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Hair Loss In Women: Causes and Treatment

There is this seeming bias against women when talking about hair loss. For a very long time, many people have had this perception that hair loss is a problem for the men. So much talk has been about how it affects males. But this is not an issue that entirely excludes women. These also suffer from hair loss and may, in fact, find it more upsetting thinking how important head hair can be to good looks. We discuss here common causes of hair loss in women and steps you can take to address the problem.

About Female Hair Loss

In humans, it is normal to lose some amount of hair every day. This may be up to roughly 100 strands in a day. You can experience this shedding for diverse reasons. It can occur as part of normal life cycle of a hair which features three stages, namely: anagen, catagen and telogen. Certain other factors, such as hair washing, can also increase the number that is lost in a day.

Problematic hair loss is usually a reflection of what happens under your skin. You may think of the body's largest organ as a garden, the quality of whose produce depends on what is inside the ground. You experience hair loss on your head or skin when there is inadequate nutrients underneath to support growth.

Hair loss in women can be temporary or chronic. The former case happens suddenly as a result of specific events in the life of a woman. It resolves after some time. But chronic hair loss is gradual and long-term, worsening as time passes.

Societal perception for a long time has mainly been that hair loss, or balding, is a problem of men. And a number of medical professionals seem to agree. Yet, estimate has it that as many as two in every five Americans suffering hair are women. Around one in every three women will experience hair loss in their lifetime. This rises to two in every three among women who have entered menopause. The problem can impact a woman's self perception and quality of life negatively.

Hair Loss Patterns In Women

Female hair loss differs from that of males in terms of the patterns shown. While in some cases women may have a receding hairline, it is rare to see them have an entirely bald spot or patch on their head. There is usually total thinning of your hair. When experiencing hair loss, you only have less hair – say, four or five where you used to have 10 or 11. So an entire area is less likely to become completely bald.

Hair experts make use of the Ludwig Classification in describing patterns of hair loss in women. These are:

Type I – This refers to barely noticeable hair loss. This can more easily be covered up using certain hair styling techniques.
Type II – Hair loss in this case can be noticed. It shows greater reduction in hair volume and widening of the part line.
Type III – This is advanced hair loss, in which case people can see the top of your scalp. It is characterized by diffused thinning.

Hair loss in women mostly becomes noticeable in the 50s or 60s. But it can occur as early as the teenage years in some cases. It is estimated that half of women will experience different degrees of hair thinning by age 50.

Causes Of Hair Loss In Women

As in the case of male hair loss, hair shedding in women is hard to understand, even harder. Some, in fact, argue that the precise cause of this problem among women is a total mystery. However, researchers have suggested numerous potential causes. We discuss some of the more notable theories or factors of hair loss in women below.

Androgenetic alopecia

Also known as androgenic alopecia, this condition is regarded the leading cause of hair loss in both women and men. It gives rise to male or female pattern hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia is linked to both genetics and the male hormone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

DHT is a major factor in male hair loss. It turns out to be an issue here as well. The testosterone by-product is also present in women. The enzyme known as Type II 5-alpha reductase found in oil glands of hair follicles transforms testosterone into this substance. DHT binds to receptors in hair follicles and causes them to shrink. This inhibits healthy hair growth and worsens shedding. The rate of hair loss rises when DHT levels increases or if you are very sensitive to it.

Heredity also determines the extent of androgenetic alopecia. You are at increased risk of suffering female pattern hair loss if your mother, grandmother or an aunt had similar issue. Your genes, together with high DHT levels, cause your hair follicles to become thinner and thinner as you grow older. This shortens the normal life cycle of hair and your hair becomes finer and shorter with each growth cycle. Some women are said to be genetically programmed to have shorter anagen phase and longer telogen phase.

Androgenetic alopecia first presents itself as gradual thinning at the mid or part line. Your parting becomes broader. This progresses to greater diffuse hair loss extending outward from the top of your head. But it is rare for this to result in balding.

Telogen effluvium

This describes hair loss that results from problem with the telogen phase of natural hair growth cycle. Your hair is in a resting state at this stage, getting ready to be shed. The period typically lasts between two and four months. The belief is that just about 10 percent, or less, of your hair should be in this phase at any time.

But a traumatic event such as illness, stress, childbirth or malnutrition can throw the telogen phase out of equilibrium. This results in telogen effluvium that can give rise to significant hair loss. The events cause your hair to enter the shedding phase faster.

This disorder typically resolves after some weeks or months – once the traumatic event responsible is brought under control. But in some cases, it can be chronic and refuse to go away for years, even without any obvious causative event observed.

Anagen effluvium

The anagen phase of your hair life cycle is when growth occurs. It can last for two to eight years. Anything that impedes the mitotic or metabolic activity seen at this stage can lead to hair loss. This is described as anagen effluvium.

Chemotherapy is a major cause of this disorder. By targeting rapidly proliferating cells, the treatment does not discriminate between those affected by cancer and those that are not, such as hair follicle cells. It damages hair matrix leading to narrowing and fracture of hair shafts.

Hormonal imbalance

The phenomenon of hormone levels being thrown out of balance, especially with age, is another possible cause of hair loss in women. Hormonal changes explain why hair loss often in women occurs after childbirth, albeit temporarily. During pregnancy, a higher number of hair follicles are believed to enter the growth phase. Many of the resulting new hair enter the telogen phase a couple of months after childbirth, as growth cycle normalizes. This results in greater hair loss.

The more problematic cases are those that result from imbalances seen with aging. You do not only experience hair loss from elevated levels of androgen hormones, such as DHT. Shedding can result when the amount of female hormones drop while male hormone levels remain constant.

Alopecia areata

An autoimmune disease, alopecia areata gives rise to the appearance of bald patches on the head. It can happen all of a sudden without any warning. The disorder is capable of leading to total hair loss or baldness. Re-growth is possible in many cases, though.

Traction alopecia

You experience this kind of hair loss from pulling force on the hair. Extremely tight braids or hairstyles, such as cornrows, can cause this problem. This type of hair loss is described as traction alopecia. You expose yourself to experiencing shedding if you regularly go for tight hairstyles that subject your hair follicles to trauma. You may be able to promote re-growth if you detect this as the causative factor early enough.

Tight galea

Although women rarely go bald, some experts argue that similar area, as that in men, is mostly affected in hair loss. The particular section is known as the galea aponeurotica. This is a tendon-like fibrous tissue covering the top of the scalp.

Based on this perspective, hair loss is the result of a galea that fuses with other tissue layers in the scalp. The fusion brings about a thicker, tighter fibrous tissue. This reduces the elasticity of scalp skin, density of subcutaneous fat, and flow of blood. These outcomes combine to speed up hair loss. Lower blood supply makes less oxygen available in the galea, promoting conversion of testosterone into DHT.

Low HGH levels

The decline that affects growth hormone levels as people grow older is another factor that is said to contribute to hair loss. But it is rare to see this mentioned among possible causes. Those who support this idea say the hormone helps with regulation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the body. We already discussed how this androgen hormone causes hair follicles to shrink making hair to fall off.

HGH supposedly inhibits the amount of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase in the body. This enzyme is the main culprit that converts testosterone into DHT. So when its levels rise, those of the androgen hormone may go up as well. This, of course, leads to hair thinning and hair loss.

It is known that growth hormone delivers most of its benefits through insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). High levels of DHT in the body reduces the amount of IGF-1 in dermal papillae, according to a 2011 study in Growth Hormone & IGF Research. This suggests that growth hormone can help address this by increasing levels and also controlling amount of DHT in the body.

Numerous other conditions and factors are also capable of causing women to lose their hair. They include:

Hypervitaminosis A
Thyroid disorders
Seborrheic dermatitis
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Psoriasis
Iron deficiency
Anemia
Severe weight loss

How is hair loss in women treated?

You should see an expert, such as a dermatologist, if you suspect loss of hair. This will help in identifying the particular cause of the problem. Scalp examination and/or blood tests may be required for making the right diagnosis. And of course, you medical history will be assessed.

The options you have for treating female hair loss are practically the same as those for men. They include:

Hair Loss Medications For Women

Minoxidil – The most popular brand of this drug is Rogaine. This is the only medication approved for hair loss in women by the FDA. Originally a high blood pressure treatment, minoxidil is believed to elongate the anagen phase of hair growth cycle. It is a topical treatment that you massage into your scalp two times a day. You can have it over-the-counter in 2-5% concentrations. Your care provider may prescribe a stronger formula, if thought necessary. But such comes with greater risk of side effects. You must continue using the product to maintain or improve results.

Finasteride – Available under the brand names Propecia and Proscar, this is an oral medication available only on prescription. It is not approved for female hair loss by the FDA, but doctors do prescribe it to their postmenopausal patients. It helps to prevent conversion of testosterone into DHT, thereby preventing hair loss. Finasteride is to be taken daily. It helps as long as you continue using it.

Spironolactone – This is another anti-androgen, like finasteride, that is not actually approved for treatment in women. But some doctors may prescribe it off-label to their patients. It has been observed that spironolactone may actually be beneficial to women who do not show improvement from the use of only minoxidil.

Iron supplement

Women who do experience heavy menstrual bleeding or are prone to anemia may be advised to take iron supplements. This is important given the role iron deficiency plays in hair loss. You are also at risk of low levels if you observe a strictly vegetarian diet. Supplement use is necessary when iron levels become lower than 70 nanograms for each millimeter.

Hair transplant

There is also the option of having hair transferred from areas with active growth on your scalp. Hair transplants have been around for a long time in the U.S. - dating back to the 1950s. They work best when hair loss mainly affects well defined areas.

Hair transplants have been refined over the years to deliver a more appealing and natural outcome. Majority of these are now done using a technique known as follicular unit transplantation. The procedure involves removing a strip of scalp and dividing it into numerous tiny portions with hair. This provides better results than was possible in the past.

Transplantation offers arguably the most effective means of efficiently dealing with hair loss. But there may not be sufficient hair to fill up scalp area affected by thinning if such is wide. The procedures are also quite expensive. You can expect to pay an amount between $3,000 and $15,000. It is rare for insurance to cover such costs.

Laser treatment

The use of lasers for hair loss in women is a relatively new idea. This is only likely to be considered when medications, such as minoxidil and finasteride, failed to help. But it is not clear to what extent lasers can be of use. Some experts do say you may notice some growth after using for several months. There are already a number of handheld laser devices available for this purpose. But majority of the lasers do not have FDA approval.

HGH supplements

You may be able to slow or possibly reverse hair loss by boosting your growth hormone levels. This is considering the connection the natural substance is said to have with the problem. The best way to deal with growth hormone deficiency is through HGH injections. This offers perfect replica of the naturally occurring hormone in the body, so it works better. But you cannot take these injections just to promote hair loss – they are strictly for serious medical conditions. They are also quite costly.

So, HGH supplements such as Somatropinne, Genfx, Sytropin, HGF Max and Genf20 Plus are a reasonable options when thinking of raising HGH levels to promote hair growth. These usually feature natural ingredients, including amino acids, which stimulate your pituitary gland to produce more hGH. Two of the popular ingredients in these HGH releasers are L-Arginine and L-Lysine. These amino acids were shown in a study that appeared in the journal Biomedical Research in 2007 as potentially beneficial in for controlling hair loss. This was due to how they promote hGH release and regulate stress hormones, which contribute to the problem.

Hairstyling techniques

These are not really treatment for hair loss in women. You can just think of styling techniques as a way of concealing the problem – at least until regular treatment options started producing desired results. Consider going for hairstyles that make your hair appear fuller and thicker. Dyeing your hair with a color that matches your scalp or close to it can also help. If hair loss is quite significant, how about using a wig? That simply covers up everything.

The hair is a pride of many women, even men. It has a way of boosting facial appeal and beauty to the opposite sex. Gradual loss of hair will understandably set off an alarm. There is no definite cause of thinning and loss – many factors are capable of causing them. But scientists appear to care less about this problem among women. Focus has mainly been on helping balding men. But that's not to say there is nothing you can do. The treatment options discussed above may help, although efficacy will differ.

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