What Causes Frontal Hair Loss In Women
There are many reasons why you may be losing the hair in the front of your head. As mentioned above, one factor could be frontal fibrosing alopecia. While the causes of FFA remain unknown, there are some theories.
Since cases have risen exponentially in the past few decades especially in western countries some researchers believe there may be an environmental trigger.
Its also possible that some types of sunscreen and makeup may cause FFA, but more research is needed to support this theory.
Whats more likely considering FFA is predominantly seen in peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women is that a hormonal shift like a lack of estrogen may trigger the condition.
Low Iron And Female Hair Loss
One of the most common causes of hair loss in women, without doubt, is low Iron stores. A large majority of the women who consult a Trichologist have below optimum Iron stores for good hair growth. A study conducted on 1000 women revealed 33% suffered female hair loss, 90% caused by low Iron stores and 10% caused by Genetic or other factors.
There Are Different Types Of Hair Loss Genetic And Reactive
Genetic:
There’s a chance you’re genetically predisposed to hair thinning, which means you may see a progressive, gradual reduction in hair volume. “In these instances, certain hair follicles are sensitive to male hormones and this sensitivity causes follicles to gradually shrink and produce slightly finer and shorter hairs with each passing hair growth cycle.” Explains Anabel Kingsley.
Reactive:
This means your hair loss is the result of a trigger. “Excessive daily hair shedding is not reliant on having a genetic predisposition, it occurs as the result of an internal imbalance or upset, such as a nutritional deficiency, severe stress, crash dieting or an illness” says Anabel Kingsley.
Don’t Miss: When To Worry About Hair Loss
Potential Causes For Hair Thinning
From daily habits to genetics, theres a myriad of reasons why we suddenly lose hair. This is why prioritizing your hair and scalp health is so important, as hair loss can affect virtually anyone. However, there are four main types of hair loss:
- Androgenetic Alopecia: the most common form of hair loss in women, androgenetic alopecia is characterized by thinning on the scalp. As its name would suggest, this type of hair loss is genetic and can be passed on from mother or father.
- Telogen Effluvium: this kind of hair loss happens during periods of great stress. Youll see handfuls of hair on brush, bathroom floor, or pillowcase.
- Traction Alopecia: youll see slight balding or a receding hairline where hair is normally pulled, twisted, or excessively styled.
- Alopecia Areata: characterized by hair loss on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. This is caused by an autoimmune skin disease.
If youre still unsure about why youre suddenly experiencing hair loss, here are some other reasons:
So What Are The Common Reasons For Hair Loss
First, the balding gene. Hereditary hair loss, which affects both men and women, is the most common reason for hair loss. You could inherit the gene from your mother or father, and hormones can trigger hair loss at any time after adolescence. Also, the loss can vary from hair thinning to total baldness.
Additionally, some women lose excess hair shortly after childbirth. That is because estrogen levels go back to normal and hair gets back to its normal growth cycle. During pregnancy when estrogen levels are high, hair grows rapidly because estrogen makes hair grow. However, shortly after giving birth, the luscious hair falls and grows back within a year or sooner.
Also, birth control medication causes hair to stop growing and start falling, a condition called telogen effluvium. Whether you are going off birth control or just starting it, your body can react by causing your hair to experience intense shedding. Other medications that cause hair loss include those for treating depression, high blood pressure, cancer, and arthritis, as Mayo Clinic states.
As well, maintaining healthy hair banks on getting solid nutrients. In particular, protein, iron, zinc, and Vitamin B3 have promoted hair growth. Moreover, dermatologists link deficiencies in the said minerals to different types of hair loss.
Read Also: How To Know What Type Of Hair Loss You Have
How To Deal With Hair Loss As You Age
While some cases of hair thinning are treatable at home, it’s always best to go and see a doctor to have you checked up for an underlying medical concern
In the meantime, here are some of the ways you can deal with fine hairplus, how you can minimize hair fall:
- Switch to sulfate-free, anti-thinning shampoos. There are many affordable and highly-raved ones like Zen Nutrient‘s Gugo Shampoo and Avalon Organics‘ Therapy Thickening Shampoo that aren’t only gentle but can also thicken fine hair in the process through nourishing the hair follicles.
- Invest in a quality hairbrush
- Switch up your hair parting! When your hair is used to your usual hair parting , it naturally becomes flat.
Signs And Symptoms Of Female Hair Loss
After looking at what causes female hair loss at temples, we now examine some of the common signs and symptoms that signify the problem. Below are some of the common signs and symptoms of the female hair loss:
1 Gradual thinning of the hair
The most notable sign of hair loss is the gradual thinning of the hair. This, for a large part, is the first indicator of the issue of hair loss. If left unmitigated, it often boils over to affect the entire head. Thus, it is great if you can take the first step to do something while at it.
2 Circular or Patchy Bald Spots
If the hair loss persists beyond the first stage described above, it graduates to the circular or patchy bald spots. At such times, the skin becomes itchy and painful. It is also not uncommon for some red spots that are ghastly to behold to arise at such times also.
3 Sudden Loosening of the Hair
Some people experience more rapid hair loss than others. For them, the head loses the hair faster and without any prior notice. This in many cases is brought about by a sudden and unexpected emotional or physical shock. Luckily, it is temporary and reverts back to the original state after the shock has come to an end.
4 Full-body Hair Loss
5 Scaly Patches
Also Check: Can Parkinson’s Cause Hair Loss
Treating Hair Loss In Your 20s And 30s
At Toppik, we have made it our job to help people like you find the best hair loss cure and solution for your particular hair needs.
If you are looking for a temporary cosmetic solution for hair loss, consider trying Toppik Hair Building Fibers to cover any areas of thinning hair or scalp show-through. Available in nine shades that can be mixed to match almost any hair color, Hair Fibers come in four sizes to help with a wide arrange of hair loss needs. You can either shake or spray the Hair Fibers into thinning hair, and watch as your hair is instantly transformed. This is the quickest way to get the confidence you once had with a full head of hair.
Hair loss can be emotional and stressful, but it doesnt have to be. The Hair Toppiks blog is a safe place of community and support where we hope everyone feels comfortable, but most importantly its here to show you that you are not alone in your struggle for a hair loss cure.
Write, email or leave a comment below if you want to share your hair loss story with us we hope it will inspire others and be a positive light on the emotional toll hair loss can take on others just like you.
Stay In the KnowWe want everyone to know that hair loss can happen at any age, for a multitude of reasons, and to follow up on this story, next week well show you how your daily routine can damage your hair, and what you can do to fix it.
As A Female Why Is My Hair Thinning At 22
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
Also Check: Will Postpartum Hair Loss Grow Back
How To Remove Them
There are many safe ways to remove unwanted facial hair, including tweezing, waxing, threading, shaving or using depilatory creams. If youre worried that any of those techniques will cause your hair to grow back thicker, you can relax on that front. Its a myth, Dr. Lamb said. In fact, the opposite can even happen: Waxing, tweezing or threading can reduce hair growth, because some hair follicles get damaged by the removal process and stop producing hair, she said.
Another way to control unwanted hair growth is to use a prescription cream called Vaniqa, which makes hair grow more slowly, finely and possibly lighter in color when applied twice a day. But the cream only works for as long as its used once you stop applying it, hair will grow back the way it grew before, Dr. Lamb said.
You can buy at-home laser or intense pulsed light therapy devices, which are also an option for lighter skin hues and damage hair follicles by heating them. But these devices are often less effective, work more slowly and require more treatments than those done professionally, Dr. Lamb said.
What Causes Early Hair Loss
Early hair loss is often related to one or several factors, including:
-
Certain hairstyles: Hairstyles like cornrows or pigtails, which pull hair tight, may increase your risk for early hair loss.
-
Heredity: A family history increases your likelihood of experiencing early .
-
Hormones: Early hair loss in women is often caused by fluctuations in hormones, such as during or . You may also lose hair if your thyroid gland isnt working properly.
-
Medical conditions: Some medical conditions, like , may cause premature hair loss. Scalp infections such as may also result in loss of hair.
-
Medications: Hair loss is a known side effect of certain medications, like those prescribed for treatment, , , or .
-
Stressful events: Extremely stressful events, such as a divorce, may result in early hair loss. Often, this type of early hair loss is only temporary.
-
Treatments: Certain medical treatments, such as or to the head, may cause hair to fall out.
Recommended Reading: What Drugs Cause Hair Loss
You’re Getting Too Much Vitamin A
Overdoing vitamin A-containing supplements or medications can trigger hair loss, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Just FYI: The Daily Value for vitamin A is 5,000 International Units per day for adults and kids over age 4 supplements can contain 2,500 to 10,000 IU. So any more than that and you could risk some strands falling out.
The good news: This is also a reversible cause of hair loss, and once the excess vitamin A is halted, hair should start growing normally again.
What Is Temple Hair Loss
This is the female hair loss frontal hairline i.e. the thinning of the hair at the temples of the human face. Though it is predominantly a male problem, some females have also reported suffering from it. This kind of loss is normal for men but abnormal for women as it is often indicative of worse underlying issues.
Don’t Miss: What Can I Give My Dog For Hair Loss
Genetics And Other Health Conditions
More often than not, your genes are to blame. If you come from a family where women started to have hair loss at a certain age, then you might be more prone to it, Dr. Glashofer tells Health. This genetic condition is known as femalepattern baldness.
Other hair loss-causing health conditions include anemia and hypothyroidism.
Female Pattern Baldness And The Genetic Link
Genetics appears to be a significant factor in developing female pattern baldness, which means it runs in families. Women can inherit the gene for pattern baldness from either parent.
Female pattern baldness tends to be more common as a woman ages and reaches midlife, although it can begin earlier.
It often develops after menopause, so hormonal changes may also be a contributing factor.
Female pattern baldness is largely thought to occur due to genetics. However, it may also develop due to an underlying condition that affects the production of the hormone androgen.
Androgen is a hormone that plays a role in pattern baldness. Tumors of the pituitary gland or ovary, which secrete androgen, may also lead to hair loss.
Other causes of hair loss in women include:
- Autoimmune disease: Alopecia areata is a rare autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the hair follicles leading to hair loss.
- Medication: Certain medications, such as those that are used to treat cancer, can cause hair loss as a side effect. However, hair usually regrows once a person has stopped taking the medication.
- Illness: Hair loss can develop after a significant illness, such as a severe infection, high fever, or surgery.
- Traction alopecia: This is hair loss that occurs when a person frequently wears hairstyles that pull the hair too tightly.
Also Check: What To Do For Pcos Hair Loss
Female Hair Loss : Why It Happens And How To Treat It
Medically reviewed by Kristin Hall, FNP
Noticed your hair falling out? Whether youve spotted more hairs than normal on your pillow, in the shower drain catch or on your clothing, its easy to panic when you notice your hair thinning at a faster pace than normal.
Female pattern hair loss is the most common type of hair loss women experience.
Hair loss in women can occur for a variety of hair types and reasons. Sometimes, its triggered by changes in your hormone levels and a genetic sensitivity to certain hormones. In other cases, factors such as stress, thyroid issues , weight loss and even environmental factors can all have an effect on your hairline.
As a woman, dealing with hair loss can be difficult. Luckily, its almost always treatable using a range of safe, effective medications. Weve covered these treatment options, as well as the key reasons for female hair loss, below.
Causes Of Temporary Hair Loss
You can avoid hair loss and promote regrowth when hair loss is temporarily caused by:
Tight hairstyles. Tight ponytails, braids and cornrows can all cause hair loss and damage the follicles, which regulate hair growth. Changing hairstyles can help prevent thinning. But beware: When the follicles sustain too much damage, hair loss can be permanent.
Extreme physical shock/stress. 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. But hair should grow back over time.
Medical therapies and toxic substances. Chemotherapy, certain other drugs and radiation treatments can prompt hair loss, mainly in the growth phase. Hair loss can strike suddenly, anywhere in the body. It is typically temporary .
Nutritional deficiencies. Not getting enough iron, protein or vitamin B12 in your diet can also cause your hair to thin. If this happens to you, talk to your doctor about supplements.
Also Check: What Shampoo To Use For Hair Loss