How to Treat Female Hair Loss

• by Julia

Introduction

• According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 40% of women have visible hair loss by the age of 40. While hair loss in men is a widely-recognized phenomenon, women have largely "suffered in silence."

• Because hair is such a potent cultural symbol, representing femininity and sexuality, losing it can be a devastating experience for a woman. Fortunately, there are treatments that can help prevent further hair loss and encourage new growth.

When to See a Doctor

• The Mayo Clinic recommends that you talk to your doctor if you notice "sudden or patchy hair loss or more than usual hair loss when combing or washing your hair."^[1]

• Unlike male hair loss, which is most often the result of hereditary male pattern baldness, the cause of female hair loss is much more difficult to pin down.^[2] It can be temporary, resulting from a short-term event like pregnancy, but it might indicate the onset of a more serious and longer-lasting condition.^[3] It is likely that your doctor will run a battery of tests, including a scalp sample and blood work, to eliminate certain hair loss triggers.^[4]

• Be prepared to answer the following questions to help your doctor make his or her diagnosis:

1. How would you characterize your hair loss? (Thinning at the scalp, noticeably shedding all over, etc.)
2. How long has the hair loss been happening?
3. What is your immediate family's history with hair loss?
4. What are your hairstyling habits? (Chemical treatments, pulling it tightly, using a curling iron, etc.)
5. Have you had any recent illnesses?
6. What medications are you taking?
7. What is your diet like?

Causes of Hair Loss

• Hair loss is an interruption of the hair's normal growth cycle. A strand of hair grows at a rate of approximately 1/2 inch per month. It grows for two to six years, rests and then falls out. A new strand grows to replace it. This cycle continues in a random pattern of growth and shedding. If the cycle is interrupted and shedding starts to occur synchronously, you encounter hair loss.^[5]

• According to Dr. Judith Reichman, "A shock to the body’s system, which stresses the hair follicles, is often to blame for this change in cyclical hair events."^[6] These "shocks" may include:

1. Sudden hormone change
2. Birth of a baby
3. Discontinuing birth control pills
4. Acute trauma (surgery, physical or psychological trauma)
5. Severe dieting
6. Under- or overactive thyroid
7. Chemotherapy
8. Diseases (diabetes, lupus, etc.)
9. Medications (blood pressure medication, anti-depressants, etc.)
10. Fungal infections (ringworm, syphilis, etc.)

Can How You Style Your Hair Cause Hair Loss?

• According to Dr. Judith Reichman, repeatedly pulling your hair into a tight ponytail or using extensions can cause some hair loss from the temple area.^[7] If it goes untreated, it can cause permanent damage to the hair follicle.^[8] Perms and dyes can cause the hair shaft to break, but once the chemical treatment has stopped, the root portion typically grows back.^[9]

• Hair loss expert Dr. Ted Daly says, "Damage from hair care products or procedures generally causes breakage—which is not the same as hair loss that occurs at the level of the hair follicle—so it's rare that anything you can put on your hair is going to increase the risk of hair loss."^[10]

Types of Hair Loss

• There are several different types of female hair loss or alopecia.

• Androgenetic Alopecia
• Diffuse thinning on all areas of the scalp caused by a hormone imbalance.

• From Web MD: "Androgenic alopecia in women is due to the action of androgens, male hormones that are typically present in only small amounts. Androgenic alopecia can be caused by a variety of factors tied to the actions of hormones, including some ovarian cysts, taking high androgen index birth control pills, pregnancy, and menopause."^[11]

• Telogen Effluvium
• Hair loss which results from a traumatic event during which more than the normal percentage of hair shifts into a synchronous resting or "telogen" phase. Handfuls of hair can be lost at one time during full-blown telogen effluvium.

• From WebMD: "For most who suffer with this, complete remission is probable as long as severely stressful events can be avoided. For some women, however, telogen effluvium is a mysterious chronic disorder and can persist for months or even years without any true understanding of the triggering factors or stressors."^[12]

• Anagen Effluvium
• Hair loss that occurs when the hair follicle's "cellular-level mitotic or metabolic activity" is affected. This type of hair loss is most commonly associated with chemotherapy.

• From WebMD: "Soon after chemotherapy begins, approximately 90% or more of hairs in the anagen phase can fall out."^[13]

• Alopecia Areata
• A patchy shedding of hair caused by an inflammatory reaction when a person's immune system attacks hair follicle roots.

• From WebMD: "About 70% of patients recover their hair within two years, whether or not they receive treatment."^[14]

• Traction Alopecia
• Localized trauma to the hair follicles caused by pulling hair tightly over time.

• From WebMD: "If the condition is detected early enough, the hair will regrow. Braiding, cornrows, tight ponytails, and extensions are the most common styling causes of traction alopecia."^[15]

Hair Loss Treatments

• Once your dermatologist or another medical specialist has diagnosed the cause of your hair loss, he or she will recommend a treatment. Some of the most common treatments for female hair loss may include:

1. Corticoid steroids: Given as a pill, topical ointment or local injection.^[16]
2. Minoxidil: Over-the-counter topical preparation known by the brand name Rogaine.^[17]
3. Topical sensitizers: When applied to scalp, can stimulate the hair follicles.^[18]
4. Oral Contraceptives: Low androgen index birth control pills.^[19]
5. Anthralin: Also known as Dritho-Scalp and available as a cream or topical ointment.^[20]

• For a more complete list and description of therapies, visit one of the following medical sites:

1. American Hair Loss Association: Women's Hair Loss: Treatment
2. WedMD: Hair Loss In Women: Treatments That Work
3. MayoClinic.com: Hair Loss: Treatment

Natural Treatments for Hair Loss

• According to dermatologist Dr. Michael Reed, what you eat may not put hair on your head, but it can help the hair you have remain healthier longer. Some of the foods recommended by Dr. Reed and NYU Medical Center nutritionist Dr. Samantha Heller for promoting good hair health include:

1. Foods that are high in protein, low in carbohydrates and have a reduced fat content.^[21]
2. Essential fatty acids, found in foods like walnuts, canola oil and fish.^[22]
3. Iron-rich foods like broccoli or brewer's yeast.^[23]
4. Foods containing vitamin B12 like eggs, meat, and poultry.^[24]

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Resources for How to Treat Female Hair Loss

• American Hair Loss Association: Women's Hair Loss
• Women's Hair Loss Project: Women's Hair Loss Community
• WebMD: Hair Loss in Women
• WebMD: Types of Hair Loss in Women
• WebMD: Women and Hair Loss: The Causes
• WebMD: Hair Loss Solutions for Women
• WebMD: Hair Loss - Exams and Tests
• WebMD: Treating Hair Loss Naturally
• MayoClinic.com: Hair Loss
• MSNBC: Getting to the root of female hair loss (August 14, 2006)
• MSNBC: The root of the problem: Coping with hair loss (August 14, 2006)
• About.com: Hair Loss in Women  

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