Female Hair Loss: The Issues

Over 30 million American women are victims of excessive hair loss. But because they find their condition unattractive and embarrassing, most of them choose to hide it and avoid discussing it. Dermatology experts say that loss of hair should not be a forbidden subject as there are already treatments and supports for it. Here are the basics on female hair loss.

What is female hair loss?

On average, a person loses between 60 and 100 hairs each day. But if a women loses more hair than usual and observes that there is a gradual thinning of her hair, she may be suffering from an extreme type of hair loss. In this form of hair loss, the hair follicles are not reproducing the lost hair strands, or the hair that grows is made of a much thinner shaft.

The most widespread type of female hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, which is also known as androgenic alopecia. Also called female pattern hair loss, this type of hair loss appears throughout most of the scalp. According to experts, there is around 95% of such cases. They said that this type of hair loss, which is regarded as being caused by genetic factors, affects women as young as 25 years of age.

There is one form of female hair loss called telogen effluvium that is characterized by a sudden and acute condition. A woman affected with telogen effluvium will develop hair that will tend to thin diffusely starting from behind the front hairline that will extend to the crown. This condition is typically set off by a major stressful event that occurred two to three months before the loss of hair commenced. In general cases, telogen effluvium is only temporary. However, the growth of new hair may take months, or years in some cases.

Alopecia areata is another kind of female hair loss. It is characterized by hair falling out in patches. This condition is brought on by an autoimmune reaction wherein the hair shafts are literally attacked by the body itself. Experts say that alopecia areata is associated with stress.

How to Cure Female Hair Loss

While the most effective way of treating hair loss in females is to allow for passage of time and the reduction of stress, medical professionals may recommend that the person affected take medication to aid the system in accelerating the growth of hair.

Commonly prescribed medications include minoxidil, which comes in a topical form, and finasteride, an oral treatment that helps impede the production of the hormone dihydrotestosterone, which is the major cause why hair follicles shrink. Women with patchy hair loss can be prescribed with local cortisone injections to deal with the inflammatory reaction that makes the hair strands fall out. Typically, positive results become noticeable after several months of use. Despite the efficacy of the female hair loss treatments, experts say that the condition is often irreparable.

To prevent the occurrence of female hair loss, women are advised to be mindful of certain things that may be factors in the development of the condition. These include stress, crash dieting, eating disorders and deficiencies in certain nutrients.

Click here for more information on an effective way to prevent female hair loss.