Leading Causes of Women’s Hair Loss

1. Medication-A wide range of medications can lead to hair loss! The list includes acne medications that contain vitamin A, antibiotics, anti-fungal medications, antidepressants, birth control pills, anti-clotting drugs, cholesterol-lowering medications, breast cancer medications, anti-convulsants, chemotherapy, high blood pressure medications, hormone replacement therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs (steroid and non-steroidal), thyroid medications, and weight loss drugs, among others! With a list this comprehensive, it definitely pays to investigate any routine prescriptions as the first step in identifying the source of hair loss!

2. Hair Styling-As much as it may seem superficial, extreme hair treatments can lead to inflammation of the scalp and to hair loss, which may be permanent. Hair extensions, tight braids, bleaching and dyes can be the cause of scarred follicles, thinning hair, receding hair lines, and bald patches. A dermatologist can help with these issues by prescribing anti-inflammatory medications that could reduce any itching or swelling. A stylist can cut away damaged, over-processed hair and give advice on a style that will allow the follicles to heal, while still maintaining an aesthetic style.

3. Disease-Several medical conditions such as Thyroid Disease and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome can result in thinning hair. The bad news is that these health issues are chronic and will need close monitoring from a physician. However, the good news is that these conditions are easy to maintain through hormone treatments. Once the condition is controlled, the patient’s hair should return to its normal condition within a few months.

4. Telogen Effluvium-This term refers to a temporary change in the natural cycle of hair growth. This condition occurs after childbirth, extreme dieting, emotional trauma, or after some surgeries. These episodes are usually the result of hormonal changes, and often the hair growth returns to normal once the hormone imbalance stabilizes.

5. Menopause-This metamorphosis brings a great many surprising changes, one of which may be the onset of thinning hair. While hormone replacement therapy might be an option in counteracting the natural hormonal changes which lead to hair loss during this time, hormone replacement therapy should not be entered into lightly. Still, there are a wide variety of options for women during this phase, including hair treatments, hair thickeners, spray-on fibers, wigs and wiglets, hair transplants, or just plain clever styling!

Hair loss is a condition that affects most men and women to some extent. Having a full head of hair is linked to cultural notions of beauty and desirability, in both men and women. Read on to know more about the causes of this common condition, new research into effective hair loss treatments and currently available treatments for hair loss.

Reasons for hair loss

There are many reasons for hair loss, but hereditary factors play a major role in hair loss, particularly in men. This condition is known as androgenetic alopecia or male pattern hair loss and is usually linked to increased levels of DHT in the scalp. This condition is characterized by hair loss at the top of the head and the temples and thinning hair elsewhere. The process of ageing causes some amount of hair loss naturally. Some drugs are also known to cause hair loss as a side effect. These include medications for lowering cholesterol levels, as well as those used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, gout, arthritis, ulcers, some anticoagulants, etc. Hair loss can be caused by any one of these or a combination of various factors. Once your doctor has identified the main cause, the appropriate treatment can be determined.

Research on effective ways to treat hair loss

Ongoing research into the causes and treatments of hair loss suggests that future treatments for hair loss will resolve most of the drawbacks of the medical, surgical and cosmetic hair loss treatments available today. New methods of treatment such as gene therapy and hair follicle cloning are likely to cure and not just treat genetic pattern baldness permanently. The human hair follicle undergoes a unique cycle of growth and rest and the follicle almost entirely disintegrates at the end of the regression phase, in order to enable a new follicle to come up. The life cycle of the hair follicle provides unique opportunities for the practical application of cutting edge molecular biology techniques such as gene therapy and cloning. It also works as a scientific model to understand crucial aspects of the human organ system, cell biology, immune response medicine, as well as the process of controlled cell regeneration and differentiation.

Hair loss treatments

A variety of medications are available for treating hair loss. These include:

* DHT inhibitors (like Propecia, the FDA approved treatment) that restrict the production and action of DHT in the scalp and relieve its harmful effects.
* Growth stimulants promote the re-growth of hair but do nothing to reverse existing hair loss. Using a growth stimulant alone will not produce effective results. Most people combine them with DHT inhibitors for best results.
* Anti-androgens prevent DHT from reaching your hair follicles and are not accompanied by many of the side effects of DHT inhibitors.

Do not take any hair loss medication without consulting your doctor first.

Hair loss is a serious problem and one requires to go for immediate help. In most cases, hair loss is a temporary situation. However, when it becomes a daily routine, you need to go for a professional help.

Hair loss can be due to infection and also require using oral antibiotics or antifungal. Alopecia areata can be treated with injections of steroids such as triamcinolone in to the area.

Any kind of hair loss caused by androgenic alopecia has no cure at all. However, these days, several treatments are available.

For instance, finasteride or propecia is a type of prescription for hair loss treatment. This is for men only. Another medication is minoxidil or rogaine. It is supposed to be rubbed directly on to the scalp. It works for both men and women. This medicine works best for hair loss pattern that appears at top and back of the scalp. It is available in all leading medical stores and most pharmacies.

Another way to treat hair loss is to choose hairstyle. You can go for partial hair pieces or wigs. These are specially recommended for severe hair loss.

Here are some of the best options for hair loss treatment:

There are several people who have spent a lot of time in order to find effective ways to treat hair loss. However, you need to know that are a lot many things important for treating hair loss other than medications.

a) Massage

Massage is a widely known treatment. It has dual benefits. First, it works towards increasing the flow of blood to the hair follicles. This further increases the supply of nutrients to the hair and makes hair grow quicker and healthier. Additionally the increase in blood flow provides an exfoliating affect that unclog hair follicles. Hair growth usually suffers and gets retarded due to clogged follicles.

b) Ultra-violet or laser light

Ultra violet or laser light treatments have become very common these days. It is an effective technique used to stop hair loss. It works towards enhancing the flow of blood to the hair follicle. During this period the patient will notice some tingling feeling on the scalp.

This feeling may linger on after the treatment for some time. However, there is no need to worry as tingling is caused due to increased flow of blood to the scalp. This treatment will work wonders to your hair if the actual cause of hair loss is lack of circulation.

c) Hair shaving

This is an age old treatment. However, most people do not like to carry on this treatment as they don’t want to go for a bald look or fear that the lost hair will never grow back. Experts feel that shaving the hair completely will not provide the effect one desires.

d) Trimming

Many beauty experts preach that trimming hair every two months prevent hair fall and improves the texture of hair fall. There is some amount of truth in this treatment. Regular trimming of the hair will prevent split ends and improve the quality of hair.

There are several hair loss treatments that you can go for in order to prevent hair loss. However, before deciding on a treatment, it would be wise to consult a trichologist to get suggestion on the best treatment for your hair type.