What is the Cause of Female Hair Loss and What I Can Do to Combat it

Hair loss usually becomes a problem for women when they reach age 30. The condition becomes more serious or noticeable as they grow older and especially when they reach their menopausal stage. While in men the problem is usually attributed to a combination of genetics and hormones, for women it is rarely caused by genetic composition. Hormones do still play a role, however, alongside other factors. The difference between primary causes may be due to the dissimilarities in the way sebum or oil builds up in their scalp and the angle of hair follicles.

Possible Causes of Female Hair Loss

For females the problem starts out with hair thinning rather than having bald patches. Receding hairlines may also occur in some cases.

Birth Control Pills

If you noticed yourself suffering from hair loss about the same time you started or stopped taking birth control pills, you should consult your doctor immediately. Losing hair is one of the possible symptoms of contraceptives. A change of brand or a completely different type of contraceptive may be in order.

Improper Hair Habits

The way you comb or brush your hair can result into hair loss if you don’t take care to do it properly. There are also a lot of things that you do and take for granted, things that are already damaging your hair. Trichotillomania, for instance, is a hair condition that results in loss of hair due to excessive pulling. Hair pulling can develop into a mannerism or unconscious habit that is difficult to stop. Traction alopecia, on the other hand, is due to improper hairstyles or anything that exerts too much pressure on hair follicles.

Medications and Treatments

Certain medications and treatments have hair loss as a possible side effect. The most obvious example would be chemotherapy, one of the most commonly used treatments for cancer. If you are terribly worried about your condition, you should consult your doctor and see if a change of medication and treatment is still possible.

Postmenopausal Trauma

The menopausal stage is a trying time in a woman’s life. It is often a painful stage with physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms. Hair loss is just one of the many things you may start to suffer from at this point in time. Rest assured, however, that your hair loss is only temporary and will come to pass.

Pregnancy

Hair loss is a symptom of this delicate stage in your life. You could experience it during or after pregnancy. But as it is a natural part of things, you shouldn’t worry about it and whatever hair loss you’ve experienced will be replaced by your body as soon as possible.

Diseases

Illnesses, diseases, and medical conditions like those affecting your liver or thyroid, anorexia, anemia, high fever, bulimia, fungal infections, and zinc deficiency are just a few examples of what could count hair loss as a symptom. In such cases, it’s imperative that you treat the underlying condition and not hair loss itself.

Hair Products

If you use too much of the wrong kind of hair color, perm products, or shampoo, you run the risk of eventually suffering from hair loss and try to avoid excessive blow-drying, especially when using hot air.