Hair Loss in Women: Types, Causes, Treatments
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If you receive chemotherapy or have radiation treatment to your head or neck, you may lose all (or most of) your hair within a few weeks of starting treatment. When a man has hereditary hair loss, the first sign is often a receding hairline or bald spot at the top of his head. In women, the first noticeable sign of hereditary hair loss is usually overall thinning or a widening part. “As soon as you notice hair loss is happening, you should come in,” says Lauren Eckert Ploch, a dermatologist in Aiken, South Carolina.
What can I expect if I have female pattern baldness?
Losing your hair — whether the hair loss is temporary or permanent — can be emotionally difficult for many people. Some types of hair loss can eventually lead to baldness. DHT, a derivative of the male hormone testosterone, is the enemy of hair follicles on your head. Simply put, under certain conditions DHT wants those follicles dead.
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Androgenetic alopecia, a type of hair loss commonly called male or female pattern baldness, was only partially understood until the last few decades. But while testosterone is at the core of the balding process, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is now thought to be the main culprit. The most common cause of female hair loss worldwide is female pattern baldness, which is also called androgenetic alopecia . This type of hair loss has a strong genetic component and can be inherited from either your mother or father. Male and female pattern baldness are the main cause of hair loss.
Other treatments
They can also vary according to the pattern and location of hair loss. While most causes of hair loss are treatable, some may not be. The medication works by prolonging the growth phase of hair, giving your hair more time to grow out. A healthcare provider might recommend using minoxidil (Rogaine®).
Risk Factors for Sudden Hair Loss
In women, this can be brought on by the physical shock of giving birth, emotional distress, mental illness, surgery, or certain diseases. Researchers have also found vitamin and mineral deficiencies related to hair loss. Anemia (iron deficiency), a condition common among women, can contribute to hair loss.
But it can affect you psychosocially (how society and social groups affect your thoughts and emotions). It can also affect you psychologically (how you think about yourself and your behavior). You may experience emotional stress, anxiety and depression. But with other types, such as telogen and anagen effluvium, hair loss is reversible. 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.
It can be helpful to keep a hair diary to track any changes you notice or symptoms you experience and to look for patterns. It's most often temporary, but sometimes it can last for months or years. With minoxidil, you might also see hair growing in places other than your scalp (cheeks and forehead, for example).
Certainly when those testosterone levels rise, DHT is even more of a problem. DHT levels can be elevated and be within what doctors consider "normal range" on a blood test, but they may be high enough to cause a problem. 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. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications generally consist of topical creams, gels, solutions, or foams that you apply directly to the scalp.
She may also have early hereditary loss, which isn’t so obvious. A 2018 review suggests that a vitamin D deficiency may link to hair loss. The authors also suggest that to help prevent hair loss, people low in iron would benefit from iron supplementation and making sure they get enough vitamin C. Extreme diets that are too low in protein or certain vitamins, such as iron, can sometimes cause excessive hair shedding. Avoiding tight hairstyles will usually prevent further damage.
Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition. Your clinician might prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, like corticosteroids, if hair loss seems related to an autoimmune condition. Telogen effluvium is a type of sudden hair loss that results from emotional or physical shock, like a traumatic event, period of extreme stress, or a serious illness. There are several types of hair loss, some are common and some are rarer, and each with different underlying causes. It’s typical to lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
It is important to seek reliable information and advice from authoritative sources as there are many bogus treatments that are expensive and do not work. Not getting enough iron, protein or vitamin B12 in your diet can also cause your hair to thin. If this happens to you, talk to your doctor about supplements. If your blood test reveals that you’re not getting enough biotin, iron, or zinc, your dermatologist may recommend taking a supplement. If you’re not getting enough protein, your dermatologist can tell you how to boost your intake. More studies are needed to find out who is most likely to benefit from this treatment and whether these devices cause long-term side effects.
Less often, congenital adrenal hyperplasia may be responsible. It is very uncommon for women to bald following the male pattern unless there is excessive production of androgens in the body. In some cases, the cause of hair loss is obvious — for example, if you're losing hair while going through chemotherapy. Other times, your healthcare provider will need to do some detective work to figure out what’s causing your hair loss.
Hair grows on almost all of your skin surfaces — not the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, lips or eyelids. Yes, hair tends to regrow when you are no longer exposed to the poison. Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer. If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin.
Dramatic changes in the body can cause temporary hair loss. Giving birth, rapid weight loss, surgery and certain illnesses may cause more hair loss than usual, typically in the resting phase. This man took finasteride to treat his male pattern hair loss, and within 1 year (B), he had noticeable improvement. Minoxidil tends to be more effective when used along with another treatment for hair loss. Many people see some regrowth when using minoxidil, but it takes time to see results, usually about 6 to 12 months.
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