For most women their hair is a defining style, and it sends them in to fits of panic when they think their hair may be falling out. They have reason to be concerned because hair loss in women is becoming more common than ever before. The American Academy of Dermatology tells us that approximately 30 million women or approximately 40% of the hair loss group, in the United States alone, have a serious problem with hair loss.
Natural hair loss is common in all women. Everyone loses approximately 100 hairs per day. This type of hair loss is perfectly normal, and these hairs are quickly replaced by new hairs so that no baldness is noticed.
When everything is normal, the hair grows approximately one-half inch in a month. Each hair is on a cycle of growth that lasts for two to six years. When it ends its cycle, the hair rests for a time and then falls out. Then a new hair will grow in the follicle in order to replace the old one. This cycle continues throughout the retiring years.
In some people this natural cycle of hair loss and re-growth is interrupted by a hormone called androgen. In a roundabout way, androgen causes the hair follicle to begin to shrink and alters the hair cycle. Some of these follicles die and others dry up and become incapable of producing new, healthy hairs. As a result hair is lost. The thing that puzzles doctors about female hair loss is that it can happen at any age.
An underlying medical problem can be the cause of some women losing their hair. For example, a different type of hair loss can be caused by an autoimmune disorder. The follicles or scalp becomes inflamed and the hair falls out in bunches or clumps, leaving behind bald spots.
Many things such as surgery, childbirth, crash dieting or some terrible emotional event can interrupt the hair’s growth cycle and make it begin to shed. Oftentimes, the brush will be loaded with hair after a woman finishes brushing it. Chronic illnesses like anemia or thyroid disorders and even some types of medication can, also, cause the hair to fall out. This is the reason it is important for a doctor to find the root problem that is causing a woman’s hair to fall out.
To be able to treat a hair loss problem effectively, a doctor must find out if there is an underlying medical problem that is causing the loss. Most specialists that deal with hair loss problems in women will order blood tests and, in some cases, a scalp biopsy. It is much simpler to treat the problem after medical problems are discarded.
There are several options for women to choose from. Perhaps the most difficult option is to find a way to accept the change in your hair and learn to live with it. This is a difficult decision for a woman whose hair is very important to her. She can use cosmetic treatments like a wig or a hair thickener, try different medical therapies and as a last resort opt for hair-replacement surgery.
A woman’s hair plays a very important part in her life because it is her crowning glory. This makes hair loss very difficult to live with. A doctor should always be consulted to see if there is an untreated medical problem that is causing the loss.