Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Hair loss

is a frustrating and confidence-shaking experience for both sexes. However, the feelings of low self-esteem, anger and fear that usually accompany hair loss can be greatly more severe among women, as while it is socially acceptable for men to go bald with style, female hair loss has a stronger negative stigma.
Given hair loss affects around 40% of the UK’s females, this is a real shame. Luckily there are ways to combat various types of female hair loss, and several conditions will right themselves naturally over time.

What causes female hair loss?

There are a number of potential causes for female hair loss. The most common is genetic hair loss, known as female pattern hair loss. The result is a gradual thinning of the hair across the scalp. Unlike the male form of the condition, women suffering from genetic hair loss do not tend to develop bald patches.
Women are also more susceptible to hair loss conditions which have a hormonal trigger. This is because female life experiences, such as taking the contraceptive pill, pregnancy and birth, all have a major effect on the body’s hormonal balance.
Telogen Effluvium, where the hair prematurely enters the resting phase and sheds rapidly, is one condition which can be caused by a hormone imbalance, or any form of severe shock, emotional stress or major physical trauma, such as that caused by surgery or an accident.
Women are also prone to diffuse hair loss, where the shedding of hair is caused by internal, non-genetic factors such as diet. Symptoms include an increased shedding rate and a general thinning of hair across the scalp.
Physical causes of female hair loss can include extreme tension sustained on the hair shaft. This can lead to Traction Alopecia, and often occurs when hair is maintained in an overly severe hairstyle. It is also a potential side effect of over reliance on hair extensions.

Female Pattern Hair Loss

Androgenic Alopecia, or female pattern hair loss, is thought to be the root cause of 70% of female hair loss cases. Although it manifests differently to male pattern baldness, the genetic trigger in both sexes is exactly the same. In people genetically disposed to hair loss the body converts the hormone testosterone into the potent dihydrotestosterone, by means of the enzyme Alpha-5 reductase.
Dihydrotestosterone inhibits the growth of genetically pre-disposed hair follicles, causing them to shrink and eventually cease regenerating. Women who suffer from genetic hair loss will notice a general thinning of the hair across the head.
Androgenic Alopecia is treatable in the vast majority of cases and the Belgravia Centre has an excellent track record in treating women with this condition. Following a personalised treatment plan, the majority of women will experience hair loss stabilisation and many will also see some degree of hair regrowth. Photo-scans will be taken before, during and after your treatment, so you’ll be able to see the progress for yourself.
Any personal treatment plan for female pattern hair loss is based around Minoxidil, the only hair loss treatment approved and proven for female use by the MHRA and its US counterpart the FDA. In trials, two out of three women with moderate genetic hair loss reported re-growth.
Minoxidil works by increasing blood and nutrient flow to the scalp, ensuring that hair receives everything it needs to grow back at its healthiest. Our in-house pharmacy creates its own preparations of Minoxidil, adding booster ingredients such as Azelaic Acid which may help boost hair health and regrowth. The pharmacy can also prepare a selection of hair care products tailored to your individual hair type and condition.
which are selected according to your personalised plan include Hair Vitalics, a daily supplement to ensure hair grows back at its strongest and the laser comb, which stimulates the scalp via low-level lasers to encourage regrowth.

Treating other female hair loss conditions

If your hair loss is not genetic, there are a variety of other ways the Belgravia Centre can help you ensure your hair grows back healthy and strong. Women suffering from Telogen Effluvium tend to report full re-growth naturally, once the cycle returns to normal, but using booster products such as Hair Vitalics can help ensure hair is as strong as it can be, and in some cases promote faster growth.
The same can be said of Traction Alopecia, providing hair follicles are still viable, hair tends to recover naturally once it is released from tension, but there are numerous ways to promote and maintain healthy hair growth.
If you are worried about hair loss, then contact the Belgravia Centre today for a no-obligation consultation or complete and online diagnostic form for your own home-treatment course from anywhere in the world.