Causes of Hair Loss in Women

There are many causes of hair loss in women. The cause of female hair loss may be aging, but it may be many other things, as well.


It is normal to shed some hair each day. Experts say that most people shed 50 – 100 hairs each day. When a hair falls out, a new hair begins to grow from the same hair follicle.

As women age, new hairs may not grow. Hair thins gradually all over the head. This is known as female pattern baldness, and is different from male pattern baldness. It can occur in younger women but is most likely to begin during menopause.

Female pattern baldness due to aging is not the only cause of female hair loss. Other causes of hair loss in women include:

• Pregnancy and childbirth are common causes of hair loss in women. During pregnancy, hair becomes thicker and stronger. After childbirth, hair thins out. Hair will return to normal within a few months. A hair loss treatment is not necessary, but can be used to speed hair regrowth if desired.
• Surgery can be a temporary cause of female hair loss. This is caused by the anesthesia. Generally this is just a thinning of the hair, not total hair loss. Hair will regrow in a few months following the surgery. Again, a hair loss product is not needed, but can used to speed regrowth if desired.
• Poor diet can contribute to hair loss. Hair is largely made up of protein, so there must be sufficient protein in the diet to have healthy hair. Iron is also needed for healthy hair. Women often have diets low in iron, so a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement can help prevent this cause of female hair loss. Improving the diet will cause hair to regrow, but this can take some time. A supplement specifically designed to promote hair growth can help speed up the process.
• There are dozens of illnesses that are possible causes of hair loss in women, including thyroid disorders, kidney or liver disease, uncontrolled diabetes, some autoimmune disorders, psoriasis of the scalp, lupus, cancer, and Cushing’s disease. Treating the illness usually helps with the hair loss, but sometimes with chronic conditions a hair loss treatment is needed.
• Certain medications can be a cause of female hair loss. Medications that can cause hair loss include medicines used to treat cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, beta-blockers, lithium, and heparin. Discontinuing the medication will reverse the hair loss, but do not stop taking any medication without talking to your doctor first. If medication is contributing to hair loss and cannot be safely discontinued, a hair loss treatment may be helpful. If the medication is discontinued, a hair loss treatment can help hair regrow more quickly.
• Hair treatments and styling are often causes of hair loss in women. Some chemicals in permanents, hair bleach and coloring, and straightening solutions can cause inflammation of the hair follicles, so hair cannot grow there. Discontinuing use of these products will usually reduce the inflammation and reverse the condition. Hairstyles such as tight braids, cornrows, or buns put extra stress on the scalp and can cause scarring. This can be a permanent cause of female hair loss and is not reversible. Once scarring occurs, hair loss treatments will not help.

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