Many times we tend to associate hair loss and baldness with men, but women are not free from it either. There seems to be a growing trend for women to lose their hair and go bald. To date, it is believed that there are more than 20 million women in the US alone who suffer from this disorder. This can be very distressing for many women, as they have always considered their hair their crowning glory.
In men, the main cause of hair loss is due to the conversion of the male hormone testosterone into its derivative, that is, dihydrotestosterone, by the enzymes dihydrotestrone or DHT, in short. However, in women, the reasons are somewhat different than in men.
Here is a list of possible causes of alopecia in women:
1. Genetics
As in men, women can lose their hair due to genetic causes. This is similar to that of men and is called androgenic alopecia. It happens to about 50% of all women and usually occurs between the ages of 50 and 60. Women with this genetic disorder tend to have hair follicles that shrink to the point where they stop growing hair.
2. Hormonal changes within the body.
Hair loss in women during menopause and perimenopause is very common as their estrogen levels are dropping during this phase of their life cycle. The imbalance in estrogen and testosterone levels results in thinning hair in certain areas of the head that are sensitive to androgens. This is known as female pattern hair loss.
3. Iron deficiency
Women lose blood monthly during their menstruation cycle, and unless they eat enough iron-rich foods to replace what they lost, they tend to suffer from iron deficiency anemia and this can lead to unwanted hair loss.
4. Excessive use of chemical hair and styling products
Women tend to worry about their hair, and many frequently dye their hair or do all kinds of hairstyles to look good. Little do they know that these can weaken the hair and cause it to break or fall out easily.
5. Stress
Hair loss can be an indication of the level of stress that is affecting your body. Elevated stress hormones can cause hair to go dormant and stop growing for months before falling out completely.
6. Polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS) commonly occurs in women and may affect up to 1 in 15 women. The hormonal changes that accompany this disorder often lead to a host of health problems, including excessive hair loss.
7. Use of medications
Many drugs used to treat an underlying disease can also cause some side effects, and alopecia can be one of them.
8. Childbirth
Hair loss usually follows after childbirth due to the drop in estrogen hormones. However, this is often a reversible change whereby the hair will begin to grow back before the child’s first birthday.