Often, when we think about hair loss, we think about men. While male pattern hair loss is certainly common, it’s worth remembering that women can lose their hair too, and for any number of different reasons. In fact, studies have shown that between 40 and 50 percent of all women will experience some discernible hair loss by the time they reach age 50.
But while female hair loss is tragically common, the good news is that it’s usually very treatable. Before exploring potential solutions, it may be helpful to review common causes.
Understanding the Life Cycle of Your Hair
To begin with, keep in mind that hair grows in cycles. Your follicles are constantly shedding old hair to make room for new growth. In other words, losing a little bit of hair is healthy and normal. The problem comes when you’re shedding too much hair, or when you’re no longer regrowing it to replace what you’ve lost.
The hair growth cycle involves three distinct phases:
- In the anagen phase, your hair is growing! The anagen phase lasts two to eight years, and at any given time about 90 percent of your hair should be in this phase.
- In the catagen phase, your follicles begin to shrink, and hair stops growing.
- The telogen phase is a “resting phase,” at the end of which old hairs fall out to make room for new growth. From there, ideally, the anagen phase starts all over again.
Common Causes of Hair Loss
There are several factors that can disrupt this cycle and contribute to female hair loss.
If you experience sudden or rapid hair loss, it’s often a result of some medication you’re taking, including chemotherapy. It may also be a response to an intense trauma.
It’s much more common to experience gradual hair loss, which is usually caused by androgenetic alopecia… or as it’s more colloquially known, female pattern hair loss. Like its male equivalent, female pattern hair loss is an inherited condition, and it results in too many of your follicles shrinking. They never return to the anagen phase, which means you’ll lose hair and not regrow it.
Female pattern hair loss is most common in women post menopause. It can be triggered by other hormonal fluctuations, too, including metabolic conditions such as PCOS.
Some other possible causes of female hair loss include:
- Malnutrition, especially deficiencies of iron and Vitamin D.
- Crash diets and eating disorders.
- Thyroid diseases.
- Intense seasons of anxiety and stress.
Find Treatment for Female Hair Loss
The good news is that no matter what the cause of your hair loss is, restoration is always possible. Sometimes simple lifestyle changes can go a long way, and in other cases medications can help. Additionally, many women qualify for hair transplants with the Neograft method, which can provide long-lasting and natural-looking results.
We’d love to tell you more about the benefits of Neograft for addressing female hair loss. Contact Renu to set up a hair transplant consultation at your next convenience.
