- It is estimated that 95 percent of men and women lose their hair due to androgenetic alopecia. In women, this condition generally appears as they age and is commonly passed down through genetics. It is also a hormonal reaction to testosterone and male hormones that affect the normal growth of hair and causes patterned baldness.
- Generally a temporary loss of hair, telogen effluvium describes how an illness or physical condition affects the production of hair growth hormones, causing it to shed. Women may experience this during childbirth, extreme diets, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, surgery, infection, a traumatic event and menopause.
- When medications are stopped or not taken properly, hair loss may occur. This is commonly seen with blood thinners, general anesthesia, gout pills, hormone replacement medicine, pills for chemotherapy, an excess of vitamin A, birth control pills and antidepressants.
- Hair loss may also indicate an underlying medical condition that should be evaluated by a doctor. Early signs of a disease may be seen in a spotty or diffused pattern of hair loss, which may indicate a thyroid disorder, infection, anemia, lupus or diabetes.
- Hair loss in women is connected to a proper diet and nutrition. Poor nutrition and lack of protein, essential fatty acids, zinc and consuming little to no fat in the diet can cause hair to fall out and thin.
- Not related to hormones, traction alopecia is a hair loss that women experience over time, mainly from hairstyles such as braiding and tight ponytails. When pulled too tight, hair experiences trauma, which causes the follicles to fall out in clumps.
