What are the common causes of female hair loss?
The common causes of hair loss in women aside from Androgenetic Alopecia or Female Pattern Baldness are; stress related hair loss conditions and hair loss caused by hormonal changes such as those experienced during pregnancy, miscarriage or termination and at the menopause. Hair loss resulting from any one of these conditions occurs when a woman’s hair is forced, prematurely, into what’s known as “Telogen” and stays there for longer than it would do otherwise. This is when “Telogen Effluvium” occurs and hair is shed diffusely across the scalp and body.
Telogen is one part of a three phase growth cycle starting with “Anagen” which is the growth phase, moving into “Catagen” which is the intermediate phase and finally on to Telogen which is the resting and shedding phase.
This condition can occur at any stage in a woman’s life and is, in the vast majority of cases, temporary. It usually strikes after a woman has experienced some form of stress, manifesting sometimes up to 3 months after the event and rectifying itself some 3 to 6 months afterwards, restoring the woman to a full head of healthy looking hair once more. Some women however can go on to develop a more permanent problem which is exacerbated by the stress of the initial hair loss episode.
The most common form of hair loss in women and nothing to do with any of the above is known as Androgenetic Alopecia or Female Pattern Baldness. Sufferers of this type of hair loss will find that they are genetically predisposed to it, in other words either their mother or father will have the gene necessary to pass on the condition. This type of hair loss is caused by a chemical called Dihydrotestosterone, or (DHT). DHT is a chemical which is naturally produced in the bodies of both men and women. It is made from androgens which are then acted upon by a naturally produced enzyme called the 5-alpha reductase. If you have a lot of this 5-alpha reductase enzyme in your blood supply, it will cause the hair follicles to reduce in size over time, producing thinner and thinner hairs, until eventually they cannot produce hair any longer
Another cause of female hair loss hair is a condition called alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune disease that affects around two per cent of the female population. In alopecia areata, the hair follicles are attacked by the white corpuscles in the blood. These follicles then shrink and hair production is slowed down dramatically, this may result in no visible hair growth for months or even years.
Is female hair loss as common as male hair loss?
Androgenetic alopecia is the term given to both male pattern balding and female pattern balding. It affects roughly half of the male population and is the cause of the typical pattern of balding that affects men as they get older. It is also thought to affect the same proportion of women, once they reach the menopause. Post menopausal women are most at risk and of those over the age of 60 to 65, as many as three quarters will be affected to some degree or another.
How does female pattern baldness manifest itself?
Female pattern baldness follows a very different pattern to that seen in men. Instead of the typical receding hairline and bald spot, so common amongst males, women will experience a general thinning of their hair, all over the scalp.
Can female pattern baldness be treated?
The earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the more successful the treatment. In our treatments we use a hair root strengthener which is applied to the scalp topically. This stabilises the root and strengthens the hair follicle. This is followed by a root stimulator which is again applied topically. It attracts blood flow to the scalp and stimulates the root. It encourages the hair growth cycle and is very effective, especially in cases where hair is falling quickly. This is followed by a nutrient capsule which taken orally. It contains marine oils and is totally drug and alcohol free.
Does washing my hair contribute to excessive shedding?
No, you will find that when you wash your hair, as a matter of course, a number of hairs will be left in the bath or basin afterwards. This is quite normal as you shed about 100 hairs a day. It should not therefore, be surprising to find a few in your bath and on your hairbrush.
Does blow drying and heat styling cause hair loss / make my hair loss worse?
No, heat can damage hair though and care needs to be taken when using hot rollers or hair straighteners to avoid contact with the scalp. Burns to the scalp will often result in the killing of hair follicles and as a result, the hair won’t grow back.
Why is natural hair loss treatment recommended?
Women generally find the experience of hair loss to be traumatic in the extreme and the reason for this is that they pride themselves on the beauty and lustre of their hair, regarding it as an essential part of their make up. It is therefore, much harder for them to accept hair loss than it is for a man to accept it.
By combining our many years of research with a policy of only using entirely safe and natural products we have developed a range of treatments which are specifically tailored to suit each woman's individual needs. Treatments will stop further hair loss and in many cases, result in hair re-growth.
Does a poor diet or regular dieting cause hair loss?
Your diet could potentially cause hair loss if you don't watch what foods you eat. The typical western diet lacks many of the nutrients needed to sustain strong healthy hair, which is one of the main reasons hair loss is so typical an affliction in western society and so rare in many eastern regions. Diets should contain a diversity of vitamins and minerals found across vegetable and fish dishes as well as the occasional meat dish. Vary your diet for the best results and to ensure you are getting the vitamins and minerals that are needed to maintain strong, healthy looking hair.
How can LCT help?
The London Centre of Trichology can help with female hair loss. We offer a range of entirely natural hair loss treatments that are tailored to suit each client’s individual needs. Treatments will stop further hair loss and follicular reduction and will, in some cases, result in hair re-growth.
Our natural hair loss prevention programme doesn't cause any nasty side effects like some other hair loss products and if you were to stop the programme at any time, your hair would not instantly start to fall out as can be the case with other hair loss treatments.
