What Causes Women's Hair Loss? A Look at 7 Common Causes of Female Hair Loss

Let's face it, hair loss for anyone can be a very distressingproblem but women's hair loss can be especially distressing...Although the causes of women's hair loss vary from person toperson, by understanding the common causes of female hair loss,this can help you find the right potential treatment or solution.1) Hereditary thinning, or androgenetic alopecia to give itsmedical name, is the most common cause of women's hair loss. Thetendency to develop female pattern hair loss can be inheritedfrom either side of the family. Generally this leads to thinning of the hair in women ratherthan baldness and can start in the teens, twenties or thirties.Unfortunately, there are no cures for hereditary female hairloss. However, there are treatments which may help some peoplesuch as minoxidil, which is a lotion applied twice daily to yourscalp.An alternative solution which women with thinning hair mayconsider is female hair transplantation. This procedure involvesmoving hair from areas of your head with normal hair growth tothinning areas. As with all surgical procedures, you should only undertake thisafter taking advice from a specialist.2) Improper hair cosmetic use is another common cause of women'shair loss. Treatments such as bleaches, tints, hair dyes,straighteners or perms rarely damage your hair if done properly.However, overuse can cause the hair to become weak or break.If chemical treatments cause your hair to become brittle andleads to hair loss, then it is recommended you stop thetreatments until the damaged hair has grown out. 3) Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss which can affect womenof any age. This usually results in hair falling out and leavinground coin sized smooth patches on the head. In rare cases theremay be a total loss of hair.Although the cause of alopecia areata in women is not clear, intime the hair usually grows back by itself. Female hair losscaused by alopecia areata can also be successfully treated bydermatologists.4) Thyroid disease can also lead to female hair loss. Where anunder or over-active thyroid condition has been diagnosed, anyassociated hair loss can be usually be successfully treated byyour physician.5) Severe infection, flu or a high fever can be a cause ofwomen's hair loss. After a bout of illness, even as much as fourweeks to three months afterwards, you may be taken aback byseeing a lot of hair falling out.This is caused by your hair going into a resting phase toredirect energy at healing. Any hair loss usually correctsitself though.6) Some medications can also lead to women's hair loss. Forexample, prescription drugs used for arthritis, blood thinning,depression, gout, heart problems or high blood pressure maycause hair loss. High doses of vitamin A have also beenassociated with female hair loss.7) Inadequate protein in a women's diet can be a cause of femalehair loss. If you go on a crash diet or have extreme irregulardietary habits then you may develop protein malnutrition.As with severe illness, the body will put hair into the restingphase to conserve protein. Significant hair loss can occur twoto three months later and be easily pulled out by the roots.Hair loss can be easily reversed by ensuring you eat the correctlevels of protein in your diet.In conclusion, we have looked at several common causes ofwomen's hair loss and suggested some solutions for treating theproblem. However, because there are so many different causes offemale hair loss you should always consult your physician ordermatologist to correctly diagnose your problem and the bestcourse of action to treat it.