What's the Cause of Hair Loss in Woman?

When it comes to hair loss, most people automatically think of men with a receding hairline. However, one out of four women are just as likely to experience hair loss at some point in their life. This condition can be very traumatic for women who see their hair as their "crowning glory".

So what causes women to lose their hair? There are 3 major reasons:

• Androgenetic Alopecia: This is a condition that causes women to lose their hair most often. Both women and men have male hormones naturally present in the body. This cause of hair loss in women is due to sensitivity to those male hormones. DHT, a combination of androgen receptors and testosterone, mix with sebum and dirt particles, which affects hair follicles and causes hair to fall out. Some women may not experience this "pattern baldness" until later in life, but others see it between 25 and 30 years of age. For some women, it is permanent.

• Alopecia Areata: This is another condition that can affect baldness in women. Patchy areas of baldness on the head or hair loss over areas on the entire body occur with this condition. Not much is known about this particular cause of hair loss in women, but one theory is that it is caused by immune system deficiencies.

• Stress: Women who experience a traumatic or stressful event in their life, such as pregnancy, major surgery, a high fever, or loss of a spouse, may experience a general thinning of hair. Stress interferes with the normal growth of hair, causing this condition called telogen effluvium, which is considered to be the second most common cause of women losing their hair.

The good news is that steps can be taken to prevent baldness in women. The following are a few of the preventive measures:

• Hair coloring: Women today are more likely to dye or bleach their hair on a regular basis. The chemicals used for these processes are damaging to hair and in some cases, could be the catalyst that causes hair loss.

• Excessive brushing: Too much hair brushing causes breakage and weakens the hair.

• Drying: Gently towel drying your mane instead of pulling on it and forcefully rubbing it to dry it would help to prevent hair breakage.

• Other preventive measures for women: These include avoiding hot curlers, strong chemicals, and tight ponytails. Also, stay out of direct sunlight or wear a hat to protect your hair.

Finally, I'll list a few general remedies for hair loss. The following are a few solutions that work for both men and women:

• Minoxidil: People who have used it reported they noticed they didn't shed as much hair over time.

• Diet: Eat more vegetables, milk, fruits, sprouts, nuts, wheat germ and yeast.

• Massage the scalp: This helps increase circulation. Use a combination of either coconut milk and lemon juice or just an egg white. Warm castor oil, massaged into the scalp, left on for about fifteen minutes, covered with a shower cap, and then rinsed an hour later is said to help with hair growth.

Remember to always see your physician to determine the cause of your hair loss before trying any remedy yourself.

One popular remedy for baldness is Rogaine. Also known as Minoxidil, it's available for both men and women. For more information please visit our Rogaine page.