Reasons for Hair Loss in Women

“A woman’s hair is her glory,” spouts the Bible and the prospect of losing what many consider to be an integral aspect of femininity can be devastating for women. But hair loss it is a reality many women will have to face. For women in menopause, the reasons for hair loss are fundamentally hormonal, but other factors like nutrition and stress can also contribute.

Hormonal Reasons for Hair Loss in Women

Estrogen Levels
Different types of hormonal hair loss exist, each with its own causes. Low levels of estrogen during menopause, called estrogenic alopecia, can cause a natural thinning of the hair. Estrogen helps a woman’s hair to grow quickly and remain on the head longer before being shed –that’s why pregnant women sport thicker, fuller heads of hair. It’s all that estrogen.

But a menopausal woman is losing estrogen, making it more difficult for her body to grow hair the same way it used to. That being said, a woman in menopause is still certainly able to grow hair, her hair will just be thinner than it was previously.

Androgen Levels
Rarer than estrogenic alopecia, androgenic alopecia is also called female pattern hair loss and can be caused by a variety of factors, such as a higher presence of male hormones (androgens) in a woman’s body. A common cause of androgenic alopecia is a high presence of dihydro-testosterone (DHT) in a woman’s body. The presence of DHT is primarily attributed to genetic predisposition.

For women who are genetically susceptible, any testosterone in their bodies that comes in contact with enzymes in the hair cell will be converted to DHT, which then binds to the hair follicle, initializing the hair’s resting phase and causing it to fall out prematurely. Follicles that have been attacked by DHT are often rendered too weak to support further hair growth, causing hair loss.

Other Reasons for Hair Loss in Women

For women experiencing menopause, there are a few other factors that may exacerbate hair loss caused by hormone imbalances.

Stress
Hair loss caused by stress is called telogen effluvium and can occur for a number of reasons relating to either emotional or physical stress. Telogen effluvium sends large numbers of hairs into a resting phase, which causes them to fall out just few months later. Often, telogen effluvium is a temporary condition and lost hairs will return when the stress is lifted.

Improper Nutrition
A common reason for hair loss in women of all ages is improper nutrition, especially a lack of iron and protein, which are essential for maintaining healthy hair growth.

Underlying Medical Conditions
Hair loss is often the first outward sign of a more serious medical condition, like diabetes or lupus. It is imperative that women experiencing hair loss discuss the possibility of an underlying medical condition with a trusted doctor.

Hair Loss Solutions

Although no sweeping cure exists for hair loss, a number of treatments are available to women depending on their unique reasons for experiencing hair loss. For women in menopause, remedies such as non-estrogenic herbs may be all they need to regain the glory they once wore proudly. Click the following link to read more about hair loss treatments.

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