Women's Hair Loss

Why Hair Loss In Women?

More than 30 million women in the United States suffer hair loss thinning hair or baldness in some form. One in five women suffer from female hair loss. Women's hair loss make up forty percent of total hair loss sufferers in America. The 1999 survey by AC Nielsen in Singapore showed that hair loss affects 23 percent of men and 21 percent of women. Female hair loss effect self image and emotional pain on women with hair loss.

What is typical female hair loss pattern?

If is relatively common for women to experience some degree of hair loss thinning hair in their lifetime. Women's hair loss can be caused by a number of medical conditions other than common genetic hair loss. Medical evaluation by a health care provider is important to find the underlying causes of the hair loss. Often the hair loss can be reversed with the proper treatments.

Hair loss in women is generally very gradual. It is more often cyclical than in men, and it is affected by hormonal changes, medical conditions, and external factors. During pregnancy and at menopause, women will notice hair loss accelerating rate.

Women's hair loss tends to show up as a diffused hair all over. The frontal hairline in women is often maintained. It is extremely uncommon for women to develop an area that is totally bald.

What may cause hair loss in women?

Some of the most common hair loss causes, other than female pattern baldness are: stress related hair loss may be a factor in the hair loss. Furthermore, stress can increase the speed of the hair loss process of individuals who have genetically inherited the trait. Severe stress, such as the loss of a loved one, severe illness or major surgery, may lead to hair loss.

Additionally, prescription drugs, chemo and radiation therapies, and diseases, such as circulatory disorders and arthritis, can cause hair loss. Temporary hair loss may be initiated by medications, such as blood pressure drugs, Beta Blockers for depression, oral contraceptives as artificial Estrogens, Naproxin Sodium (Nuprin) and others. Also, excessive intake of iron or vitamin A is toxic and can cause hair loss. Some illnesses may lead to thinning hair, including: thyroid disease, overactive or under active thyroid gland, ringworm, syphilis, and even high fever.

Ringworm of the scalp is a fungal infection affecting the hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. This is contagious and is most common in children as a hair loss cause. Prescribed treatments of lotions or oral drugs may help hair re-growth and stop hair loss. Furthermore, skin cancer can directly destroy hair follicles. Also, burns permanently damage the exposed skin deeply, causing baldness.

What are the physiological affects of hair loss?

Psychological effects of hair loss vary greatly. Some people barely pay attention to their thinning hair and others being affected so severely that even a small amount of hair loss can limit their ability to feel comfortable in social situations and work.

Many women are emotionally affected even when thinning is in its very early stage. For men it is “OK to be bald. However, any hair loss in women is socially unacceptable.

The development of new surgical techniques, allow women who are losing their hair and still have adequate donor hair to have a completely natural restoration.

What health issues may cause hair loss in women?

Pregnancy and the months after labor, post-partum

Women who go through menopause

Female hormonal imbalance

At any stage when estrogen levels decrease and testosterone increases.

When starting or stopping oral contraceptives, birth control pills

anxiety habits, such as, compulsive hair pulling. The psychological reasons must be addressed.

Scarring alopecia occurs in African-American women and due to persistent tight braiding of hair, or inflammation of hair follicles and subsequent scarring.

Medical illness Alopecia areata, causes hair to fall out in clumps and causes bald spots, which may progress to complete hair loss. Medical diagnosis will determine this auto immune disease.

What medical health considerations are needed before the hair transplantation surgery date?

It is important, for any women considering a surgical solution, to have a complete physical examination as a preparation for the surgery.
A medical diagnosis for the hair loss causes should classify if hair transplantation is the correct solution at the time.
Presence of medical conditions such as alopecia areata disease should eliminate a woman as candidate for hair transplants
Determination of an adequate donor hair supply must be present.

Are you a candidate for hair transplant hair restoration?

The key to hair transplantation is the concept of donor area dominance.

Women have an overall thinning in all areas of the head, including the sides and back

It is from these areas that the follicles hair is removed and implanted to other areas of the head.

Hair follicles from the donor areas should be stable.

Find out if you are a candidate for hair transplant restoration or non surgical hair replacement hair restoration. Schedule your FREE Hair Loss Consultation with no-obligation to see what results should be expected in your case and your exact cost.