When we see men with thinning hair, we automatically say that it’s normal. But when we see women who are balding the first reason that comes to mind is chemo therapy or radiation therapy. But hair loss in women without the chemo is quite common.
One of the most common reasons why women lose their hair is pregnancy. Hormonal changes in a woman’s body during pregnancy can weaken follicles and cause hair fall. Stress and depression can also cause thinning hair in women.
For men and women alike, the main cause of hair loss is DHT. However, there are other reasons as to why one goes bald. Thyroid problems for example can cause hair loss in women. If the thyroid gland is over active or under active, it can cause hair thinning. Due to hormonal imbalances caused by a malfunctioning thyroid, in time one loses hair and will become bald.
Consuming high doses of medication can also contribute to baldness. The consumption of large doses of medicine can affect the thyroid thereby causing hair loss.
There is a condition called Female Pattern Baldness that causes hair loss in women. This is a hereditary condition that can be inherited from the father or mother. It is more likely to occur if both parents carry the baldness gene.
Stress can also affect the sensitive hair follicles. During times of stress, chemicals that are released in the body such as Adrenalin can affect your hair. Hair loss due to stress is usually temporary an new hair growth can be observed a few months after the stressful incident has passed.
Even though the actual cause of hair loss in women has yet to be identified, hormones play a significant role in baldness. This is particularly related to the hormone testosterone which is present in both men and women. During a woman’s life she might experience pregnancy, abortion or miscarriage which alters a woman’s hormonal balance significantly. During this time it is not uncommon to notice some shedding.
Chronic illnesses and major surgery can also cause hair loss. This is because the body sees hair growth as a waste of energy. During surgery or a chronic illness, the body conserves and focuses energy on healing. Medication used to treat heart disease, arthritis, depression and high blood pressure can affect hair growth. Treatments like chemo therapy and radiation therapy can also cause baldness.
If you are on a diet, avoid a low protein one as it can affect hair growth. When on a low protein diet, the body will conserve protein and will not “waste it” on something like hair growth. This causes the hair to move to a “resting” phase and cause them to fall out.
Hair loss is now not just a male problem but a female one too. Hair loss in women is sometimes neglected and not overly studied because most women have long hair and this tends to hide the problem. But it is still good to know the reasons why women undergo hair loss in order to help prevent it.
