Female Hair Loss – Causes And Solutions For Thinning Hair In Women
While hair loss is a condition often associated with men, it is not an unusual condition for women. Women experience pattern baldness almost as often as men do, though it tends to be less pronounced, and usually begins to occur when women reach menopause, typically in their 50’s and 60’s.
That said, thinning hair in women can occur at any age, and for any number of reasons, from medical conditions to the use of necessary medications. This loss of hair can be natural, though many women tend to feel self-conscious about their hair loss, seeking out some form of treatment to reduce its effects. These psychological impacts should not be dismissed, and should be handled with care and sensitivity.
Female hair loss tends to differ from male hair loss, and from children with hair loss, in a couple of ways. Generally, it occurs on the top one-third to one-half of the scalp, rather than as a receding hairline. In addition, it can often be caused by other conditions which are more common in women than men. It is not unusual to undergo testing for a thyroid issue or an autoimmune disease to rule those out as culprits for women’s hair loss versus assuming it is female pattern baldness.
Other causes of hair loss in women can be physical stress, pregnancy and child birth, nutritional excesses or deficiencies, hormonal changes, and anemia. Some of these are temporary and can be corrected with treatment, or will correct themselves on their own. In some instances, however, a long-term solution is needed in order to restore a full head of hair when permanent hair loss occurs.
