Causes for Hair Loss in Women

Nov 28, 2009 - Video: Hair loss Treatment   Hair has always been considered a symbol of beauty and fashion for women.  This is why the problem typically associated with men causes so much anguish with women experiencing hair loss.  Instances have even been found where girls as young as 15 years old are victims of the condition.  Following are a few key reasons that women will experience excessive loss at some point in their lives:   Our hair typically grows at the rate of ½ inch per month.  After a growth phase of two to six years, the follicle then rests for two or three months.  At this point, the hair falls out, and the follicle grows a new hair.  This is why it’s normal to experience some hair loss on a daily basis.  One reason that some women experience thinning hair is an interruption in this typical growth cycle.   Hormones called androgens are usually the culprit in interfering with hair growth patterns.  Testosterone is the most widely known androgen, but androsteinedione and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) also belong to this group.  Androgens are found in large amounts in men, but smaller amounts in women.  When a woman is genetically predisposed to hair loss, testosterone is actually converted to DHT in the hair cell, and then resides within the hair follicle.  As time goes by, a buildup of DHT causes the natural growth and resting phases of hair to become erratic because the follicle is shrinking.   Female pattern baldness is much different than male pattern baldness.  Some cases are caused by androgens in women, but the pattern of hair loss is much different in women versus men.  Women typically lose their hair in a broader area, around the entire crown of the head.  Unlike men, advancing age has nothing to do with female hair loss; women may lose their hair at any point in life. - 0 Comments