Hair Loss In A Woman- Some Causes And Treatments

Hair loss in a woman can be a great source of stress and anxiety. But you are not alone. Approximately 30% of all women will experience hair loss in varying degrees, at some time during their lives. Fortunately there are many effective treatments for hair loss in a woman, once the cause is clearly determined.

Often medical conditions are overlooked as causes for hair loss in a woman. Thyroid imbalance, menopause, pregnancy -- all these can cause hair loss. In order to find out what specific condition might be effecting you, a visit to your doctor is a must. Only a doctor can diagnose the reason for hair loss and often there is a simple solution. Take thyroid imbalance for example. The doctor may prescribe a medication to regulate the thyroid hormone in your body. Once the imbalance is corrected, hair will begin to grow in.

Pregnancy is another common cause of hair loss in a woman. To understand why, you have to know the basics of how hair grows and is replaced or depleted. Hair growth has three phases, anagen (growth), catagen (transition) and telogen (dormancy). About 90% of the hairs on your head are in the growth phase, which usually lasts from 3 - 5 years. After that time, the some individual hairs enter the transition phase. This phase lasts a few weeks during which physical and structural changes occur in the hair. Finally, during the dormancy phase, the hair stops growing and becomes inactive for a few months. Eventually the hair will fall out, soon to be replaced by a healthy new hair that pushes its way up the follicle to the surface of the scalp.

In pregnancy, the levels of estrogen in the body rise. Researchers have found that these higher amounts of the female hormone prolong the growth phase of hair and inhibit the dormant phase. Many women report that their hair is especially healthy and vibrant during pregnancy. When the levels of estrogen normalize after delivery of the baby, those hairs that were inhibited from falling out begin to shed. Some women experience diffuse thinning of the hair all over the head. Fortunately this condition of hair loss in a woman is completely temporary and usually does not require treatment.

Menopause is a life event during which many women experience hair loss. This is due to hormonal changes in the body. Estrogen levels fluctuate and eventually decline, leaving the way open for the hair follicles to be attacked by a substance called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Although you're female, your body produces the male hormone testosterone. Normally, estrogen inhibits the action of testosterone, but when less estrogen is present, testosterone becomes more plentiful. Then a biochemical process occurs that causes menopause-related hair loss in a woman. Testosterone is converted to DHT by enzymatic action. The DHT that is present in the scalp attacks the follicles, causing the hairs they produce to become weaker and thinner. Eventually many follicles will stop producing hair altogether and the woman will experience diffuse hair loss, especially at the crown and frontal hairline.

Hair loss in a woman during menopause is a completely treatable condition. A doctor can prescribe an estrogen-dominant birth control pill that will increase the estrogen levels in your system. With adequate estrogen, much less DHT is produced and hair loss will taper off and possibly regrow. There is also a non-prescription solution to hair loss in the drug minoxidil, sold under the brand name RogaineŇ. This product is applied topically to the scalp and has the effect of stimulating the inactive follicles to produce hair again.

If you're experiencing hair loss, there is hope. See your doctor first and then you'll be able to choose a viable and effective treatment for hair loss in a woman.