Your Hair Restoration Solution
1970 S. Prospect Ave., Suite 2Redondo Beach, CA 90277
References
- Anne W Lucky, D. J. . A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 5% and 2% topical minoxidil solutions in the treatment of female pattern hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol.
- Hartney, M. . More Sulfur Facts to Grow By. Retrieved from FFAA.
- Khalifa E. Sharquie, H. K.-O. . Onion Juice , A New Topical Treatment for Alopecia Areata. The Journal of Dermatology.
A Dermatologists Diagnosis Is Best Before Treating Hair Loss
If you think you have FPHL, its important to see a dermatologist for a diagnosis. Women develop hair loss for many reasons. Other common causes of hair loss in women can look a lot like FPHL. Each of these causes requires different treatment. Without the right treatment, hair loss often continues.
You can find a dermatologist in your area by going to Find a Dermatologist.
Is Hair Loss Dangerous
Hair loss itself isnt dangerous, but the underlying causes of hair loss after weight loss can be.
For example, nutrient deficiencies and extreme calorie restriction can lead to serious health consequences like iron deficiency anemia, muscle loss, and more.
Besides potentially causing hair loss, iron deficiency anemia can lead to impaired brain function, infertility, heart conditions, depression, and altered immune system function .
Calorie and protein restriction can also cause dangerous side effects, including decreased muscle function, heart problems, intestinal issues, decreased immune function, and increased risk of depression .
Other medical conditions, such as autoimmune conditions, can also cause hair loss. Therefore, its important to talk to a healthcare provider if youre experiencing hair loss, because it might not be related to weight loss.
Summary
Although hair loss itself is not dangerous, the underlying causes can be. If youre experiencing hair loss, its important to consult your healthcare provider to rule out an underlying medical condition.
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The Thyroid Disease Connection
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that rests in the front base of the neck. It secretes thyroid hormones that are used by every cell in the body. There’s a connection between hair loss in women and thyroid disease. Imbalances in thyroid hormone levels are a common reason for hair loss in women. Too much thyroid hormone and too little thyroid hormone may both trigger hair loss. Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, rapid heart rate, inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, and anxiety. In addition to hair loss, hypothyroidism may be associated with weight gain, fatigue, feeling cold, slow heart rate, and constipation. Luckily, thyroid hormone imbalances are easily detectable with blood tests. Treatment helps alleviate symptoms, including hair loss.
How To Stop Menopausal Hair Loss According To A Trichologist
Lets face it If youre a woman, youre eventually going to experience the dreaded menopause. Hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, weight gain. And, if that isnt enough, millions of women experience hair loss during menopause. Most doctors declare menopause as an estrogen-deficient time, where a womans estrogen level drops by 90%, so there may be even more hair loss after youve completed menopause.
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The Double Standard Of Hair Loss In Women
Our society has made hair loss in men much more acceptable than in women. Hair loss in men has even become so acceptable that bald men are seen as strong and masculine. You see bald and balding men in movies and TV, hosting talk shows, and even modeling. Hair loss in women is so taboo that the only time you will see a balding woman on TV is when they are portraying a wicked witch or a cancer patient.
While our culture has generally accepted that hair loss in men happens, its also very common in women. More than 50% of women experience noticeable loss at some point in their lives. In America alone, 21 million women suffer from some form of hair loss. 95% of the hair loss in women is androgenetic, meaning it results from, genetics and a hormone called androgen. Androgens include testosterone and other male hormones, which can accelerate hair loss in women.
How Do Doctors Diagnose Alopecia
A physical exam by a dermatologist or other healthcare provider can reveal what type of hair loss you have, which will determine the recommended treatment.
Your doctor may visually examine your scalp and gently tug on small sections of hair if six or more strands come out, that may indicate you have telogen effluvium, anagen effluvium, or early androgenetic alopecia.
Usually, a dermatologist will be able to identify the type and cause of hair loss during a physical exam, but if they need more info for a diagnosis for example, if they notice lesions on the scalp they may conduct blood tests or a scalp biopsy.
Blood tests can check for:
- Hormone levels to rule out underlying causes like thyroid disease or menopause.
- Vitamin or mineral deficiencies to rule out autoimmune diseases that might affect your ability to absorb nutrients.
A biopsy typically entails puncturing the scalp to remove a small sample of tissue, which is then submitted for testing. A lab analysis of the sample can help to determine which type of hair loss you have.
“Women who experience hair loss not associated with pregnancy or stress should be evaluated by their primary care physicians to rule out other causes of hair loss such as thyroid disease, anemia, autoimmune diseases, polycystic ovarian syndrome, psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis,” says Zuriarrain.
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How Can Hair Loss In Women Be Prevented
Preventing hair loss is not possible when it is due to disease, aging, heredity or physical stressors like injuries. You can prevent hair loss caused by caustic chemicals or tight hairstyles by avoiding them. You might be able to prevent some hair loss by eating a healthy diet that provides necessary nutrients in terms of vitamins, minerals and protein. You can stop smoking.
Childbirth May Be A Trigger
Moms-to-be are often very happy that their hair seems much fuller during pregnancy, but they are then disappointed when they experience hair loss after giving birth. Losing hair after pregnancy is not true hair loss and is normal. That’s because hormones and hair loss in women are linked. Hair falls out after women give birth due to decreasing estrogen levels. Some women notice that they lose a lot of hair in a short period of time after giving birth. The good news is that after this shedding period, hair fullness often returns to normal within 1 to 2 years. Many people wonder what’s the best treatment for hair loss in women? For postpartum moms waiting for their full head of hair to return, using over-the-counter volumizing shampoo and conditioner formulated for fine hair can make hair appear fuller.
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Why Hair Falls Out
Hair grows and eventually falls out as part of its normal cycle. It can build up on hair brushes, pillows, or shower drains.
Most people will not notice the natural hair loss that occurs daily. Hair thickness and the hairline usually remain the same.
People are more likely to notice excessive hair loss. This is a good time to take action as it may be due to an underlying condition. Symptoms of excessive hair loss include:
- sudden loss of hair
- noticeable thinning
There are several possible reasons for excessive hair loss.
One of the most common causes is due to genetics. According to a 2019 review, pattern baldness affects up to 50% of men and women.
Commercial products could help to slow and treat this type of balding. One example of these products is Rogaine.
Pattern baldness occurs slowly with aging. Some more immediate causes of hair loss include:
What Questions Might Your Healthcare Provider Ask To Diagnose And Categorize Your Hair Loss
Your healthcare provider might ask about your habits:
- What kinds of hair products do you use?
- What kinds of hair styles do you wear?
- What types of food do you eat ?
- Do you have a habit of pulling your hair out ?
They might ask about your history:
- Has anyone in your immediate family experienced hair loss?
- Is there anything stressful going on in your life?
- What medications and supplements do you take every day?
- Has hair loss ever happened to you before?
- What foods are in your diet?
And, they might ask about your observations:
- How long have you been losing hair?
- Have you been shedding more?
- Have you noticed hair loss in places other than your scalp, like your eyebrows? Leg and arm hair?
- Does anything worsen your hair loss?
- Does anything improve your hair loss?
- Have you noticed hair loss occasionally or has it been going on continuously?
- Have you noticed if your hair growth has changed?
- Has your hair been breaking more often?
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How To Prevent Hair Loss
It’s unlikely that you can prevent hair loss related to aging, heredity, or disease, says Cohen.
However, if your hair loss is caused by something that’s more related to lifestyle, then there are associated lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk:
- Maintain a well-balanced diet that meets all your vitamin and mineral requirements
- Reduce stress in your everyday life
- Quit smoking
- Avoid tight hairstyles or hair products laden with chemicals and sulfates, which can all contribute to traction alopecia
Take The Right Supplements
One thing you might not have known is that using the right supplements can help curb hair loss. You dont have to complicate this, however, just ask your doctor about the best drug to take without any harmful contaminants and side effects.
Furthermore, if youre taking other drugs, its important to consult your physician of the right supplement to take.
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What Are The Effects Of Female Hair Loss
So, what happens to these women who are experiencing the hair loss? Chances are that they are trying the very best to hide it from the world, due to the stigma female hair loss carries with it. If you see a balding man at the grocery store, chances are you wont even remember the encounter, but if you see a balding woman, then it will stand out. The saddest statistic is that over 29% of women suffering from hair loss also reports two or more symptoms of depression. Chances are that depression is due to societys unacceptance of hair loss in women, no matter how common it is.
Many of these women will seek out the nearest FUE clinic for a hair transplant surgery. FUE stands for Follicular Unit Extraction and is the latest hair transplant technique. However, a FUE transplant can run upwards of $15,000 in a worst-case scenario. If these women live on the coast, and cannot afford a hair transplant in Los Angeles, you have additionall options. There are some natural home remedies for hair loss you can try before surgery.
Pathology And Pathogenesis Of Fphl
The histological hallmark common to male pattern hair loss and FPHL is miniaturization of hair follicles with a progressive transformation of terminal hair follicles into vellus-like follicles. Terminal hair follicles have a shaft diameter of greater than 0.06 mm, whereas vellus-like follicles are defined as hairs with a hair shaft diameter of 0.03 mm or less and are thinner than the hairs inner root sheath. In addition, women with FPHL have more follicles in the telogen or shedding phase of the hair cycle, and fewer in the anagen or growth phase .
The pathogenesis of MPHL involves activation of hair follicle cytoplasmic androgen receptors . Both testosterone and dihydrotestosterone activate the AR, however DHT binds 5 times more avidly than testosterone and DHT is thought to be the principle androgen involved in MPHL. Testosterone is converted into DHT by 5-reductase , and DHT in turn is converted into estrogen by the cytochrome P450 enzyme aromatase . Two isoforms of 5-reductase have been identified and separated on pH optima, substrate affinity, and tissue distribution . The type 2 isoform is found in the dermal papilla of the hair follicle and inhibition of this isoenzyme with finasteride is the principle treatment for MPHL .
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Is Hair Loss Treatment For Women Available On The Nhs
Certain hair loss treatments are available on the NHS, but most have to be obtained privately or bought over the counter in a pharmacy. If you experience scarring alopecia, you may be able to receive hair loss surgery on the NHS. If you want to use minoxidil you will have to buy it yourself.
Wigs and fabric supports are also available on the NHS to people who fall into certain categories. Learn more here.
What Causes Female Hair Loss
The reasons for hair loss in women can be due to multiple factors. This includes hormonal changes, genetic factors, nutritional or mineral deficiency, stress, medicinal side effects, post-COVID or other serious diseases, post giving birth, and chemical hair treatments.
When you start losing more than 100 hair strands daily, it is time to visit the hair doctor. Depending on the cause of your hair loss, a treatment plan is devised specifically suited for you.
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Natural Homeopathic Remedies For Womens Hair Loss
Hair loss for women is a multi-dimensional problem. Not only is there the obvious stigma for a woman to have others see her prominent hair loss, but there is also a deep psychological trauma for women who lose their hair. Much of a womans self-perception can be wrapped up in how her hair looks. This can be especially true if the hair loss is sudden or drastic.
Fortunately there are quite a number of homeopathic remedies and treatments for this situation. In this article we will explore many of them and provide additional information to guide women seeking this help. A doctor should be consulted before beginning a homeopathic path to remediating this emotional and physical issue. They may also be able to narrow down the numerous choices in using homeopathic medicine to treat this condition.
How To Stop Hair Loss
Kingsley shares her expert tips on how to take control of our hair and preserve what we have:
Self-advocate, speak up and seek help.
There is always a reason for hair loss and always something that can be done to help. Women apologise for being vain when they voice concerns about losing their hair.
Actually, hair loss is never trivial. Our hair forms a major part of our identity and is incredibly important to our mood, self-perception and day-to-day confidence.
Eat a balanced, colourful, varied and seasonal diet rich in energy, proteins, healthy fats, Vitamin B12, Zinc and iron.
To help ensure your hair is getting all of the nutrients it needs to grow to its best ability, take hair-specific nutritional supplements. Hair cells are the second fastest growing cells the body makes so they are very needy.
Couple this with the fact that although hair isnt physically essential, it is a tissue with incredibly high and unique nutritional requirements. Strands therefore benefit from extra helpings of certain vitamins, minerals and proteins.
The health of your scalp plays a vital role in hair growth.
Everything from scalp inflammation and microbial imbalances to genetics and hormonal sensitivities can impact the health of your hair follicles, and the hairs that emerge from them.
Use daily topical products to help stimulate and protect your scalp from both internal and external aggressors.
Know what your hair loss products are doing and what you can realistically expect from them.
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