Female Hair Loss – Underlying Causes

Although female hair loss affects women differently in comparison to what male-pattern baldness does with men, the need to address the condition is as urgent. Hair loss in women can be quite a disconcerting experience, especially if it is severe, extensive, and prolonged. But in order to find a treatment, it is necessary to understand the underlying causes for it, and the best place to start is to realize the life cycle of the hair strand, determining the point at which the hair abnormally ceases to mature, and falls off.

The strand itself is composed of dead cells, but the follicle is the part which undergoes development, particularly through four identifiable phases: growth, transition, a period of resting, and the period of returning growth. These phases compose a cycle which can take two to five years to complete. Abnormal hair loss or thinning happens during the third phase, also known as the telogen phase, wherein the follicle is shocked to remain without moving on to the next, consequently falling off, and resulting in thinning or bald spots which may happen suddenly or gradually. The loss is fortunately temporary in almost all cases, and goes away once the reason for it has also passed.

Unfortunately, the causes for female hair loss are as varied as the individuality of the person who is experiencing it. The pattern for determining its causes is predictable though, and may be a result of any combination of multiple factors, such as stress, genetics, thyroid disorders, cosmetics, dental treatment, drugs, or surgery; other causes also include a hormonal imbalance, irregularities in the immune system, nutritional deficiencies, radiation and chemotherapy, blood loss, disease, and scarring.

The unique thing with the hair follicle is that it can easily go back to its normal cycle after staying stuck in the telogen phase for some time, once the stimulus which caused the stunted development is reduced or done away with. Usually, the condition is improved upon if the person focuses more attention in lowering her stress levels, and observing a healthier diet.

Losing fifty to a hundred strands a day is quite normal, since about ten percent of all the strands in the scalp are transitioning into the telogen phase at any given time. You can test this by gently pulling on a clump of your hair – about sixty strands. It is normal to have five or eight come out, but if more than fifteen strands fall off, you may be experiencing a normal but rather unusual phase of hair loss known as telogen effluvium. It is described as an abrupt and unexpected hair loss which is not localized. This is more commonly observed in women who are in their post-pregnancy state, or if they have made a change in their hormonal birth control methods. Emotional and physical stress are also major causes for this, as well as crash diets which result in a sudden and drastic loss in weight. Diet may be a factor, especially those with a deficiency in the essential vitamins A, D, protein, and iron. The menstrual cycle may also result in periods of temporary hair loss, as well the changing seasons which can naturally have an effect on bodily changes.