Most women do not even consider thinning hair or hair loss until it happens to them! This could happen at age 25 or it could wait until your 70’s…but a certain amount of hair loss in women WILL HAPPEN. In this set of articles, I would like to approach each of the potential causes of women’s hair loss and give possible hints as to what we can do to correct, reverse or deal with each.
Sorry, men…I will get to you soon! In the meantime, men can read these articles so that you may better understand the plight of the women in your lives, and garner a little more insight into what may be on the minds of your spouse, sister, mom, co-worker, girlfriend or even your daughter.
Hair loss can be sudden or it can start with subtle thinning around the hairline. The reasons can be medical, physical, environmental or emotional. Losing hair may be caused by a medical condition known as Alopecia. This condition may be temporary (Alopecia Areata) or permanent (Alopecia Totalis).
Women’s hair loss may also be the result of prescribed drugs for other problems. In the area of physical reasons, there are the issues of physical trauma, burns or scarring. Environmental issues such as chemicals, radioactivity, extreme temperature or even poor diet can be a culprit. Finally, emotional trauma can not only have our bodies negatively reacting to stress, but also to hair twisting and hair pulling as nervous activities
As you can see, not only are there four basic areas of concern, these areas interact to sometimes heighten the amount of hair loss experienced, which in turn may lead to even more loss of hair. For example, medication may be given for a medical issue, hair is lost, the patient is physically and now emotionally stressed, depression can set in and more medicines are now taken.
The cycle becomes “vicious” and many of these female victims cannot find their way out. Hopefully the following information will shed some light on not only possible causes, but possible solutions as well. Let’s get started with an overview of how ANY of the above causes of hair loss in women can happen.
How does hair grow and what causes it to stop?
Hair is formed in follicles which are the “bulbs” located below the upper layer of skin or scalp. They contain the root of the growing hair shaft and are fed by elements in our blood. Proper nourishment will ensure a strong, healthy hair to grow through four phases.
There is the 3-6 year growth phase when hair grows approximately 6 inches a year. There is a 1-2 week transition phase, a 5-6 week resting phase which is when a new hair is forming, and a return to growth phase which is when the new hair grows and pushes out the old hair shaft. This can be compared to the growth of our teeth. We get baby teeth, then, after a while new tooth buds form and they come up and push out the baby teeth and become our permanent teeth. The difference is that this hair cycle can continue over and over again throughout our lifetime.
Hair growth
is stopped by either the closing off of the follicle, lack or nourishment to the follicle, or physical trauma to the follicle. The chemical DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is naturally occurring testosterone (good) changed by an enzyme produced in a female’s adrenal glands and ovaries to one which attaches to weak follicles and chokes them off (bad). Natural sebum
and oil buildup can also physically block the follicle. Poor blood circulation in the scalp to the root of the hair causes less “food” to be delivered to feed the follicle via cells. Unfortunately, some trauma (physical injury) cannot be avoided, but that caused by poor habits can be avoided. This stopping or slowing and “miniaturization” of the follicles is what we see as thinning, hair loss and balding.
Normally there are about 100,000 to 150,000 hairs on an adult head and we may naturally lose about 100 hairs a day with our body generating this same number of new hairs a day on a healthy head. However, with slowed growth, weakened hair shafts and dying follicles, the problems begin to show as hairs are lost faster than they are regrown.
My next articles will now focus on each of the four main areas of concern as to what causes hair loss in women and their interrelations…and what we can do to improve this situation. Whether it is dietary changes, hair products for hair loss, physical or medical options, they will all be explained to help you make an intelligent choice as you care for the health of your hair.
