It's frustrating and overwhelming. Why does hair loss in women happen and what does it mean? For most women, hair is an important component of their personality and as a result, loss of that hair can mean a loss of identity. If you are suffering from hair loss or you believe you are at a higher level of risk for it, it pays to understand why it happens. By understanding the underlying causes and the condition itself, it is possible to better prevent and treat this condition from occurring in the first place. There are a few key things to know about hair loss in women.

Why Does Hair Loss Happen in Women?

Hair loss in women can be a temporary condition or a chronic condition. Temporary conditions tend to be easier to fix and offer you more treatment options. On the other hand, some forms of hair loss, such as those related to hereditary factors are hard if not impossible to treat. What causes this to happen?

Your Family History

Perhaps the most common reason for hair loss in women is related to their genes. If your mother, aunts, grandmothers, or other women in your family have had some or a significant amount of hair loss, you are at a higher risk level for developing the same thing. If you have androgenic alopecia, which means you have hair loss, it is often due to this condition especially if you have a scalp full of follicles that range in size (some are larger and some are smaller.) About 30 million American women struggle with this type of hair loss. It is the most common cause of hair loss in women as well and most of the time occurs when women reach 35 to 60 years of age.

Medical Conditions

Not all forms of hair loss occur due to hereditary factors. In fact, there are various medical conditions that can cause thinning hair or hair loss. For example, hormone-related causes are very common. If you are pregnant, the change in hormone levels can cause hair loss. If you suffer from a thyroid disorder, this too can create an increased change in hormones, which leads to hair loss. For those who are anemic, hair loss may also occur.

In addition to these conditions, women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome, commonly known as PCOS, are also at a higher risk of hair loss because of unbalanced hormones. Skin conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis can also be directly linked to hair loss in women.
Your hormone levels change throughout your life. If you had a great deal of hair but you are suffering from thinning now that you are older, this could be the cause. There is, for example, a link between menopause and hair loss in women. Initially, you may not notice these changes, but they tend to happen slowly and over time.

Then, there are other factors that contribute to hair loss in women. These include stress and traumatic events. If you have suffered extreme stress, for example, due to the death of a loved one or even physical trauma, your hormones levels may become unbalanced. This creates uneven production of hair in your body. Women who have significant weight loss in a short period of time are also likely to have a significant level of hair loss. If you consume too much Vitamin A, or you take certain medications, you may also be at high risk for hair loss.

What Can Be Done?

The underlying factor to remember here is that hair loss in women is common. If you can pinpoint the specific causes of the hair loss, such as medical conditions or stress-related incidents, it is possible to correct those problems to see improvement in your hair. However, many women don't realize this is an option. Hair loss when caught early is a treatable condition.

If you are a woman noticing thinning hair, hair loss, or a change in your hair density, meet with a hair loss specialist to learn more about treatments/options for your specific hair situation. The team at Unique Hair Concepts offers a free, private consultation.