Cause of Female Hair Loss: What Options Have I Got?

Normally the hormones produced by the female body will protect a woman from hair loss. However at certain times a woman may be susceptible when her hormonal pattern changes. Many women experience some thinning after the menopause, for others the loss is a temporary one, such as after pregnancy or when coming off the contraceptive pill.

Hair loss may be experienced by regularly wearing hair in a very tight style which puts tension on the hair roots. By changing the style the problem will get no worse and may even improve.

A more generalised illness such as diabetes, low levels of thyroxin, severe fever, crash dieting, a bad emotional shock or the treatment for cancer can all lead to hair loss. It may also be the first symptom of polycystic ovaries, a common hormonal condition that can affect fertility. In each case it is the cause rather than the hair loss which needs first attention. Often this treatment means that there is no need for specific hair loss remedies.

Normally the hair grows in a cycle which consists of a growth phase which can last for several years, then there is a rest phase and finally the hair falls out. It is when this cycle is interrupted that problems occur.

I t used to be thought that the causes of hair loss in both male and female are basically the same, except that the pattern of hair loss in women is more diffuse over the whole scalp than is usual in men. More recently experts are coming to the conclusion that in women loss is more likely to be due to a number of different factors. Many types of enzymes as well as hormone receptors and blockers may be the cause of female hair loss. This is why male pattern baldness tends to be age related, but hair loss in women can occur at any time.

Sometimes people loose hair in patches. This is known as alopecia areata and is the result of a problem with the body's autoimmune system which causes hair follicles to be attacked by the white blood cells. In most cases it is a mild condition that rights itself after about a year or so. Only rarely does it cause total and irrevocable hair loss.

Women have the advantage over men in that loss is usually less than in male pattern baldness. Also they have a greater variety of hair styles to choose from in order to make the best of their remaining hair. Finally, in many cases, whatever the cause of female hair loss it is usually a temporary condition and will eventually be overcome.