Hormonal Changes as a Cause of Hair Loss
Our bodies function a certain way and that’s how we
like it. When things start to
function in a weird manner, even in just very small ways, everything can go
out of sorts. Take hormonal changes,
for example. We may not notice
the changes at first because they can be minor, and all internal.
Maybe we can notice changes in a
person’s moods, but they may not seem to be permanent or even majorly
problematic. When these symptoms
manifest physically, however, it can be difficult.
Hair loss, for instance, is something
that causes a person great emotional and mental strain.
Several things can affect the
hormones in our body, and understanding them is crucial to avoiding or
treating effects like falling hair.
For women, a common source of hormonal change is
pregnancy. That’s just stating the
obvious, but the fact that this process also causes hair loss is not too
widely known. During the course of
pregnancy, certain hormones increase and decrease.
The overproduction happens later,
somewhere in the third trimester. When
hormones suddenly drop after childbirth, this is when hair loss is
experienced. Hair on the scalp is
forced into the resting phase, a regular normal occurrence, but in this
case, the regular hair growth that is supposed to happen right after is
stalled. It must be noted that this
is merely temporary, because eventually hair will grow back when hormone
levels normalize. It is rarer still
for this hair loss to last longer than a few months.
Another cause of hair thinning in women is menopause.
Now, as opposed to pregnancy, this
happens a little more often. What is
similar is how the hair loss occurs. As
estrogen and progesterone levels drop, hairs go on the resting stage and
hair growth does not occur until levels stabilize.
For both pregnancy and menopause,
medication can be taken to regularize said hormone levels. It may take
longer for menopause, and permanent hair loss is also more prevalent. Added
medication may be necessary.
Hormonal changes also affect men, albeit not as badly
as women. When testosterone becomes DHT, this hormone is responsible for
causing male pattern baldness, probably the most common form of baldness in
men. Thyroid diseases such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism also have
hair loss as a symptom. Either due to an abnormal increase or decrease in
hormone levels, general and gradual thinning of the hair is experienced. A
certain thyroid medication, called levothyroxine, can actually be the cause
as well. Those taking levothyroxine should consult their doctor if hair loss
is experienced. After getting the right treatment over a length of time,
hair growth is normally regained, but again, this is not always the case.
For people experiencing hair loss due to hormonal
imbalances and changes, do not despair. There are other people out there
experiencing the same problem. Joining a group online or otherwise dedicated
to this problem will help you a great deal; not just in getting your hair
back, but in feeling better emotionally and mentally.
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