Women for a long time have been happy to spend a lot of time and a good amount of money on their appearance, which interestingly, is something that men are also catching up with in recent years. The reasons for this are not a secret – all people want to feel attractive and it is something that is inherently built-in to our makeup.
If hair loss starts to become an issue for you, it can severely affect confidence and your ability to go about your working day. Hair loss – and hair thinning – causes many of us to immediately go searching for a solution at the drug store or online.
It is actually better to do a little research first into the known causes of thinning hair that women can suffer from, and then you will be able to make a better decision with what treatment you opt for.
There are several potential causes of thinning hair in women that are well documented. Among the foremost causes are poor diet, hormone imbalances, low progesterone levels in the body and thyroid dysfunction.
During menopause, lack of ovulation causes the progesterone levels in women to fall and androstenedione increases. This condition gives females hormone levels akin to testosterone levels in men and this can then cause a bald patch rather than just thinning hair.
Increasing progesterone levels with supplementation will bring the androstenedione levels down and can help the hair to start growing again. Natural progesterone is now also available in creams made organically from plants and is applied by spreading over the scalp.
Other factors that can contribute to excessive hair loss include:-
- Birth control pills
- Pregnancy
- low iron levels in the blood (anemia/anaemia)
- excessive vitamin A levels
- high blood pressure treatments
- Gout and arthritis
From the base of the follicle it takes about 8-12 weeks for the hair to reach the surface of the scalp. When one hair is taken out, it takes another 8-12 weeks for new growth. Thinning hair occurs in random patterns in all areas of the scalp for women, unlike men who normally would have solid patches of baldness.
Emotional and physical stress and use of hormonal birth control treatments are also causes of thinning hair. There are also some immune system irregularities or an overgrowth of yeast or fungi in the body that can be the cause of falling hair. When the underlying condition is treated with medication, then the hair resumes its normal growth patterns.
When some women go on crash diets, or liquid protein diets with dramatic and sudden weight loss, they will observe that their hair breaks down easily, either from the roots or from brittleness. Hair is made up of protein and it needs protein for its health and growth.
Vitamins are also needed in the body, including iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, calcium and other minerals. Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals are first observed in the toes and hair of a person. Chemotherapy and cancer treatments are also well-known for causing baldness, and this is also true for many medications like anticoagulants, antithyroid medications and anticonvulsants.
The use of cosmetics and beautifying products may also bring about various side effects including allergies and excessive hair fall. The ingredients should be studied and the products tested first before using the products to avoid serious side effects.
A stressful environment is a big contributory factor to the overall health of a person and one of the major causes of thinning hair in women. Getting rid of stress and living a healthy, well-balanced life will really boost the growth of healthy hair.
