Hair Loss in Women
The widespread belief is that balding is normal among
men, but not in women. That is
actually a misconception. All over
the world, women suffer almost just as much as men in terms of hair loss.
Alopecia totalis or complete baldness
is not as prevalent, but general thinning is something that occurs in 65% of
all women. Male pattern baldness, as
it is commonly called, is even the number one perpetrator.
Androgenetic alopecia affects women
after menopause, and it supposedly hits harder after the age of 65.
Thinning at the temples and the crown
of the head is a sign that it is pattern baldness.
Since the pattern looks different
compared to men, scientists are referring to it now primarily as female
pattern baldness.
The hormone changes that occur during menopause alone
can cause loss of hair. Falling
progesterone levels from the stoppage of ovulation cause an androgenic
steroid to be released. The hair loss
that occurs thereafter is similar to that of male pattern baldness.
Hair lost during menopause, however,
is normally regained when hormone levels are corrected with medication or
supplements. In this time period,
however, female pattern baldness may have already been triggered. For women,
a huge cause is still believed to be testosterone turning into DHT and
latching on to hair follicles. After
a while, this causes the follicle to cease hair production or die.
The different hormone receptors and
blockers involved, however, suggest other things at work compared to men.
This is why, in women, female pattern
baldness is used as a broader term. How
different female pattern baldness is compared to the male variety is still
being studied.
Hair loss is also a symptom for women that have
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Sometimes,
the only indication that a female has the disease is the falling hair.
The condition is described as an
endocrine disorder that causes multiple cysts to appear in the ovaries.
It is known to be the number one
cause of infertility among women. The
hair loss is due to the production of androgenic or male-like hormones.
Conversely, it also causes increased
body hair. Other symptoms include
obesity, depression, lowering of the voice, and an abnormal menstrual cycle.
If PCOS is suspected, a quick
diagnosis is best for the patient. Other
severe diseases like cancer are linked to the syndrome.
Other common hair loss triggers in women include
pregnancy and thyroid disease, both of which cause the body’s hormones to
rise and fall. Alopecia areata is
another cause, and is the root of temporary balding in two percent of the
population, including men. It is said
to be an auto-immune disease that sees the hair as a foreign object to be
attacked. Once corrected, normal hair
growth is expected. Stress related
hair loss or telogen effluvium also afflicts women.
It should be noted that balding is
taken harder by women and can result to several psychological problems.
Other than a trip to a hair loss
physician, a therapist may also be needed. Hair
loss in women is not to be taken lightly.
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