Causes of Hair Loss in Women

If you're a woman and you're losing your hair, an illness or a medical condition could be the cause. Find out what's behind female hair loss.

Women are losing their hair and going bald at an alarming rate. Approximately 30 million women in the United States are losing their hair. This hair-loss problem is being seen in younger women — and more women overall — every day. But what causes women to lose their hair? Here are a number of causes and medical conditions at the root of women’s hair loss.

Your hair-growth cycle is out of balance, which causes hair loss.
Hair grows about a half inch per month. Each hair goes through different phases lasting a total of two to six years. That includes periods of growth and rest before it falls out and the hair follicle below grows a new strand of hair. But some women who have a genetic factor that makes them susceptible to hair loss do not experience this normal hair-growth process. For these women, hormones called androgens interfere and throw off the cycle.

Pregnancy and childbirth can cause hair loss in women.
Many women experience a temporary hair-loss problem about three months after childbirth known as telogen effluvium — a change in the natural hair-growth cycle that often follows childbirth. This usually corrects itself in a few months.

Hormonal issues can cause hair loss in women.
Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. If your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, your hair may fall out. This hair loss usually can be remedied by treating the thyroid disease. Hair loss may also occur if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance. Correcting the hormonal imbalance may stop your hair loss.

Medication can cause hair loss in women.
Some medicines can cause hair loss. This type of hair loss improves when you stop taking the medicine. Medicines that can cause hair loss include blood thinners (also called anticoagulants), medications used for gout, chemotherapy agents used to treat cancer, vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills, and antidepressants.

Infections can cause hair loss in women.
Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children. The infection is easily treated with antifungal medicines.

Autoimmune and other chronic diseases can cause hair loss in women.
Lupus or diabetes, among other illnesses, can cause hair loss in women. Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important to find the cause so that it can be treated.

Poor eating habits can cause hair loss in women.
Crash dieting can cause a woman’s hair to fall out. Restoring normal eating patterns will not help hair regrow but may stop the loss.

Emotional strain often causes hair loss in women.
Some women experience hair loss as a result of a traumatic emotional event. A death in the family, divorce, becoming the caretaker for a loved one with a serious illness, or extreme anxiety alone can cause women to lose their hair. The old adage that worrying makes your hair fall out has some truth to it!

Menopause can cause hair loss in women.
Among all the other side effects of menopause, hair loss is one of the most common.

Hair loss in women is not uncommon and can sometimes be reversed when an underlying condition is identified and treated. If you suspect that one or more of the conditions above may be causing you to lose hair, contact your doctor or dermatologist to get to the root of problem.

Is it Time for Hair Loss Shampoo?

If you have dull and thinning hair like me, then it’s probably time to use a hair loss shampoo. I fought using one for years but kept seeing more and more of my hair going down the drain. I thought that only older people lost their hair, and being in my mid-40s, I considered the idea that I needed hair loss shampoo absurd. But as more and more of my scalp started to show through my locks, I knew that no matter what, I needed to do something about it.

As you may know, there are lots of hair loss shampoos that promise to restore your hair to its natural fullness and luster. As I’ve found out, most don’t really work, and I’ve been left with both unused shampoo bottles and thinning hair. Before you rush out and start your own search, I highly recommend organic hair loss shampoo for it hasn’t any harsh chemicals that can damage your hair.

An excellent hair loss shampoo is , $9.79, available online. Not only is this hair loss shampoo made from organic, natural ingredients, it’s also environmentally safe. The shampoo adds shine back to your hair and thickens it to boot. The natural ingredients leave hair feeling clean without stripping natural oils. After the first wash, you should notice a softer, fuller feel to your hair. I like to follow it with the , $10.49, also available online, to give my hair a good defense against heat styling.

While we can’t prevent hair loss, we can at least reduce the appearance of thinning hair with a good hair loss shampoo. There are a lot of them out there, but in my opinion, an organic shampoo is best. Your hair deserves the best care it can get.

Hair Loss: The Stress Connection

From crash diets to the death of a loved one, severe stress can make you lose your hair. The good news: It's probably only temporary.

Stress can bring on a whole host of health problems, from headaches to high blood pressure. But did you know that stress can also cause hair loss? While it’s a common myth that stress causes permanent hair loss, according to the American Hair Loss Council, many experts agree that stress can have a temporary effect on the hair, resulting in excessive shedding or unsightly bald spots. Forget about a bad hair day — stress-induced hair loss can cause bad-hair months!

Before you start stressing out about stress’s effect on your hair, keep in mind that most of us deal with everyday stress — whether it’s caused by a work deadline or a fight with a friend — without ever noticing a negative effect on our hair. Rather, it’s severe physical or emotional stress that tends to cause hair loss.

There are two common forms of stress-induced hair loss:

Telogen effluvium. According to MayoClinic.com, telogen effluvium is the most common form of stress-induced hair loss. It can result from nutritional deficiencies caused by a crash diet, surgery, a high fever, or a death in the family. This condition can also be caused by other factors, such as hormonal changes that result from pregnancy or the use of birth control pills.

With telogen effluvium, stress causes a larger-than-average number of hairs to shift out of the growth, or anagen, phase all at once and enter the resting, or telogen, phase of the normal hair-growth cycle. The hair then falls out several months later. (If you’re trying to figure out why you’re suddenly losing handfuls of hair each time you shampoo, it might help to think back on your state of mind a few months ago.) While it’s normal for us to shed up to 100 strands of hair a day out of the roughly 100,000 most of us have on our head, telogen effluvium causes excessive shedding. The condition is generally temporary, but it can take several months for hair to grow back after the cause of the stress has been reduced or eliminated.

Alopecia areata is another type of hair loss that can be caused by intense stress, according to MayoClinic.com. With alopecia areata, the body’s immune system attacks affected hair follicles and stops the hair-growth stage, says Dr. Craig Ziering, a hair transplantation specialist and the founder and medical director of Ziering Medical in Beverly Hills. Unlike the excessive shedding associated with telogen effluvium, alopecia areata tends to cause small, round, bald patches on the scalp and can progress to total scalp-hair loss (which is called alopecia totalis) or total body-hair loss (alopecia universalis).

Unfortunately, the stress that most women feel when they realize they’re losing their hair by the handful or sporting bald patches only worsens the problem. So it’s important to work on developing coping mechanisms to reduce stress, Dr. Ziering says. (We know — it’s easier said than done. But a few yoga classes can’t hurt.)

The hair-happy news about stress-induced hair loss is that when you reduce or eliminate the stress, the hair tends to grow back. So relax, grab a hat, and wait for those good-hair days to come again.

Home > Hair Care > Hair Care Tips > Natural Hair Loss Remedies

advertisement

the buzz

• Natural Herbal Remedy to Lower High Blood Pressure!
  
• Product Review: Youth Corridor Skin-Care Products
  
• Test Your Beauty IQ!
  I got a bit below average, guess it's a good ...
• read more

advertisement

expert advice

• Catch My Satellite Media Tour!
  Be sure to tune in to my satellite media tour ...
• Are you ready for your close up?
  As a professional makeup artist, I need to always be ...
• How to Look for a New Hair Stylist
  Looking for a new stylist can be challenging — even ...
• read more

questions and answers

• Preventing skin darkening and glowing dark skin with natural remedies and skin care tips: I am having brown complexion with fair cheeks. Rest of the part is dar
  First you need to determine whether white patches have developed ...
• Aging Skin Care: I will be 50 this year, can you give me some skin care tips to care for it?
  Aging Skin Care TipsAging skin is generally extremely delicate and ...
• Regular skin care, which includes cleansing, exfoliation, and moisturizing is a good remedy to get fair skin: Tips to get fair complexion.
  The only thing you can do to get a fair ...
• read more

Hair Care Tips

Natural Hair Loss Remedies

When it comes to strengthening hair and even preventing hair loss, a natural remedy could be right for you.

If you’re suffering from hair loss, hightail it to a medical professional. But a recommendation for Rogaine or a prescription drug may not be what the doctor orders. When it comes to hair loss, there are many different types, causes, and treatments. Anything from heredity (thanks, Mom!) and hormones to extreme stress and crash dieting may cause excessive shedding of hair or bald spots. If a deficiency in certain nutrients is your hair-loss culprit, a natural remedy for hair loss may be in order: better nutrition.

Certainly, popping a handful of vitamins (or even eating right) doesn’t mean you won’t ever lose your hair or that already thinning hair will suddenly grow lush and full. But “having a healthy diet is fundamental to good health in general, and if you have hair loss, you should check for nutritional deficiencies,” says Ted Daly, M.D., director of Garden City Dermatology in Garden City, Long Island. Certain nutritional deficiencies can be responsible for hair loss, so correcting those deficiencies can help address the problem of thinning hair.

According to Dr. Daly, the following nutritional supplements may be helpful for women with certain types of hair loss:

• Biotin
• Lysine
• Iron
• Zinc
• Vitamin B-12

Consult with a medical professional before treating yourself with any of these supplements (after all, your hair loss may not be due to a nutritional deficiency). And getting too much of certain vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, can actually cause hair loss, so it’s important not to overdo any one nutrient.

Testing for a deficiency of iron in particular can be helpful because anemia can cause hair loss. In addition, Dr. Daly recommends being tested for celiac disease, which he says can also cause hair loss. In such cases, a gluten-free diet may solve the problem.

In general, it’s best to get nutrients not from supplements but rather from a healthy, varied diet that’s rich in the following:

• Protein — good sources include lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products, or vegetarian sources like beans and soy
• Iron — good sources include lean red meat, beans, egg yolks, seaweed, and dark leafy greens
• Zinc — good sources include lean red meat, poultry, and fortified cereals
• B vitamins — good sources include lean red meat and whole grains
• Essential fatty acids — one good source is avocado

Along with nutrition, certain herbs, such as stinging nettle, can also strengthen the hair and help prevent hair loss, says Fred Lisanti, a licensed naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist at Integrative Med Solutions in Eastchester, New York. However, Dr. Lisanti recommends consulting an experienced practitioner before treating yourself with herbs.

“Hair is an indicator of blood quality in Eastern medicine,” Dr. Lisanti says. “Strengthening and preventing hair loss can be treated by improving blood quality and strengthening the vital organs involved: the spleen, pancreas, and kidneys.” Seaweeds like hijiki, arame, and wakame are all rich in blood-building iron, he adds.

In many cases, thinning hair can be helped, so ask your doctor if any of these natural remedies are right for you.

Losing Hair: What Can You Do?

By Darla Ferrara

Losing hair can be a frightening concept. On average, a person will lose 50 to 100 hair strands a day. This is the normal process of loss and regeneration; it is not a sign that you are going bald. Your scalp can hold about 100,000 hairs, so in the grand scheme, 100 strands does not have a huge effect. Hair loss is a gradual process. True balding is not about losing hair, it is about failing to regrow it.

Hair Regeneration Cycle

Each healthy hair stays put for several years. Eventually, hair always falls out and the follicle usually begins to produce a new one. For some people, the hair cycle changes. Hair grows, but once it falls out, new strands may not appear. This is the beginning of baldness.

Causes of Hair Loss

The most common reason you may begin losing hair is genetics. Pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia, is an inherited trait that kicks in as you age. The normal hair cycle is disrupted, and hair starts to fall out sooner. New hair strands grow back weaker, and thinning becomes apparent. Eventually, hair regeneration stops completely. If there is a history of baldness in your family, then there is a chance that you have this genetic trait. Gender is not necessarily a factor; pattern baldness can occur in both men and women.

Physical trauma and illness can affect hair growth as well. is scarring of hair follicles. The tissue becomes inflamed and becomes damaged to the point that hair can no longer grow. This trauma is often a sign of chronic illness such as lupus. Another form of hair loss occurs due to emotional trauma. This is often temporary and tends to correct itself over time.

Poor nutrition can make you bald. Fad diets, fasting, and sudden weight loss all contribute to the problem. The yo-yo diet syndrome is hard on your body and your hair.

Medication can trigger the change too. Drugs for cancer, birth control, high blood pressure, heart disease, and gout alter hair growth patterns.

What Can You Do to Stop Losing Hair?

If the loss is genetic, your options are limited. A dermatologist can point to the right treatment for you. Over-the-counter or prescription products containing minoxidil have shown some promise in triggering new growth. The key is not to treat the hair loss, but to find a way to encourage regrowth in the hair that remains.

A healthy lifestyle will go a long way to improving your situation.

• Eat a balanced diet. If you want to lose weight, do it by cutting portions and exercising. Fad diets and detoxifying programs are hair killers.
• Take good care of your hair. Cut back on processing such as coloring. Let hair air dry whenever possible. Do what you can to preserve the life span of the hair strands.
• See a hair stylist for advice on the best way to utilize the hair you have to cover up thinning spots. Choose a proactive style. Genetic hair loss is not likely to reverse itself. Start looking for fashionable ways to improve your look, such as a new cut or even a wig.

The Emotional Effects of Hair Loss on Women

How to deal with the emotional impact of hair loss

None of us want to lose our hair, but for some people, hair loss can cut particularly deep. This can be especially true for women, who often don’t expect to face the issue of thinning hair. Whether you simply don’t like your hair loss or find it devastating to your self-esteem, there are ways to make your thinning hair less difficult to bear. Here are a few tips to help you feel better about it.

Recognize that hair loss in women is not as well known as hair loss in men. We hear all about men's bald spots and hair loss, but few people know that hair loss can be nearly as common among women. You may find fewer informational web sites and support groups dedicated to your plight, and fewer products on the market to help you regrow your hair or deal with the effects of your hair loss.

Remember that a woman’s self-esteem is often more tied to her looks. Our society places a high premium on looks and a youthful appearance — especially for women. And thinning hair can make a woman feel less attractive and older than her years, which can provoke all sorts of negative emotions affecting self-esteem. Try to focus on your internal and external strengths — not on your hair loss.

Keep in mind that hair loss may be temporary. Many of the conditions that cause hair loss — thyroid problems, side effects of medical treatments like chemotherapy, post pregnancy hormonal shifts, and even hairdos that are too tight — produce only temporary loss that can be reversed with the right medication or with time. Knowing that your hair will come back when you’re put on the proper medication, or after a medical treatment ends, or once the hormonal shifts of pregnancy settle down, or when you stop putting your hair in tight ponytails and braids could help you deal with the psychological impact of the hair loss a little bit better.

Take a proactive approach. Look for ways to fight the hair loss and to mask its effects while you’re waiting for your hair to regrow. Many types of hair loss respond well to minoxidil (brand name Rogaine), and many hair care lines feature various serums, shampoos, and conditioners that may help boost hair growth and make the hair you have appear thicker. While you’re waiting for your hair to start growing back, look into hair extensions or small falls that you can add to your hair to give it a thicker, lusher appearance. In addition, hair accessories like hats and wide headbands can be used to mask hair loss. They may make you feel more confident about your appearance and more accepting of your hair loss.

Will laser therapy for hair loss really work?

Will laser therapy for hair loss really work?
Maybe. One of four things can occur if you try laser therapy.

• No change: No stopping or slowing of hair loss; no hair regrowth.
• Stabilization: Your hair loss will slow considerably or stop altogether, but no new hair will grow in.
• Restoration of hair: Your hair loss will stop, and your existing hair will appear more healthy — thicker and fuller.
• Regrowth of hair: Your hair loss will stop, your existing hair will appear healthier, and you will see the growth of healthy new hair.

Maybe. One of four things can occur if you try laser therapy.

• No change: No stopping or slowing of hair loss; no hair regrowth.
• Stabilization: Your hair loss will slow considerably or stop altogether, but no new hair will grow in.
• Restoration of hair: Your hair loss will stop, and your existing hair will appear more healthy — thicker and fuller.
• Regrowth of hair: Your hair loss will stop, your existing hair will appear healthier, and you will see the growth of healthy new hair.

Laser Therapy for Hair Loss

Hair loss is a common problem, and people are always looking for a way to make it stop. Aging, genetics, medications, and even stress can cause our hair to fall out, and often the hair that grows back in is damaged — or no new hair grows in at all. Laser therapy for hair loss is one of the latest “cures” you may have heard about. Some say it not only stops hair from falling out but encourages the growth of healthy new hair. While laser therapy may work in some cases, though, it may have no effect in others. Here is everything you need to know about laser therapy for hair loss.

What is laser therapy for hair loss?
Laser therapy is a nonsurgical treatment for hair loss. It has been medically tested and is approved by the FDA for safety and effectiveness.

Laser therapy for hair loss is administered by means of a device containing 110 to 160 therapeutic soft-low-light-level lasers. The scientific principle is called photo-bio-stimulation; laser light stimulates cell metabolism to help damaged cells repair themselves. Some laser therapy devices can be used at home; other laser therapies must be administered at a doctor’s office.

Factors for Hair Loss

Over the past several years, dermatologists have made some interesting statistical findings that explain the pattern of hair loss. Curiously enough, the phenomenon of falling hair is proven to be related to the rate of hair growth, length of the hair, age and even the colour of hair.

It is normal to shed from fifty to eighty strands of hair a day. It is normal for each of those hairs to be replaced by the hard-working follicles. On any given day, about 90 per cent hair are in the growing stage. This period lasts for about 1000 days. Ten per cent of hair is in the resting stage which lasts for about 100 days before the follicles eventually grow out.

Interestingly, the fall-out occurs mostly in the morning. This fact remains unexplained. The length of hair is an important factor in hair loss. The four-inch long hair loses on an average eighty seven hairs a day; the 12-inch long hair loses about twenty six hairs a day and 20-inch plus long hair loses as little as sixteen hairs a day on an average. The longer the hair, the less is the hair loss.

Hair grows on an average of 6 inches a year, and shortfall in the normal hair growth is accompanied with a hair loss too. Apart from the day-to-day loss, we shed more than usual hair during six periods of our life from birth to age three; at ten, at twenty-two, around the age of twenty-six, at thirty six and around fifty-four. This happens due to hormonal changes that occur in our bodies during these periods of our lives.

The maximum hair growth on women occurs between the ages of fifteen to thirty. There are some other findings which the cosmetologists and dermatologists are currently investigating. It is felt that as and when these findings are credibly proven, the problem of hair loss would be better understood and its cure more possible.

Common Reasons for Hair Loss

Why are you losing your hair? Because there are a number of reasons people experience hair loss, the question can be difficult to answer. — sometimes gradual, sometimes sudden — occurs in both women and men, and it can have devastating effects on self-esteem and mood. Hair grows in cycles, and these cycles change. Hair grows, stops, rests, sheds, and ideally, is replaced by new hair. But when your hair follicles rest more than they are replaced, your hair loss becomes apparent. Many factors, both internal and external, can cause you to lose your hair. Here are the most common reasons.

Age
Are you between 20 and 50 years old? This is prime time for hair loss. And as you age, the loss becomes more and more noticeable. Not everyone loses significant amounts of hair as they age — those who do are usually genetically predisposed to do so.

Chemical Hair Treatments
Have you subjected your hair to multiple colorings, straightening procedures, permanents, or other chemical treatments? Over time, such treatments can damage hair and cause it to fall out faster than it regrows.

Medications
A wide variety of medications cause harmful side effects, including hair loss. Such drugs include antidepressants, contraceptive (birth control) pills, amphetamines, certain arthritis medications, certain antibiotics, some blood thinners, certain ulcer drugs medications, and beta-blockers used to treat high blood pressure.

Cancer Treatments
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy usually lose all of their hair. These cancer treatments halt the growth phase of hair follicles. The result is sudden loss of hair in large quantities, as all the follicles shed their hair simultaneously. A patient can go from having a full head of hair to being completely bald in a matter of weeks. The good news is that hair grows back after the chemotherapy and radiation treatments have ended, when it often looks quite different — and even better than before.

Hormonal Imbalance
Hormones perform a delicate balancing act throughout our lives, not always successfully. If the male and female hormones — androgens and estrogens — become unbalanced, hair loss can result.

Thyroid Disease
An overactive or underactive thyroid gland can cause hair loss. If you're experiencing hair loss and you've ruled out any other factors that could be responsible for it,see your doctor and have your thyroid checked.

Severe Infections, Illnesses, and Autoimmune Diseases
Hair loss is often a side effect of serious illness. Diseases that can be accompanied by hair loss include fungal infections of the scalp, diabetes, and lupus.

Alopecia
is an immune system disorder that causes hair follicles to stop producing hairs. It can affect not only the hair on your head but all body hair.

Menopause
The cessation of menstruation, and the drastic shifts in hormones that occur, can cause women to lose their hair. These hormone changes also cause thinning of hair.

Poor Circulation
Poor blood flow to the scalp, blood that's deficient in nutrients, and poor drainage of waste products through the lymphatic systems can all cause hair loss.

Pregnancy
Three to six months after the birth of a baby, it's not uncommon for new mothers to notice that they have less hair. The hair settles into a resting phase, during which new hair isn't produced, because of the pregnancy's physiological impact on the body.

Behavior
You can lose your hair if you pull on it constantly, a behavior that can be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder (hair pulling is a common symptom of OCD). Or you may simply be overstyling your hair in tight braids and ponytails, or using curling irons and rollers too much.

Stress and Nervous Disorders
Sudden or severe stress can cause your hair to stop growing and even to fall out. This may occur long after the stressful situation or event has passed.

These are some of the many common reasons for hair loss, but there are others. Talk to your doctor to determine what might be causing your hair loss and to find out what can be done to restore hair growth.

Hot Oil Massage for Hair Loss

Massages not only feel good, they are good for you. Indeed, massage can help to relieve sore muscles and spasms, reduce tension, and heal injuries. Hot oil massage can also work wonders for Why? One immediate result of massage is increased blood circulation throughout the body, which enriches skin with essential nutrients. The same holds true for your scalp and hair. In fact, hot oil massage has been shown to have a significant effect on hair growth, which is what you need more of if you’re losing hair too quickly. A good scalp massage actively circulates blood to your scalp, bringing nutrients to the hair follicles. When massage is paired with the proper oil, hair becomes moisturized and strong while the scalp gets extra conditioning.

Many oils work well for scalp massage, including jojoba, olive, coconut, or any other herbal oil.

Here’s one easy home recipe for hair massage oil:

• 1 tablespoon warm olive or jojoba oil
• 1 tablespoon warm honey
• Several drops of liquid herbal saw palmetto, sage, and rosemary (for dark hair) or lemon (for light hair) teaspoon cinnamon

For a real treat, have someone else massage your scalp with hot oil. Of course, this can be difficult to arrange on a daily basis, and you should plan on massaging hair with hot oil once a day for 5 to 10 minutes. So here’s how to give yourself a hot oil massage.

• Warm the oil by pouring some in a small bowl and placing the bowl over a dish of hot water. Check the temperature of the oil with your fingers before applying to hair and scalp. It should be warm, not hot. Apply the oil to your scalp by parting different sections of your hair and spreading through the roots with your fingers. When your scalp is covered in oil, you’re ready to begin the massage.
• Begin rubbing and kneading your scalp right at the center of the hairline above the forehead. Glide your fingers over your scalp in a circular motion and apply medium pressure to the base of your head.
• Next, concentrate on the sides. Massage the temples and press your fingers around to your neck.
• Use your fingernails to help stimulate blood flow. Every few seconds, gently scratch your scalp from front to back with your fingernails, creating lines on the whole surface of your head. You should feel a pleasing warmth as blood rushes to the scalp and skin.
• Press your fingertips firmly on both sides of your head just above your ears. Next, push the skin on your scalp up toward the top of your head, then inward, and then back down. Your skin will likely feel tight, but after a week of this practice you should see a greater elasticity in the skin.
• Try tugging your hair as a form of scalp massage. Bend your head forward so that your hair falls in front of your face, then grab a large lock of hair right at the scalp and pull. Release and pull again. Be firm, but not rough. Your goal is to stimulate hair growth, not pull the hair out.

Hot oil massages for hair loss feel terrific and stimulate hair growth. Soon you’ll grow more hair than you’re losing.