What can cause a woman to lose her hair?
We’ve all seen those heartbreaking shampoo commercials featuring women running their fingers through thick, lustrous locks (cue the wind machine). But what happens when that dreamy hairscape becomes a nightmare? Hair loss in women is more common than you might think and can have a variety of causes. So put down that brush and let’s investigate some possible culprits.
A Hormonal Havoc
Hormones really are our frenemies, aren’t they? They do wonders for us during puberty but then often turn into those uninvited guests who just won’t leave the party. And one way they like to overstay their welcome is by causing hair loss.
Thyroid Troubles
If your thyroid gland goes haywire, you could be at risk for both hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), each of which comes with its own list of symptoms – including hair loss. Th/thyroxine/T4/T3/thyrotoxicosis/graves’ disease/hashimoto’s/thyroglobulin
Pregnancy Perils
Ah pregnancy – it’s enough to make even the most well-adjusted woman question her sanity. But did you know it can also wreak havoc on your hormones and lead to temporary hair loss? Fortunately, things usually bounce back after delivery (unlike sleep) and most pregnant gals are too busy chasing around an adorable little human anyway.
Stressing Out Your Tresses
‘Tress-stress’ isn’t just fun to say five times fast (try it!), any kind of stressor can cause physical changes in our bodies – including thinning out our manes.
Daily Grind-Related Baldness
You know those mornings where you roll out of bed feeling about as rested as someone who just pulled a triple all-nighter? If this is your reality most days and you’re grinding your teeth as if they’re corn on the cob, it could be contributing to some hair loss up top (or down below). Bruxism/teeth-grinding/stress-related/hair-loss
Emotional Excesses & Physical Effects
Stressful events like divorce, the death of a loved one or shudder moving house can manifest physically as well. One such way? Hair freakin’ loss. So give yourself a break already (not literally) and don’t sweat the small stuff. Better yet – kill stress with kindness by practicing self-care(yoga/walk/doggy-petting/breathing-exercises).
Let’s Go Nutzo Over Nutrition
It’s not just calories that count when it comes to our diets; vitamins and nutrients play crucial roles in our hair health, too.
Iron Insufficiency Will Leave You Tress-pressed
Iron deficiency anemia (which often goes hand-in-hand with heavy periods) can result in thinner hair or even lead to outright baldness. But hey – at least that shiny dome trend got really hot for some people awhile back (right?). IDA/Heavy-periods/unfortunate-trends/shiny-domes
Vitamin Vagaries Produce Hair Horrors
Don’t let vitamin deficiencies do what perms did in the 80s – leave you utterly horrified when you catch a glimpse of yourself walking past shop windows. Specifically biotin (part of the B-complex family), niacin (B3) & Vitamin D are key players in keeping your luscious locks from abandoning ship.
Medical Misfortunes = Mane Mishaps
Sometimes even medical treatments feel like they’re kicking us while we’re down – especially when they result in losing more than ‘just’ help treat whatever ailment brought us there.
Chemo = Hair Don’t Grow
One of the most well-known side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss, and it can be a difficult experience for women. Using this as an excuse to stock up on stylish wigs is highly encouraged (or if bald Barbie dolls become trendy again) so go ahead and treat yourself!
Un-Fun Fact Alert: Some Medications Cause Hair Loss
Unfortunately, many medications – such as antidepressants, certain acne treatments, & blood thinners- list hair loss as a possible side effect. It’s always worth asking your doctor whether there are alternatives that don’t have the same unfortunate consequence when possible. antidepressants/accutane/warfarin
A Doctor Who Specializes in Manes
Prevention is key when it comes to pretty much everything health-related, so make sure you’re seeing someone who can keep tabs on your tresses.
Dermatologist Delight!
Dermatology isn’t just about snagging that Instagram-worthy complexion – dermatologists also specialize in helping people dealing with hair-loss woes (and setting Jeff Bezos straight). So schedule an appointment with one ASAP (not just because you want fun new band-aids) .
Trichologist Therapy
Think of trichology like super-specialized dermatology but solely focused on scalp issues & drumroll hair restoration efforts (got fine strands? come see me).
Just Roll With The Bald Outta Hell Lifestyle
Some women opt to shave their heads instead of trying to stop their shedding or take other measures altogether- after all Audrey Hepburn was still absolutely stunning (as were all the other shaved-cranium-wielding gals) . It’s ultimately up to each individual woman how they feel most comfortable addressing what might seem like a sensitive subject. Just remember though – being fabulous has nothing whatsoever to do with having lots or little of hair.
Wigs Are Wildly Wonderful
As we mentioned earlier, getting new wigs is as great a way to treat yourself as trying out one-at-a-time shades of lipstick (or other costly hobbies that keep you occupied) – whether or not it’s due to medical-related hair loss.
Embrace Your Inner Punk-Rock Princess
For women who aren’t ready (or don’t want) to go the wig route and truly feel comfortable in their own skin- why not go for something bold? Shaving your head or rocking a mohawk can be ultimate power moves (and perhaps even giving you fresh design ideas).
In conclusion, while female-pattern baldness might make many women sad initially; engaging in self-care/seeing professionals/taking vitamins remember: at the end of they day it all boils down to what makes each woman individually happy & feeling fulfilled with herself.