Hair growth is affected by a wide range of factors, and although hair loss is an issue often associated with older men many women are also confronted with reduced volume or thinning at some point in their lives. This can affect our self-esteem and our confidence, and is sometimes a symptom of other health issues that need addressing.
There are numerous causes of hair loss in women. Stress, lifestyle, diet, genetics, your surroundings, hormonal changes and medical issues can all be contributing elements to hair falling out or becoming thinner.
Around 70% of women over the age of 70 experience female-pattern baldness (the most common type of hair loss) and 40% of women experience hair thinning after menopause.
It is normal for men and women to shed a small amount of hair (around 100 hairs) on a daily basis. Hair loss or thinning occurs when certain triggers, such as those mentioned above, interrupt the hair’s healthy growth cycle and more hair than usual enters the resting (shedding) phase – resulting in noticeable areas of loss or in markedly thinner, finer hairs.
Due to the ever-changing hormone levels throughout women’s lives, they are particularly vulnerable to some unique hair loss triggers attributed to hormonal change, such as pregnancy and menopause.
It is important to see your doctor if you notice a change in your hair condition.
The reasons for hair loss in women fall into a few key areas. Some causes are lifestyle-based, others are hormonal, and some are medical. Each woman may be affected differently; genetic predisposition also influences how the body responds to changes.
Not all changes to hair are permanent. If the hair follicle isn’t damaged and the hair loss isn’t a result of an internal medical issue (such as an autoimmune disease like alopecia areata), hair can grow back healthily once the imbalance is corrected.2
Thinning hair and hair loss are often a normal part of ageing, like going grey. Hair may become more brittle, the rate of growth slows, and hair follicles can shrink (affecting the density of each hair produced).
Hair loss in young women is less common, and often part of the body’s response to a change or stress that it is being subjected to.
Unless you have an existing medical condition, many of the lifestyle measures that keep the rest of your body healthy will also help your hair to grow healthily. Lifestyle causes for changes in the hair condition can usually be rectified.
*Content courtesy of Nioxin