Causes of Female Hair Loss

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The cause of female hair loss can vary but we can narrow it down some.

It can be genetic in which case you'll need to consult with a trichologist who will advise you on what to do from there.

But just like men, it's important to take care of you hair and I'm not talking about making it look pretty and making it a nice colour. I know women like to make themselves look good and your hair is a key point of that but what are you using in your hair?

Any chemical product such as dyes, bleaches or wave solutions are safe for hair, but as with most things in life, if you take too much it can have devastating effects. Hairstyles that are tied back tight can be just as harmful because hair follicles can become inflamed or scarred when hair is overtreated chemically. Depending on the extent of damage, the resulting hair loss could be permanent.

Pattern baldness is more common among men but it has been known to affect women, also known as androgenetic alopecia, it results from the conversion of the male hormone testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which settles below the scalp cutting off blood supply to the hiar follicle. Women carry small amounts of testosterone in their bodies, but menopause leads to a decline of the female hormone circulating the body and can result in a hormone imbalance that leads to thinning hair on the top or sides of the head.

There are other hormonal issues at particular life stages that may lead to hair loss. Birth control pills (even stopping using them), pregnancy, post-partum hormonal shifts, menopause and hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus and/or the ovaries in some cases) can all contribute to hair loss if they produce enough upheaval in your hormonal balance, prompting more hair follicles than normal to enter the resting phase.

Due to a high number of certain hormones during pregnancy it can cause you to keep hairs for longer (hai that otherwise may have shed naturally). Sometimes, usually about 3 months after birth, hormone levels can change again cause hair to fall out in mass. This hair, however, usually grows back once your hormones settle.

Illness/surgery -

Illness or surgery can also cause an increased number of hair follicles to enter their latent phase. To cope with the stress that comes from illnesses -- such as iron deficiency, severe infection or thyroid disease -- the body may cease nonessential functions such as hair production. The body will correct itself after a while.

Problems that can reszult from heavy dieting or eating disorders c an shock hair follicles into a dormant state. It also causes the body to put up its defences which means shutting down what it considered onessential. One of these functions can be hair growth.

Cancer chemotherapy is probably the best known form of medication out there that causes hair loss. A necessary evil. High amounts of Vitamin A can cause hair to thin also.

As we grow older, the process of hair growth tends to slow down.

The good thing is, there are just as many treatments for women as there are for men. You can take steps to ensure your hair stays healthy.

A proper diet and a good shampoo is a good place to start.