Women's Hair Loss

Overview

Hair loss is not a condition that's limited to men. Women can experience everything from thinning hair to baldness as the result of a variety of medical conditions. Although rare, women can begin to develop thinning hair and hair loss as early as their teenage years.

Hair loss can be a difficult experience. Many women spend hours on their hair as part of their daily beauty regimen. Hair loss can cause women to feel upset and unattractive.

Hair loss can be experienced in stages. A woman might experience thinning, or she might start losing hair to the extent that she is going bald.

Causes

Human hair growth is cyclic, and for the most part, some hair loss is natural. All women will lose some hair during her daily hair care routine. The extent to which a woman will lose hair is different for everyone. Some women will lose more hair than others. In general, limited hair loss and thinning should not be a cause for worry.

The human hair cycle can be divided into three phases. The first part is when the hair grows. 80-90% of the hair on your head is in this phase, which lasts between two and five years. Then, the hair is in a transition state for anywhere from two to three weeks. At any given time, 1% of your hair is in this state. The final phase for hair occurs right before the hair falls out. The hair stops growing and sits until it is ready to fall out. The final stage lasts for up to four months.

Experts believe that women's hair loss occurs when hormones interact with this three-phase process. These hormones are androgens that contain testosterone, which is most prevalent in men's bodies. Women's bodies also produce testosterone in significantly smaller amounts. Testosterone will interact with proteins in hair cells. A chemical reaction occurs, and buildup occurs in the hair follicle. The affected hair follicles die or become unable to enable hair growth. Hair loss is the result.

Other causes include medical conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome and hypothyroidism. Autoimmune conditions can also cause hair growth. A doctor can identify what is causing hair loss by performing a blood or scalp test.

Patterns of Female Hair Loss

While men begin balding at the crown, women experience hair loss all over the head. Hair loss may or may not occur in patches. For men, hair loss is predictable with age. With women, the opposite is true. Hair loss in women is not linked to a parent's family history. Just because your mother went bald at 20 doesn't mean that you will too. Hair loss can affect women at any age with all kinds of family medical histories.

Treatment

There's no "out-of-the-box" treatment for women's hair loss. An accurate diagnosis is required to treat the condition. A hormone problem is not the same as a scalp problem. With some women, hormone therapy might be necessarily. Other women might need to take additional vitamins or supplements. Depending on the condition, female hair loss might be reversible. In general, conditions can be reversed within days, weeks, or months.

Hairstyles for Fine or Thinning Hair

If your hair is thinning, you probably feel alarmed and are looking for a quick fix. You probably haven't had to style fine hair before, and you're probably wondering how to keep your hair looking good.

The best advice is to start styling your hair based on how thin it is becoming. If you previously had thick hair, you won't want to style your hair the same way.

There is a difference between fine and thinning hair. Fine hair means that your strands are thin, and thinning means that you have fewer strands. In any case, you can use similar styling techniques to achieve a fuller look.

The first tip is to style your hair with as little product (gels, sprays, creams, and leave-in conditioners) as possible. Products can cause buildup and weigh hair down. With fewer styling products, you'll have better results achieving the volume that you want. Any hairstyle will look much better if you are using minimal amounts of styling product.

The second tip has to do with how you brush your hair. If you're wondering whether you should brush your hair more, the answer is: don't. Brushing your hair too much could cause more hair to fall out. Use your fingers to style whenever possible.

The third tip is to part your hair strategically. Part your hair in multiple directions so that you can cover up areas that are especially thin. If you are used to parting down the middle, remember that there is nothing wrong with trying out a side part. Use your fingers to part your hair.

Other hairstyles for fine and thinning hair include a body wave or perm. These styles will add substantial volume to fine or thinning hair.

Be careful before you use any chemicals. Some chemicals may cause your already-fine or thinning hair to fall out more. Talk to a doctor when you're choosing a hairstyle. After you talk to your doctor, talk to a stylist. If it's safe to style your hair, you could probably find a stylist who specializes in hairstyles for fine or thinning hair.