Hair Loss Is An Emotional Experience For Women
For most women their hair is a defining style, and it sends them in to fits of panic when they think their hair may be falling out. They have reason to be concerned because hair loss in women is becoming more common than ever before. The American Academy of Dermatology tells us that approximately 30 million women or approximately 40% of the hair loss group, in the United States alone, have a serious problem with hair loss.
All women experience natural hair loss. It is normal for people, in general, to lose around 100 hairs a day. This is the hair’s way of renewing itself. The hairs that are lost are rapidly replaced by new hairs.
When everything is normal, the hair grows approximately one-half inch in a month. Each hair is on a cycle of growth that lasts for two to six years. When it ends its cycle, the hair rests for a time and then falls out. Then a new hair will grow in the follicle in order to replace the old one. This cycle continues throughout the retiring years.
In some people this natural cycle of hair loss and re-growth is interrupted by a hormone called androgen. In a roundabout way, androgen causes the hair follicle to begin to shrink and alters the hair cycle. Some of these follicles die and others dry up and become incapable of producing new, healthy hairs. As a result hair is lost. The thing that puzzles doctors about female hair loss is that it can happen at any age.
If a woman has an undiagnosed medical problem, it can cause her hair to fall out. There is a different kind of hair loss problem that occurs when a woman has an autoimmune problem. The inflammation that results causes the hair to fall out in bunches, and there are bald spots in different places on her head.
Childbirth, surgery, crash dieting or a traumatic emotional event can cause a change in the natural hair growth cycle that will make the hair shed. When a woman brushes her hair, it will often fill the entire brush. Hair loss can also be caused by chronic illness, thyroid problems, anemia or the use of certain types of medication. For this reason, it is very important that a woman have the reason for the doctor to find the root of her hair loss problem.
To be able to treat a hair loss problem effectively, a doctor must find out if there is an underlying medical problem that is causing the loss. Most specialists that deal with hair loss problems in women will order blood tests and, in some cases, a scalp biopsy. It is much simpler to treat the problem after medical problems are discarded.
There are several options for women to choose from. Perhaps the most difficult option is to find a way to accept the change in your hair and learn to live with it. This is a difficult decision for a woman whose hair is very important to her. She can use cosmetic treatments like a wig or a hair thickener, try different medical therapies and as a last resort opt for hair-replacement surgery.
A woman’s hair is her shining glory and is a symbol of her womanhood. For a woman, the thought of losing her hair is difficult to accept. Always consult your doctor, and try to find the root cause of your hair loss before attempting any other remedy.
