A woman’s hair is her crowning glory, something she leans on to enhance her appearance, and a feature she uses to make a statement or build her confidence.
Unfortunately, for some women, their once luscious locks begin to thin or fall out, leaving them with noticeable hair loss.
This condition is troubling for anyone, but for women it’s particularly embarrassing and life-altering as it is not as socially acceptable for women to be seen with thinning hair as it is for men.
Thankfully, there are ways for women to counteract hair loss and promote hair regrowth. Before treating hair loss, though, it’s vital to determine what is causing the problem.
The following are the three most common culprits and if you’d like to read some of the latest studies in hair loss:
3 Reasons Women Suffer with Hair Loss
1.) Genetics
When considering hair loss and genetics or hereditary, the mind usually moves to male pattern baldness.
Unfortunately, though, women are just as susceptible to hereditary hair loss. In women, this genetic predisposition to hair loss or thinning usually causes noticeable thinning at the crown of the head. It is the most noticeable at the hair part.
This differs from men’s hair loss patterns.
Men often notice their hereditary loss right along their hairlines. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, genetic or hereditary hair loss, also called androgenetic alopecia, is the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women worldwide.
This type of hair loss happens when a person’s genetics cause their hair follicles to shrink.
Overtime, this causes them to stop growing altogether, leading to hair thinning and loss. Thankfully, there are ways to treat genetic hair loss in women. The sooner women approach the topic and treat the condition, the better the results.
Therefore, although it can be an embarrassing issue, addressing hair loss when it’s noticed will lead to a greater chance of hair regrowth.
What Can be Done to Counteract Genetic Hair Loss?
While no one can change the genes they were dealt, there are ways to treat even hereditary hair loss. In most cases, women take medications, like minoxidil, to prompt hair regrowth and reduce hair loss.
Other therapies such as laser light therapy, supplements and topical treatments have also shown promise when it comes to promoting hair growth. Often, the best results are achieved when combining various methods, producing a comprehensive approach.
Check out my #1 recommendation for laser light therapy here.
2.) Postpartum
Bringing a new life into the world is a miraculous achievement.
Unfortunately, the arrival of a precious newborn can cause postpartum related hair loss. To understand why this happens, it’s important to consider the three major life stages of hair.
First, is the growth phase, then a transitional phase. During this phase hair stops growing but doesn’t fall out. Then, the resting phase when the hair begins to fall out. Now, to explain the connection and why pregnancy and childbirth can cause hair thinning and loss:
Pregnancy puts hair growth into overdrive, causing it to grow, grow, grow. This is due to the surge of estrogen going through the body during pregnancy. Once the baby is delivered, a few months after the birth, hormone levels return to normal or average levels.
This means all that beautiful, luscious hair that grew, grew, grew during pregnancy is now going to shed away. This process is technically called telogen effuvium. Similar hair loss can also occur in women when they face an extremely stressful situation or are ill.
Therefore, the postpartum hair loss could be caused by a combination of stress and hormonal changes. After all, caring for a newborn is nothing if not stressful, even though it is the most rewarding job in the world.
What Can be Done to Counteract Postpartum Related Hair Loss?
Thankfully, postpartum related hair loss is likely temporary.
This means there really is no reason to invest in an abundance of therapies.
However, volumizing shampoos and conditioners can be helpful to improve hair volume while the process is ongoing as well as LLLT devices.
3.) A Woman’s Age: Women Over 50
Unfortunately, simply getting older can cause a woman to lose hair or experience noticeable thinning. With age comes hormonal changes and the hair growth cycle slows down. According to National Institutes of Health studies, female pattern baldness is most common once a woman reaches her 50s or 60s. In fact, is the most common reason women over 50 experience hair loss or thinning.
What Can be Done to Counteract Age Related Hair Loss?
While there is no known way to prevent age related hair loss or thinning, there are ways to treat the problem and prompt hair regrowth. Medications, topical treatments, LLLT and supplements can help reduce hair loss and restore a bit of confidence in older women.
Your Next Step…
The three issues above are all common causes of hair loss in women.
While the problem of hair loss is often considered an issue affecting men alone, there are countless women who suffer with the condition as well.
Thankfully, there are now many treatments women can utilize to treat this often embarrassing condition to regrow or thicken their hair and improve their quality of life and confidence.
Resources & References
- https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/treatment/causes/18-causes
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3944668/
- https://www.self.com/story/10-common-causes-of-hair-loss-in-women
- https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2017/reasons-for-hair-loss-in-women-fd.html