What is Female Hair Loss and What Causes It?

Women suffer from female hair loss, too. Old men are not the only ones who are plagued with depleted scalps, think again. Female hair loss is very much a reality.

Female Pattern Baldness

Female hair loss is what is commonly known as female pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia. Surprisingly it has been discovered that in America, the ratio of women who have it those who don't is 1:4. Although female hair loss can't kill in itself as a condition, it can be troubling.

Females have always been traditionally viewed by society as creatures who should have full heads of beautiful hair. A woman who has a condition of female hair loss would therefore be seen as unusual.

Normal Hair Cycle

Hair resting and growing phases characterizes a normal hair cycle. In the anagen or growing phase, the hair develops healthily for a couple of years. After this, it will enter the telogen phase in which it will begin to rest for a number of months before falling off. Normally, 80%-90% of the hair is in the anagen phase, leaving only a comparatively small fraction in the telogen and shedding phase.

For women with hair loss, it is obvious that a lot more than 10% of their hair strands are in the telogen phase. In female hair loss, something disturbs the normal cycle.

Cause of Female Hair Loss

- Hormonal Changes - Hormones play a big part in female hair loss. As some of us already know, both men and women have testosterone, a hormone which men normally have more of. In androgenetic alopecia, this hormone is acted upon by enzymes in the scalp that convert it into dihydrotestosteron (DHT).

The DHT causes the hair follicles to shrink, which eventually will result to loss of hair and inability to grow new strands. In women, the action of DHT is regulated by the hormone estrogen. Female hair loss therefore normally occurs when a woman is in a state of hormonal imbalance. This can happen when a woman is in the menopausal stage or when she has just given birth. The condition can also strike when a woman is receiving hormonal treatment for an illness.

Pattern of Hair Loss

Although there is a similarity in the reason behind male and female hair loss conditions, there is a marked difference in appearance. Men usually develop bald spots. We are very much familiar with men eventually losing all hair strands on a particular area such as the top of the scalp. Female hair loss however is different. Women usually only have diffuse balding. This means that there is an observed general thinning of the hair strands resulting in some parts of the scalp becoming more noticeable through the remaining strands. A woman who develops bald spots like men may have a more serious condition that deserves medical attention.

Hair Loss Solution

Female hair loss treatment products are now available. Now that you know what causes the condition, the best solution is to find a product that can provide extra nutritional support to the female scalp and hair. Nutrients that have been discovered to be good for female hair loss are vitamin B6, biotin and magnesium. Of course, it also makes sense to take care of your health through proper diet and good lifestyle habits.