Hair Loss in Women - Causes & Treatments

If you are a woman who has recently been experiencing excessive hair fall, you may be surprised to learn that, unfortunately, hair loss in women is just as common among women as men. In fact, studies show that fifty percent of women will experience some form of baldness and thinning before they turn fifty. If you are woman who has recently began experiencing hair loss, you are probably interested in learning what the common causes of hair loss in women and the difference between women and men when it comes to this condition.

What are the most common causes of hair loss in women?

There are many different reasons for losing hair that may occur with women. One of the most common causes is female pattern balding, which occurs when follicles deteriorate due to a genetic condition that you inherit from your parents. Of course, this is not the only cause of hair loss in women. One of the other main causes is telogen effluvium, which commonly occurs several months after a woman gives childbirth. The woman will notice a large amount of hair loss within one to six months after something strenuous occurs such as childbirth, a serious illness or surgery, or any other type of physical or emotional stress. Other factors that may contribute to female hair loss include diets that results in a deficiency of iron or protein, thyroid problems such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, menopause, and certain medications.

What are the differences between women's hair loss and men's hair loss?

There are many differences between the two. For example, when a man loses hair, it begins by recession of the hair line and then continues backward. However, with female hair loss, there is no recession of the hair line. Male pattern hair loss can begin to affect a man in his early teens or twenties, while female pattern hair loss does not normally begin to affect a woman until the late thirties. Propecia which is highly effective for hair loss in men does not help with women and hair loss. Lastly, one of the main differences is that hair transplants may not be at all effective for womens, while they are generally highly effective for men.

So what treatments are available for women?

Although it may not work as well for hair loss in women as it does for men, hair transplantation is an available option. The only problem is that a lot of the time, hair restoration in women do not result in hair that is thick enough for their liking. If a woman does not have hair loss that is too severe, using Rogaine will help prevent any future fall and will help create new hair growth.