The Main Causes Of Hair Loss In Women
by: Richard Mitchell
When you think of hair loss it's natural to assume
that it's a condition that predominantly affects men. Some experts
however suggest that as many as one in four women will experience
hair loss at some time in their lives. So why don't we see and
hear more about it? Perhaps the answer has something to do with
one or more of the following:
* Women are better at disguising hair loss.
* Women's hair loss is generally less extensive
in terms of severity.
* Women's hair loss tends to be spread evenly over
the head rather than concentrated in one or two spots.
So why do women lose hair - are the causes very
different to those that result in male baldness? There are probably
three common reasons for hair loss in women:
1. Female pattern baldness - believe
it or not, most women affected by hair loss lose it for the same
reasons as men. They suffer from androgenetic alopecia which is
a reaction to male hormones in the body, specifically the conversion
of testosterone into the hair-unfriendly DHT. In the case of women,
pattern baldness may start later and the effects may be less extreme
due to the influence of female hormones, but the condition is
nonetheless the same as that found in male pattern baldness.
2. Telogen effluvium - this is
regarded as the second most common cause of women's hair loss
and this is unsurprising given the nature of the condition. Telogen
effluvium is characterized by a general thinning of the hair and
is usually brought about as a result of some traumatic event causing
sufficient stress to interfere with the normal hair growth cycle.
Given that pregnancy is a prime example of the type of event that
can shock the hair growth cycle then perhaps the high incidence
of telogen effluvium amongst women is only to be expected.
3. Alopecia areata - this is the
third most common hair loss condition to affect women. It is characterized
by patchy areas of hair loss on the head or it can be more widespread
over the body. It is thought to be caused by deficiencies in the
immune system but much is still not known about the condition.
In many cases the hair regrows spontaneously after a variable
period of time, but in a minority of cases the problem may be
more severe and longstanding.
If you experience any form of hair loss arrange
to visit your physician to discuss the treatments that may be
suitable for your particular condition.
About The Author
Richard Mitchell is the creator of the www.myhairlossadvisor.com
website that provides information and guidance to those suffering
from premature hair loss.
richard@myhairlossadvisor.com
