Go ahead and type, “causes of hair loss in women” in your Google search bar.
At the time of writing this article, the search engine came up with around 13,60,00,000 results in 0.61 seconds!
This staggering figure points to the seriousness of the hair loss issue and just how widespread it is. The growing demand for hair loss treatments earned the industry a stunning $4 billion revenue in the year 2018 alone. And, that’s a statistic released by IBISWorld.
If you’ve set out to identify why your hair has been falling out at an alarming rate, know that there are tons of people out there, both men and women who find themselves in similar situations. It might also interest you to know that the hair loss problem seems to have a higher prevalence after the turn of the century. Experts point to various hair loss causes ranging from genetics, your immune system attacking the hair follicles, bad lifestyle choices, and chemicals in your food and the atmosphere.
Every Person’s Hair Loss Condition is Unique
The expert dermatologists at PRP Injection MD reveal that aside from family tendencies to go bald, most men and women probably have individual reasons why their hair is thinning, or the hairline is receding. Before taking steps to reverse the hair loss, you may want to identify the main causes of your particular condition. Should you check with a trichologist, she will likely run a few tests to pinpoint the exact cause.
And, you may be totally unprepared for the results!
Take a look at some of the most shocking hair loss causes that have emerged in recent times.
1. Thyroid Imbalances
Thyroid imbalances are one of the most surprising hair loss causes. Your thyroid gland produces hormones that maintain the proper functioning of your body’s systems. When this gland starts to release excessively high levels or insufficient amounts of the hormones, you’ll notice several symptoms such as thinning hair along with hair loss all over the body. Without enough of the T3 and T4 hormones, the normal hair growth cycle is affected, so when the hair strand falls out, the follicle does not grow a new shaft like it’s supposed to. As a result, you might find that hair is falling out in patches, not just from your scalp, but also the eyebrows and other sections of the body.
Check out this article on HealthLine that explains how the condition can be reversed by restoring the balance of hormones in the body. However, know that the recovery process takes time and often, the texture and color of the new growth may be different from the original hair. You could supplement the hair growth with treatments that are unlikely to cause side effects, one of which is PRP therapy.
2. Birth Control Pills
You probably never suspected it, but the pills you’ve been taking to avoid an unwanted pregnancy could be one of the hair loss causes. Oral contraceptives work by introducing progesterone and estrogen in your body in controlled amounts to prevent ovulation. Certain pills may contain just progestin to prevent conception. The American Hair Loss Association (ALHA) warns that if you have a family tendency to develop sensitivity to oral contraceptives, it may be advisable to opt for other birth control options. As this article on WebMD advises, consider getting hormone injections, vaginal rings, skin patches, or progestin implants that can give you the same results without affecting the hair follicles.
3. Hormone Imbalances
Similar to the effects of oral contraceptives, natural hormone imbalances can also act as hair loss causes. These imbalances occur around the age of 35 years in women when their bodies slow down the production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. As you approach menopause, your body starts to adjust to the waning levels of hormones. For this reason, you start to notice thinning hair on your scalp, but possibly more hair on the face and other parts of the body. Even if the number of strands on your scalp remains the same, you might notice that the hair is thinner in diameter, and the length of the hair is shorter than before. It is now possible to restore the imbalances with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. Your doctor will put you on a program with supplements derived from plants to correct the imbalances and restore hair growth.
4. Chronic Stress Levels
When you undergo stress on a long-term basis, your adrenal glands experience fatigue. Adrenal glands are the pyramid-shaped organs that sit on top of your kidneys. Mental pressure and anxiety result in the glands producing more of the cortisol hormone. While chronic high levels of cortisol can cause various adverse effects in the body, one of the worst impacts is on your hair follicles. Like research conducted at the National Center for Biotechnology Information has shown, cortisol acts on the normal growth stages of the hair, and stimulates more strands to fall out quickly. Prevent chronic stress by taking up any anxiety-reducing techniques that work for you. For instance, you could take up guided imagery, yoga, meditation, or deep breathing. Once you let go of the stress and cortisol levels drop, you might just find the hair growth is returning.
5. Hemoglobin Deficiency
If you’re anemic with an iron deficiency, one of the first symptoms could be hair loss. Your body needs a good supply of oxygen and nutrients to repair the body cells including the hair follicles. The hemoglobin created from iron in your blood acts as the channel that transports the necessary oxygen. Without vital nourishment, the hair is unable to regenerate, and you have hair loss. A simple blood test can assess the levels of hemoglobin, and if you have any deficiencies, eating an iron-rich diet can help you. If needed, your doctor may also start you on iron supplements that can help reverse the hair loss causes.
As explained above, falling hair is a condition unique to every person. And, the best way to tackle the problem is to identify your particular hair loss cause. Take care of your body with the right nutrition and supplements, and you might just be able to restore the growth. If needed, try non-chemical treatments that will stimulate hair growth naturally without adverse effects. Get back a thick head of hair and your confidence.