
HAIR PRODUCTS CONTAINING TOXIC CHEMICALS
One of the common chemicals found in almost all the shampoos available in the markets today is Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Together with its impacts on one's immune system, SLS has been reported to impede hair growth as it corrodes the hair follicles. Nevertheless, there are different shampoos that are made from natural ingredients without SLS: a very good example of this is the coconut milk shampoo. Don't over-treat the hair, go easy on the hair dye. As a result of the toxic chemicals found in many of the styling products, over-treating the hair can cause hair loss.
STRESS
Due to the roles women play in the society, it is quite common for them to pass through some stressful events every day. Stress has been reported to cause alopecia areata, and the major way to manage hair loss caused by stress is to understand stress management. Take deep breaths during the day, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly to reduce tension and stress. Ideally, you can also have a complete lifestyle modification by adjusting your priorities and managing your time wisely.
GENETICS
According to the America Academy of Dermatology, hereditary is a major contributing factor in hair loss, affecting about 30 million American women. Women in their late 50s or 60s are particularly affected, AAD reports, but it can happen even during the teenage years.
Your hair is not completely lost if you notice that you are experiencing uncommon hair loss. There is a wide variety of products for hair regrowth in the market now. These products prevent premature hair loss. It is, however, important to find the real cause of your hair loss by visiting a dermatologist.
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