Common Causes of Hair Loss In Women

Hair loss is a common problem that affects millions of women around the world. Even though it’s common, it remains one of the most difficult issues for women to talk about. Due to society’s view on hair and beauty, hair loss can also lead to negative self esteem in many women. Just remember, female hair loss is incredibly common and is possible to manage with the right treatments. Let'd dive right in.

What is hair loss?

Hair loss refers to the thinning or total loss of hairs from your scalp or even from other parts of your body. It sometimes comes on gradually and isn’t noticed right away, and other times it is more sudden and dramatic leaving areas significantly thin or bald. 

For some women, they notice the place they part their hair widening, and in other women it comes on as a thinning on the front, top or back of the head. 

This is different from normal hair shedding, as normal hair shedding doesn’t cause visible hair thinning. 

Common causes of hair loss in women

There are so many reasons why women experience hair loss, and it sometimes takes time to sort out the exact cause and find a solution that works. Some of the more common causes of hair loss are:

• Hormones: We all know that hormones can do all kinds of funky things to your body. Unfortunately, hair loss is one of those things. Women often experience hair loss due to hormones around the times of pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, or with health issues like thyroid disorders. All of these things send hormones out of whack, which can cause your hair follicles to hit “pause”. The good news is that most of these are temporary changes that can be reversed with time or treatment.

• Stress: Times of high emotional or physical stress can also cause hair loss. Ironically, the hair loss caused by an  acute stress event typically happens a few months after the event. This type of hair loss is also usually temporary and hair will generally begin to regrow when the stress levels return to normal.

• Nutrition: A healthy diet is important for more than just maintaining a healthy weight, a diet that has adequate nutrients, minerals, and protein is critical to growing hair. Nutritional deficiencies or starvation can lead to hair loss.

• Medical issues: There are many medical conditions that can cause hair thinning or loss. Polycystic ovarian disease (PCOS), autoimmune disease (such as alopecia areata), infections of the scalp, kidney disease, are just a few of the medical conditions that cause hair loss.

• Genetics: Unfortunately, for some of us, female hair loss runs in the family. Female pattern hair loss is a hereditary issue that usually occurs with age and runs in families.

• Traction: Pulling hair into tight hairstyles can cause hair loss due to the physical pulling of hair from its roots. This is called traction alopecia.  

Treatments for hair loss in women

Fortunately, there are treatments available for women with hair loss, as well as advice on how to help prevent further hair loss. The most effective treatment will depend on the cause of your hair loss, so consulting with an expert like a dermatologist to confirm your condition is key. Here are some of the most commonly used treatment options for hair loss:

• Minoxidil: This is a topical liquid or foam that is available over the counter and  is applied directly to the scalp. It can stimulate hair growth in many women with hair loss and it is FDA approved for women with female pattern hair loss.

• Oral medications: There are a few options for medications that can be prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional for hair loss. These include things like spironolactone, a medication that can help with hormonal imbalances, and finasteride, a medication used more often in men that is sometimes prescribed off-label for women with severe hair loss.

• Supplements: Vitamins and minerals can be helpful in treating nutritional deficiencies that can cause hair loss. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any medications or supplements.

• Platelet rich plasma injections (PRP): This process involves a licensed healthcare professional drawing a small amount of your blood then processing it to concentrate the platelets. This concentrate is then injected into the thinning areas of the scalp.

• Lifestyle changes: Controlling stress levels, sleeping 7+ hours a night, eating a balanced diet, and being gentle to your hair and scalp and just a few of the ways you can improve hair loss with lifestyle changes.

• Surgery: The most invasive option is hair transplantation surgery, where healthy hair follicles are transplanted from a healthy or thicker area to the thinning area of your scalp. 

You are not alone

If you’re one of the millions of women who are dealing with hair loss right now, know that you are not alone. This is a very common issue that has several  treatment options available to help. With the support of your healthcare provider, available treatment options, and loved ones, female hair loss can be managed. You got this!