Whenever we talk of baldness or hair loss it is often concerned with men with little to do with women. However, contrary to popular belief it is women are not immune to hair loss and suffer from the condition commonly. If you are witnessing a sudden hair loss there can be a number of factors at play. You will need a proper medical diagnosis to know the underlying condition which is causing hair loss.
According to Amy McMichael, MD, associate professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University, “Women are much more affected socially by hair loss than men. They judge themselves harshly and have fewer coping mechanisms associated with their hair loss than men.”
What factors lead to hair thinning in women?
There can be multiple causes of hair thinning and loss in women. Not only hormone fluctuation but use of cosmetics and other products can cause hair loss. Some of the major factors that cause hair loss in women include:
Hormones: The primary reason for hair loss in most women is the hormone called the DHT or Dihydrotestosterone. This hormone reduces the size of hair follicle in men and women causing rapid hair loss and thinning. Some factors that can trigger production of DHT include hormonal changes during menopause and use of oral contraceptives.
Stress: Women are more prone to stress as compared to men due to a number of reasons. Surgery and childbirth cause a lot of stress for women. A condition called the telogen effluvium is known to affect pregnant as well as after-moms, in which they lose their hair by handful. Other conditions like stranded relations and malnutrition can also trigger stress in women.
Autoimmune disorders: Some medical conditions especially the autoimmune ones like alopecia areata can cause white blood cells to attack hair follicles that can cause hair loss in women.
Other than these conditions chemotherapy and hairstyles that involves stressing or pulling hair can also cause hair loss.
Hair Loss Treatments
Important take away from the whole process is you can control the hair loss by taking care of the root cause. There are several treatments available for thinning hair and hair loss. Based on your condition, you doctor may prescribe:
Treatment for underlying condition-Curing the autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders causing hair loss can reverse the condition.
Testosterone-blocking drugs-Production of DHT can be controlled by lowering the level of testosterone and increasing estrogen in women. Blocking testosterone stops DHT from attacking the hair follicles thereby reducing hair loss.
Hair transplantation- According to Dr. McMichael, “Surgical hair restoration is a very helpful treatment for women because women usually have less bald area to cover than men, so it is easier to make the density of hair look fuller.”
You can easily cure your hair loss problem once you understand the underlying cause of the problem. Treatment is easily available and all you need to keep away from stress and take appropriate treatment as recommended by your doctor.
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