1. You’re not Alone
Did you realize that 30 million American woman are affected by hair loss? That’s right; 30 million women are as freaked out as you are. It’s an unpleasant surprise that you just don’t understand. Unlike men who tend to lose their hair as they age, female hair loss can start in your late teens, especially if you went through an early puberty. If you don’t treat this kind, it can lead to more advanced hair loss in the future. Some good news, though. In more cases, female hair loss can be treated.
2. Girl, Interrupted
Your hair usually grows at a rate of a half inch per month, with each hair growing for two to six years. Then, it goes into a resting period and eventually falls out. A new strand starts to grow out of the same follicle. This cycle continues until late in life. Some women are genetically predisposed to losing their hair. They have hormones called androgens, which interfere with the cycle. An excessive buildup of a potent androgen, called DHT changes the cycle, altering the growth and resting phases of your hair. Some of your hair follicles die and others are no longer able to produce hair.
3. Not Created Equal
Female hair loss is much different than male hair loss. First off, it’s not necessarily linked to hereditary predisposition, can commonly start anytime after the age of 50 and, while men tend to experience thinning on the crown of their head or at their temples, it’s not like that for women. You probably don’t have a recognizable “female-pattern alopecia.” Women lose it in areas all over their heads. To make matters more confusing, when your hair starts falling out, you may not even realize it’s the start of female hair loss. That’s because it could be caused by pregnancy, stress or other life events and be temporary.
4. Medical Causes Common
Hormone fluctuations commonly cause hair loss. That’s why some pregnant women lose their hair. The temporary hair loss problem is called telogen effluvium. It’s a change in your hair growth caused by crash dieting, childbirth, a traumatic emotional event or surgery. You may also have an autoimmune disorder that causes a more dramatic hair loss problem called alopecia areata. Your hair comes out in patches or clumps. Other disorders such as anemia, illness, thyroid disorders and steady use of certain medications can also make your hair fall out.
5. Get to the Root of it
Specialists say you must get to the root of your hair loss problem before undergoing treatment. You don’t want to be treating it and then find out that your diagnosis was incorrect. You can start with your normal doctor but you should really see a doctor who specializes in female pattern hair loss. He should check you for underlying medical conditions with a scalp biopsy and blood tests.
