Female hair loss
Hair loss (also known as alopecia) affects six out of 10 women at some point in their lives, and around 1.6 million women in the UK. Luckily, there are solutions.
Common types of hair loss
The most common cause of hair loss in women is androgenetic alopecia. This is caused by naturally-occurring hormones that shorten the life of the hair and results in overall thinning. Also referred to as 'female pattern baldness' it happens when the body reacts to male hormones found in everyone's body. A chemical called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is produced by male hormones; if you produce too much DHT it shrinks the follicles and forces the hair to grow thinner.
Another common form of alopecia is an autoimmune disease called alopecia areata. This type of hair loss can start at any age and is caused by the body's immune system attacking the follicles, resulting in bare patches that can appear anywhere on the body.
Why does it happen?
Conditions such as anaemia, hormonal problems, fungal infections or lupus, as well as drugs used to treat cancer, can affect hair growth. Some women find that the hormones they produce when they're pregnant can make their hair fall out or appear thinner, but once the hormones return to normal this normally rights itself.
Many women find that stress can make their hair fall out. If you are experiencing hair loss and think it might be stress related always speak to your doctor (GP) about ways to reduce the stress and worry in your life.
Common myths
- Frequently washing your hair, using products or hair colourings will not cause alopecia.
- Hair loss isn't caused by a lack of vitamins.
- If you inherit hair loss, it will be from both parents' genes, not just your dad's.
- We have about 100,000 hairs and it's normal to lose around 50-100 of these every day. These are often shed in the shower, so don't panic if you notice them collecting around the plughole.
What can be done?
If you have androgenetic alopecia you can try an oral drug or a lotion to rub into the scalp. As these aren't available on the NHS and don't always work they aren't necessarily the best option. Similarly, there is no single cure for alopecia areata, but some treatments can help. In many cases of areata the hair will start to grow back after about a year, even without treatment.
Any treatment will take time to work so you may want to try concealing your hair loss. The simplest solution is to restyle your hair. A hairdresser could show you ways to conceal the hair loss and help you choose the most flattering style for your hair.
You may choose to cover your hair up. Experiment with scarves and bandannas as well as hats and wigs. Some women find that hair extensions can give thinning hair extra body and help hide the hair loss.
In extreme cases your doctor may suggest some form of cosmetic surgery. This involves either stretching the remaining hair to cover the affected area or transplanting hair from another part of the head.
Be aware that there may be people who will offer you unproven or bogus treatments for your hair loss. If you're worried about hair loss for any reason make sure you get proper medical advice.
Bald is beautiful
Some people with alopecia decide to be open about their hair loss rather than attempting to cover it up. That's what television presenter Gail Porter did when she famously lost her hair. "I used to hide behind my hair, and when it fell out, I didn't want to go out. Now there's nothing to hide behind, it's really quite liberating," she told The Mirror. "I haven't had to shave my legs for weeks! No one can say for sure if my hair will grow back, but that's one thing I won't miss."
Remember that hair loss is common in women and there are ways of improving it. You might be surprised by how many women you see everyday who are hiding their hair loss by clever styling or covering it up!
Written by Emma McNeil
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