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Causes of Hair Loss in Women: Medical Reasons and More

hair loss hair loss

The type and severity of hair loss you experience may determine the outcome (prognosis). Some types of hair loss are permanent, especially if you have damage to your hair follicles. For example, anagen and telogen shedding may stop with time.

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Although hair loss itself is not dangerous, the underlying causes can be. If you’re experiencing hair loss, it’s important to consult your healthcare provider to rule out an underlying medical condition. Dramatic changes in the body can cause temporary hair loss. Giving birth, rapid weight loss, surgery and certain illnesses may cause more hair loss than usual, typically in the resting phase. You can prevent hair loss caused by chemical hair treatments by not using them.

hair loss hair loss

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Iron is important, particularly during menstruation, Surampudi said, and everyone may benefit from taking a vitamin D supplement while on weight loss drugs. An accurate diagnosis is important, Marmon says, because the treatment can vary greatly depending on what is causing the problem. But low-level laser light therapy devices, which include wands and helmets, can be time-consuming and expensive, with options costing $200 to $1,000. Hair loss, or alopecia, affects more than 80 percent of men and 50 percent of women, and the risk increases with age. The authors suggested that nicotine and other chemicals could speed up hair loss, but more research is needed to confirm this.

Some shedding is normal

Hormonal changes of any kind, particularly falling estrogen levels, can temporarily disrupt the hair life cycle. Stress causes a large number of hairs in the active hair growth (anagen) phase to abruptly enter the resting (telogen) phase. When the hairs reenter the growth phase, the hairs that had been suspended in the resting phase are suddenly released.

hair loss hair loss

stress

Hair loss can occur if you wear pigtails, braids or cornrows, or use tight hair rollers. The cost (often thousands of dollars) is prohibitive for most people. Hair loss caused by a medical condition usually stops or grows back once you've recovered. Hair usually regrows when your hormones get back to normal. Your hair can regain its usual fullness 6 to 9 months after childbirth.

Some people may experience excessive hair loss shortly after giving birth. This type of hair loss is a temporary condition and usually resolves within a year or sooner. With an accurate diagnosis, many people who have hair loss can see hair regrowth. If you need treatment for regrowth, the earlier you start, the more likely you are to see regrowth.

Hair Loss in Women

If a person has this condition, they should contact a doctor. A doctor may recommend corticosteroid injections to the scalp or prescribe other medication to help the hair grow back. Other supplements meant to help with hair loss tend to contain a lot of one nutrient. Because this can cause you to get too much of the nutrient, many dermatologists recommend taking a multivitamin instead. Within the first few months of treatment, you may notice that you are losing less or minimal amounts of hair.

10 habits for good health

A simple blood test can measure thyroid hormones in your blood, and medication can treat an overactive or underactive thyroid. “Unlike men who get a receding hairline or a bald spot, in women it’s often more diffuse, where the hair on the whole top area of the head is a little thinner,” Colavincenzo says. But if fewer or no strands grow back and you start noticing a receding hairline or thinning areas, you might have alopecia. Finally, keep in mind that the same healthy habits recommended for maintaining your physical health will also help your hair. Try to find ways to manage stress, and strive for a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.

However, it is important to discuss supplements with a doctor, as receiving too much of certain nutrients can accelerate hair loss. However, it is not yet clear whether it is possible to reverse hair loss due to smoking. Currently, no studies suggest that hair loss improves after stopping smoking, so further research is still necessary. Hair loss itself isn’t dangerous, but the underlying causes of hair loss after weight loss can be.

If possible, talk with your doctor to address your concerns and rule out any serious underlying medical concerns that may be causing your hair loss. Male pattern baldness typically involves progressive hair loss above the temples and thinning at the crown of the head, creating an “M” shape. Most baldness is caused by genetics (male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness).

Managing any underlying health conditions improves hair loss. And early treatment of alopecia may reduce the speed of thinning and promote regrowth. A healthcare provider can tell you more about what to expect in your situation. The most common cause of female hair loss worldwide is female pattern baldness, which is also called androgenetic alopecia .

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They may interact with other medications or supplements you take. While smoking-related hair loss is not necessarily reversible, it is advisable to try quitting smoking. This is because smoking can lead to multiple health problems.

Some studies have indicated that a shortage of vitamin D, iron, protein or other nutrients could contribute to hair loss. Colavincenzo says she often refers those patients to a mental health provider for treatment. Fortunately, their hair typically grows back once their stress is relieved or they figure out how to manage it. Psychological distress can also cause hair to fall out, another form of telogen effluvium, Colavincenzo says.

What is Alopecia? Plus 6 Treatments for Hair Loss

hair loss hair loss

For many people, their hair is an important part of who they are. If you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, ask your doctor before taking minoxidil. It may be harmful to your unborn baby and can pass through breast milk to a nursing infant. Your doctor may use a lighted microscope to look for any hair shaft disorders.

Can hair loss in women be prevented?

When you see a doctor to see what's causing your hair loss, they’ll probably start with a physical exam and ask about your diet, family history, and medical history. While male hair loss tends to affect the forehead or the crown of the head, female hair loss often leads to thinning on the top third to half of the scalp. Your part may gradually become wider, you might see more of your scalp when your hair is pulled back, or your ponytail could be less full. If a person is experiencing hair loss, many different home remedies are available. If these options are not successful, a person can contact a dermatologist.

Causes and treatments for hair loss

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Early treatment of a receding hairline (frontal fibrosing alopecia) might help avoid significant permanent baldness. The cause of this condition is unknown, but it primarily affects older women. Not all researchers agree that spironolactone works, and the FDA has not endorsed it as a treatment for androgenic alopecia. However, the medication has still been used off-label for years to treat hair loss in women. More research is needed before definitive claims can be made regarding its effectiveness. While men tend to notice balding as a receding hairline and specific bald spots, women’s hair loss appears more as overall thinning or a widening of the part at the top of your head.

Anagen effluvium

Massick agreed that it’s important to discuss your diet with your doctor. Making sure to  include enough protein, iron, B vitamins — especially biotin — and zinc could help prevent some hair shedding if malnutrition is a factor, she added. Hair loss is not listed as a side effect of Ozempic, but in clinical trials for Wegovy, 3% of people reported hair loss, compared to 1% of people who got a placebo. When you have alopecia areata, your immune system attacks your hair follicles, shaving off the hairs underneath the skin.

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The condition is more likely to occur as a person ages, but it can start at any point after puberty. Many females who experience androgenetic alopecia develop it after menopause. Once your dermatologist has this information, it’s often possible to tell you what’s causing your hair loss. Effective treatment for hair loss begins with finding the cause. To get an accurate diagnosis, it helps to see a board-certified dermatologist. These doctors have in-depth knowledge about the many causes of hair loss and experience treating the diverse causes.

Skip tight braids or ponytails that may pull on your hair at the root and potentially lead to excessive shedding. You can find daily multivitamins at most grocery stores or drugstores or ask your doctor to prescribe one for you. It’s unlikely that you’ll get too much vitamin A from dietary sources. So, fill your plate with foods rich in vitamin A, such as sweet potatoes, sweet peppers, and spinach. It is typical for a certain amount of hair — usually around 100 strands — to fall out every day. If ringworm does not heal by itself, a doctor may prescribe an antifungal medication such as griseofulvin.

hair loss hair loss

The main symptom of alopecia is losing more hair than usual, but this can be harder to identify than you might think. For the purposes of this article, we use “male” and “female” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth. TE is typically reversible and often resolves 6–8 months after your body readjusts or the trigger is gone. Hair loss is not usually anything to be worried about, but occasionally it can be a sign of a medical condition. Your doctor gently scrapes skin samples from your scalp and sends them to a lab for testing. Looking at your scalp lets your doctor check for any infections or swelling and see where your hair’s falling out.

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This is true for damaged hair follicles from too-tight hairstyles, damaged hair follicles from chemicals applied to the hair, and damages caused by certain autoimmune diseases. Newer treatments that are also being explored include some forms of laser therapy, microneedling with PRP, as well as other oral medications. Many of these treatments are still in the early testing phases though, and more research will be necessary. There’s a range of treatment options for hair loss, but the best option for you will depend on what’s causing your hair loss. It’s important to keep in mind that hair growth is a complex process and multiple tests may be needed to understand what is causing your hair loss. A biopsy may also be taken if it is initially very unclear what the root causes may be.

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Generally speaking, the sooner you start treatment, the more options you have and the better your results, dermatologists say. “Give your doctor a full hair history — when the thinning began, where and how extensive the thinning is, and any relevant symptoms,” she says. Your shorter hairs — like eyelashes, arm and leg hair, and eyebrows —have a short anagen phase (about one month). Hair grows on almost all of your skin surfaces — not the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, lips or eyelids.

However, you have to follow directions exactly and use the product indefinitely. Don’t use this product if you’re pregnant, if you plan to get pregnant or if you’re breastfeeding (chestfeeding). If you have hair loss due to stress or hormone changes like pregnancy, you may not need treatment. There’s some research to suggest that caffeine may help with hair growth and slow down hair loss.

You may even notice handfuls of hair coming out when you shower or brush your hair. As with men, your genetics determine how badly the condition affects you. It’s rare for a woman to lose all of her hair, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Dermatologist Wilma Bergfeld, MD, talks about ways to stop hair loss, what may cause it and whether it can be reversed.

Those who began the trial with more pronounced hair loss saw the most benefit from the medication. Androgenic alopecia causes the normal hair growth cycle to shorten. As a result, hair doesn’t grow as long or thick as it normally would. Below, we’ll explore common causes of hair loss in women and the treatment options available. This article will focus primarily on hair loss in cis women.

Hairstyles like cornrows, braids, or tight ponytails can cause it. Some signs of traction alopecia include hair loss in patches where the hair was pulled and shorter strands of hair near the forehead. Masculinizing hormone therapy (taking testosterone) may cause hair loss within a year, and the effects aren't reversible if you stop hormone treatment. Pregnancy, and especially giving birth, can lead to hair loss. You're most likely to see hair loss about 3 months after giving birth. If you're losing hair while pregnant, ask your doctor if you might have a dietary deficiency.

Female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) is the most common cause of hair loss in women, but there are many other potential causes. The most common cause of hair loss among older women is called female pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia. Male-pattern hair loss is what causes a receding hairline and baldness in men.

By addressing the underlying cause and making some lifestyle changes, you may be able to stop or prevent hair loss. Transplants may be successful for some people depending on the cause of the hair loss. But you’ll need enough hair to donate to the transplant, and you’ll need to wait several months for it to grow. Low level lasers may help improve hair density in people with genetic hair loss or hair loss due to chemotherapy.

Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin. If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool here. Traction alopecia results from too much pressure and tension on the hair, often from wearing it in tight styles, like braids, ponytails, or buns. You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox.

Causes of Hair Loss in Women: Medical Reasons and More

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