Causes of Hair Loss in Women: Medical Reasons and More
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It typically affects the hairline, temples, or top of the head. Linked to the activity of the androgen receptor (AR) gene, up to 50% of male adults experience some form of this by age 50. Affecting men and women, alopecia areata occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles. This autoimmune disorder typically causes round, bald patches. In addition, skin disorders, such as psoriasis, can spread to the scalp, affecting hair growth.
What are the best treatments for alopecia?
She provides specialized care for a broad range of skin and hair conditions. Stopping hair loss indefinitely depends upon the underlying cause. As a general rule, the sooner you treat hair loss, the more likely you will be able to reverse or reduce the rate of hair loss. Any information you can provide about how quickly the hair loss occurred, along with any family history of baldness, will also be helpful. Because so many things can cause hair loss, it’s best to schedule an appointment with a medical professional if you notice any changes in your hair. If your hair loss is due to a medical condition, the cost of a wig might be covered by insurance.
Hair loss treatments for women
Since hormones operate best when they are in a delicate balance, the androgens, as male hormones are called, do not need to be raised to trigger a problem. Their counterpart female hormones, when lowered, give an edge to these androgens, such as DHT. Such an imbalance can also cause problems, including hair loss.
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Hair loss is also common in caregivers because of the stress they are under, she says. Fortunately, telogen effluvium is temporary, Ploch says. Your hair should go back to normal in about six to nine months if you stop taking the medication. There are things you can try if your hair loss is causing you distress.
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Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine. It’s the “lady’s version” of the genetic condition that causes men to go bald, Colavincenzo says.
Pregnancy, and especially giving birth, can lead to hair loss. You're most likely to see hair loss about 3 months after giving birth. That's because your estrogen levels drop after childbirth. If you're losing hair while pregnant, ask your doctor if you might have a dietary deficiency. Male-pattern baldness typically appears first at the hairline or top of the head. Natural hormonal shifts as you age can bring on hair loss.
So long as the underlying cause is treated or stopped, you can expect regrowth. However, it can take up to six months before you notice results. With some types of hair loss, like androgenetic alopecia, the changes to the hair are permanent. While you can take steps to slow this process, the physical changes in your body make it difficult to stop losing hair entirely.
Other treatments
On the whole, it’s important that you speak with your doctor about any symptoms you’re experiencing. A dermatologist can provide a proper diagnosis, and select a personalized treatment that will help restore health to you hair and scalp. Doctors often prescribe oral medications to be used along with topical minoxidil because studies show the combination boosts hair production. Low-dose oral minoxidil (prescribed off-label) has been found to be effective and safe for most patients, Mirmirani says. Other oft-used drugs include finasteride (Propecia) and spironolactone. Some small, limited studies have found that certain supplements and shampoos could be helpful, dermatologists say.
Harsh hair styling or treatments
Hair loss can also be a side effect of some medications, especially chemotherapy medications to treat cancers. It is worth noting that this method is unlikely to benefit or help people with scarring alopecias. They may also order blood tests to check for any nutrient deficiencies or signs of an underlying condition. Traction alopecia results from too much pressure and tension on the hair, often from wearing it in tight styles, like braids, ponytails, or buns. These patches, sometimes called a kerion, can cause scarring as well. For the purposes of this article, we use “male” and “female” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.
But most treatments are not available on the NHS, so you'll have to pay for them. This April marks Stress Awareness month in the US, a calendar moment designed to raise awareness of the pervasive and damaging nature of stress. You can either purchase over-the-counter laser devices to use at home or receive the treatments from a provider. A variety of treatments have been developed to help regrow hair and thicken existing hair on patients with alopecia, dermatologists say. Their effectiveness largely depends upon what type of alopecia you have and how quickly you start treatment. Hair loss and hair thinning can be temporary or permanent.
The sooner you start treatment, the better the chances for hair regrowth. See your doctor if you are distressed by persistent hair loss in you or your child and want to pursue treatment. For women who are experiencing a receding hairline (frontal fibrosing alopecia), talk with your doctor about early treatment to avoid significant permanent baldness. When it comes to effluvium—rapid hair shedding due to physical or emotional stress—treatments focus on finding the underlying cause. If a medication or disease is at the root, treatments focus on those. For anagen effluvium, caused by cancer treatment, there’s some evidence that cooling the scalp during chemotherapy may help preserve hair.
It’s never too early to see a doctor if you’re concerned about the amount of hair loss, or if it runs in your family. Most healthy people lose up to 100 strands of hair per day. As part of your hair’s growth cycle, new strands grow and take the place of the ones you shed. Trying to tell if you’re actually losing hair or just experiencing some normal shedding? Read on for more information about hair loss and how to manage it. During a hair transplant procedure, a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon removes hair from a part of the head that has hair and transplants it to a bald spot.
Left untreated, syphilis can cause patchy hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, beard, and elsewhere. A few months after giving birth, recovering from an illness, or having an operation, you may notice a lot more hairs in your brush or on your pillow. This can also happen after a stressful time in your life, such as a divorce or death of a loved one.
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