Women’s Hair Loss 

Hair loss condition comes in many different forms, varying in intensity as well as timing. Regardless of your age, this condition can occur very suddenly without any symptoms. However, this does not mean that this condition is rare – it affects almost half of UK women aged 65 and over and usually occurs in a form of inherited female-pattern baldness. The following Pharmica article will explore this common issue and provide relevant treatments for this condition.

The Cycle of Hair Growth:

The cycle of hair growth revolves around hair follicles going through two phases – the long growth phase and the short resting phase. The new hair starts the growth phase while old hair rests.

The first cycle, the growth phase, lasts between 3 to 5 years where hair grows at a rate of one centimetre per month and affects 85% of your hair. Therefore, the length of the growing phase determines the length of the hair growth. As a result, women who experience female-pattern hair loss experience active hair follicles while their growth phase is much shorter.

The second phase of the cycle, the transitional phase, lasts about two weeks and involves shrinkage and detachment of the cells at the base of the follicles

Finally, during the resting phase, about 10-15% of our hair follicles start the 3 month resting period. And therefore, at this stage, hair sheds to create room for new hair to grown, starting the growth phase and the cycle again.

Symptoms of Hair Loss:

It is completely normal to shed some hair but keep an eye out on the following signs of higher hair loss:

• Keep checking the amount of lost hair after brushing your hair or showering.

• It is worth checking if you have a family history of hair loss and whether there is a chance you could inherit it.

• Keep track of the area that is experiencing hair loss as well as the pattern of the loss.

• Do check your parting and how sparse it is to make sure that is a common sign.

Causes of Hair Loss:

Androgenetic Alopecia (or female-pattern hair loss) is a heritable condition that can be inherited from both sides of the family. The key factors that affect the condition are genetics, age and hormones. In terms of age, the hair follicles start shrinking over long periods of time, making the new hair much lighter and thinner compared to the hair before that. As a result of this, this process interferes with the hair growth cycle and results in hair thinning.

However, when rapid hair growth happens without having a hair loss history within your family, then it could be a sign of a different condition and therefore it is important to discuss it with doctors. The good news is that there are many women’s hair growth treatments available on the market that are clinically proven and effective. Also Read: Supplemental Health Care

Some other factors that contribute to hair loss are:

• Diet – sudden adjustments in diet could also force some of your hair follicles to go into a resting phase. Also, poor intake of essential nutrients like protein or iron can cause the follicles to starve, preventing growth. Replenishing the levels of important nutrients can take a couple of months but could reverse the damage done to your hair.

• Experiencing Stress – some life events that are traumatic or stressful can force the hair into the resting phase.

• Use of Hair Products – excessive use of hair products and styling causes additional tension on your hair, leading to traction alopecia caused by the traction.

• Pregnancy – pregnancy causes changes in estrogen levels, also sending the hair follicles into the resting phase. The news is it this change is temporary and therefore chances are the hair might get replenished to its condition before pregnancy.

• Alopecia Areata – a condition that causes round and smooth patches on the scalp caused by autoimmune disorders. The nature of this condition causes rapid and genetically unrelated hair loss.

• Thyroid Gland Issues – some thyroid gland conditions can affect hormone level production and therefore lead to hair loss.