Female Hair Loss

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Unlike men, women rarely get a receding hairline. But that does not mean they are exempt from hair loss. Women may experience hair loss for a myriad of reasons,other than which commonly include:

Alopecia areata is a disorder which sees your immune system attacking healthy hair follicles by mistake. It causes hair to fall out in big patches. Usually, this is a temporary ailment, and your hair will grow back in six months to a year.

Polycystic ovary syndrome describes the condition in which your body makes more male hormones than it should. It can also cause you to grow more hair on your face and body while the mane atop your head thins out.

If your thyroid glad manufactures too much or too little of its hormone, your hair growth cycle can become affected.

Childbirth can cause you to lose hair – relatively speaking. That is, your mane typically becomes fuller during your pregnancy due to the increased hormone levels, but that gain falls away post partum.

The Pill – oral contraceptives – suppresses ovulation, and that can cause you to lose hair. This is particularly true if your family has a history of hair loss. Other drugs linked to hair loss include blood thinners and medicines that treat high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, and depression.

Ringworm is a fungus that affects your scalp. It creates a very distinctive pattern of hair loss, consisting of itchy, round bald patches. Your doctor can treat this with common anti-fungal medications.

Fad diets can often cause you to shed hair as well as pounds. Rapid weight loss has been known to trigger hair loss, but your will regain your locks when you return to a healthy diet. Insufficient protein or Vitamin A in your diet can also cause you to lose some hair.

Tight hairstyles, such as corn rows, or even ponytails can irritate your scalp and cause hair to fall out. Short-term, you can just let your hair back down and what you lose will grow back. Long-term use of these styles can result in permanent scarring of your scalp and may lead to permanent hair loss.

Extreme stress, the kind that follows serious injury, major surgery, blood loss trauma, or any severe emotional stress can cause you to suddenly lose large amounts of hair.

Fortunately, there are treatments for female hair loss:

·         Minoxidil can slow or stop it hair loss in women and may even help hair grow back. But the benefits go away when you stop using it.

·         Corticosteroids can help regrow hair for women with alopecia areata.

·         Lasers can also be used to help new hair grow. Be advised that it might take 2 to 4 months before you see results.