We hear a lot these days about male pattern baldness, female baldness but affects 1 in 4 women in the United States. Hair loss in women can be even more troubling than for men. Hair loss is generally accepted as a normal part of aging process in men, but this is not the case for women. Absence of a fine head of hair can be especially devastating for a woman to self-esteem.
Hereditary thinning, also called alopecia, accounts for 95% of female hair loss. While many women think that using a hair dryer, hot rollers, flat irons or may be the cause of hair loss, it is simply not the case. Hair treatments aggressive or rough handling can cause hairs to break close to the scalp, but this is only temporary and can cause long term hair loss.
If you have thinning hair or excessive hair loss, the first thing to check is the possibility of a hormonal imbalance.
Childbirth can cause sudden hair loss. Usually about three months after birth giving women experience excessive hair loss. This is caused by hormones and, if it can be alarming if you were not expecting it, it's nothing to worry. In fact, it's just your hair back to normal. During pregnancy the part of your normal cycle of hair growth where more hair is shed to make room for new growth is retarded by high levels of hormones. After giving birth and your hormones start to readjust it, the extra hair is shed to make room for new growth.
Another hormonal factor that can cause hair loss in women is a thyroid imbalance. A thyroid over or under active can cause thinning hair. Output of estrogen balance is another culprit. However, with these two conditions, once the hormonal imbalance is corrected, the hair loss should stop. If you suspect a hormonal imbalance is causing your hair loss, talk with your doctor.
Other factors affecting hair loss are extreme or gain, illness, high fever, or drug use.
The biggest factor in female hair loss, however, is menopause. Before menopause only about 13% of women experience thinning hair. After menopause that number jumps to 37%. The reasons are twofold. Hormones during menopause many women are everywhere, and, as we have seen, a hormonal imbalance may be an important factor in hair loss women. In addition, many women begin to take extra hormones during or after menopause, such as progesterone. Progesterone inhibits the development of new hair follicles make the problem worse.
But why some women experience thinning hair while others keep their hair in their 90? As with men, some women have a genetic predisposition. What is genetically determined is the level of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme is responsible for the conversion of testosterone, a male hormone present in small amounts in females, and in dihydrotestostrone or DHT, the ultimate culprit in hair loss for men and women.
The good news is that there is much you can do to prevent and even reverse hair loss just by giving your body the right cradle.
In shopping for a product to prevent and reverse thinning hair, there are certain key ingredients to look for:
- Vitamin B6 is the head of the list. Studies have shown that B6 promotes hair growth and prevents hair loss. You want to be sure you're pretty.
- Biotin is simply food for your hair. It helps promote healthy skin, hair and nails. Biotin deficiency, however, has been shown to cause hair loss.
- Magnesium is absolutely essential for hair growth and studies show that most women do not get enough in their diet.
- Horsetail promotes good blood circulation to the scalp that stimulates hair growth. Did your mother ever tell you to brush your hair a hundred strokes before bed each night? The old wives tale "has some truth to it. The action of brushing stimulates the scalp which supply blood to the hair follicles. Horsetail does the same thing.
- Or para-aminobenzoic acid, PABA is also important to hair growth and health. It can even, in some cases a return gray hair to its original color!
Hair loss can be very distressing for women. Fortunately, unlike men, we generally little experience a general thinning and not bald will find ourselves in big spots and prominently placed - to take the heart and then do something. If you have ruled out a hormonal imbalance, thyroid dysfunction, or hair loss due to sudden illness or weight fluctuations, chances are your thinning hair is genetic. But that does not mean you have to live with it. Find a quality supplement that will nourish your hair from the inside and correct deficiencies that lead to female pattern baldness. You can expect many years of beautiful hair.