Women and Hair Loss
Women and Hair Loss
Article by Sean Templeton
You look down in the sink and you see that you are losing more hair today than yesterday. Why are you losing so much hair? Hair loss causes are very different for men and women. In America alone, more than thirty five million women are faced with the difficult situation of hair loss. Women and hair loss has been seen as extremely rare throughout history and many think it only happens in extreme cases of disease or age. A woman’s hair is valued greatly as a symbol of health, youth, and beauty. Because of this, a lot of the women who experience hair loss may deny it and ignore it instead of facing the problem.
Each hair grows in cycles-it grows, rests, and then falls out. Usually, this cycle repeats approximately yearly. At any time, about ninety percent of a person’s scalp hair is growing, a phase that lasts between two and six years. Ten percent of the scalp hair is in a resting phase that lasts between two and three months. At the end of its resting stage, the hair goes through a shedding phase. It is estimated that we shed about 50 to 100 hairs a day. When a hair is shed, it is replaced by a new hair from the same follicle located just beneath the skin surface. Scalp hair grows about one-half inch a month.
So what causes hair loss for women?
High levels of stress can also sometimes be blamed as a hair loss cause in women, but balding experienced in such an instance is usually temporary.
Trauma to the head accompanied by scarring can cause permanent damage to hair follicles.
Even hair styles pulled tightly, like braids, can be a sneaky cause of hair loss in women The tension created by the pull of the hairdo can irritate hair follicles, destroying them and stunting hair growth in women.
Autoimmune conditions such as lupus
Burns
Certain infectious diseases such as syphilis
Chemotherapy
Emotional or physical stress
Excessive shampooing and blow-drying
Fever
Emotional strains, stresses and nervous disorders
Aging
Infections
Hormonal imbalance
Polluted environment
Toxic substances
Injury and impairment
Radiation
At best, sufferers may waste money on inappropriate ‘wonder cures’ or even legitimate treatments that unfortunately are not suitable for their particular needs. At worst, some people may be risking their health by self-prescribing powerful pharmaceutical drugs. I don’t have a problem with hair loss sufferers saving money by purchasing cheap generic drugs on the internet, but I feel strongly that they should at least seek confirmation from their physician that a given drug matches their individual needs.
There are a wide variety of options for women suffering from the devastating effects of thinning hair and baldness.*Non-Surgical Hair Replacement: Men’s hair replacement systems and additions have the ability to simulate a true natural appearance while offering the client a significant increase in overall hair density.
*Laser Hair Therapy. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration in the USA) has recently approved certain lasers as a proven agent of promoting hair growth in males suffering male pattern baldness.
*Medical therapy: Rogaine (topical minoxidil). Rogaine is the only FDA approved medication currently available.
*Hair Transplant Surgery: Surgical transplants have gained popularity recently due to the advent of micro-grafting that helps to create a natural hairline. Hair transplant surgery is recommended for patients with moderate hair replacement needs.
I hope this brief article has gotten across the message that diagnosing the real causes of hair loss is not always a straightforward process. Once you and your physician have identified a cause, then you can work towards restoring your hair to its former glory. And the good news is most forms of hair loss can be treated successfully. If you would like to learn more about women and hair loss, click on the link below.
About the Author
Did you know the most common type of hair loss among women is female pattern thinning hair, or Androgenetic Alopecia. For more information on women and hair loss, visit http://www.moneytohealth.com.
