Hair Loss in Women
When we think of hair loss it is fair to assume that most of us think hair loss is a male only problem. If that you then you might be surprised to hear that some experts now estimate that one in four women will experience some form of hair loss during their lifetime. Which begs the question - why is rarely talked about or targeted by advertisers ?The answer is not some big conspiracy theory but rather the differences between male and female hair loss.
Firstly women are much better at disguising hair loss. Secondly, hair loss in women is much less severe than that in men. Finally, hair loss in women tends to spread more evenly than in males - in males it is often concentrated to one area such as directly on top of the scalp.
Like men, women also suffer from androgenetic alopecia which is a reaction to male hormones in the body, specifically the conversion of testosterone into the hair-unfriendly DHT. In the case of women, pattern baldness may start later and the effects may be less extreme due to the influence of female hormones, but the condition is nonetheless the same as that found in male pattern baldness.
Another cause of hair loss in women is known as Telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium is characterized by a general thinning of the hair and is usually brought about as a result of some traumatic event causing sufficient stress to interfere with the normal hair growth cycle.
Given that pregnancy is a prime example of the type of event that can shock the hair growth cycle then perhaps the high incidence of telogen effluvium amongst women is only to be expected.
One further cause of hair loss in women is Alopecia areata. It is characterized by patchy areas of hair loss on the head or it can be more widespread over the body. It is thought to be caused by deficiencies in the immune system but much is still not known about the condition. In many cases the hair regrows spontaneously after a variable period of time, but in a minority of cases the problem may be more severe and longstanding.