Top Causes of Hair Loss and Hair Thinning in Women

For women, hair means way more than a bundle of fibres. Long or short, bouncy or straight, it's an expression of your style and personality. Losing those lovely tresses can really freak you out.

Hair Loss, a nightmare

Whether it's short- or long-term, women lose hair the same way men do. It might thin all over, or your centre part could get wider and wider. You might even get a bald spot at the crown of your head. Rarely women also have a receding front hairline.

How Does Hair Grow?

Your scalp has about 1,00,000 hair. Each one has its own life cycle. A follicle produces a single hair that grows at a rate of half an inch per month. It stays for 2 to 6 years, then stops for about a month. When the next cycle starts up, that hair falls out. At any given time, most of your hair are in the growth phase.

How Much Hair Loss Is Normal?

Most people shed about 50-100 hair every day. Don't worry if you find a few in your hairbrush or on your clothes. But if it starts to fall out in clumps or if you notice it getting thinner over time, check with your Dermatologist.

What are the root causes of Hair Loss?

There's no single cause. Triggers range from medical conditions, to stress and lifestyle factors, like what you eat. Your genes play a role, too. Sometimes there may not be a specific reason.

Major Hair Loss Triggers in women:

Thyroid Problems:

If the thyroid makes too much or too little thyroid hormone,your hair growth cycle might get affected. You may develop progressive thinning of hair all over the scalp.

PCOS:

If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), your hormones are always shaky. Your body makes more male hormones, or androgen, than it should. This can cause extra hair on your face and body while the hair on your head thins out. PCOS can also lead to ovulation problems, acne, and weight gain. But sometimes thinning hair is the only obvious sign

.

Childbirth:

You might notice your hair seems fuller during pregnancy.That's because high hormone levels keep resting hairs from falling out. But after the baby comes, things go back to normal and those strands will fall out quickly. You could lose a lot of hair at once. It could take up to 2 years for your lovely hair to return to normal.

The Pill:

The hormones that suppress ovulation can also thin out your hair.

You can also lose hair when you stop taking the pill.

Medicines:

Drugs like blood thinners those which treat high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, and depression; methotrexate, cholesterol lowering medications, chemotherapeutic agents etc. can cause hair loss.

Crash Diets:

You may lose more than weight with a fad diet. And if you lose weight more rapidly, you might also lose hair in a couple of months.

Deficiency:

A longstanding deficiency of Iron, Folic acid, and other nutrients can also trigger off hair loss and thinning.

Tight Hairstyles:

Wearing tight ponytails can irritate your scalp and cause hair to fall out. Long-term use of these styles can scar your scalp and lead to permanent hair loss.

Cancer Treatment:

Chemo and radiation therapy, two of the most widely used therapies, can take a toll on your hair. In their quest to kill cancer cells, both can harm hair follicles and trigger dramatic hair loss. But the damage is almost always short-lived. Once your treatment is finished, hair usually grows back.

Extreme Stress:

High-level physical or emotional stress can cause you to suddenly shed huge amounts of hair. The process may last 6 to 8 months.

Examples of extreme stress are:

- Serious illness

- Major surgery

- Trauma involving blood loss

- Severe emotional distress

Hope this gives you a fair idea about the possible reasons for losing your crowning glory. The good news is, there's often a way to fix it. I will deal with the same in my next health feed. Till then, take care of your Hair!