Every woman considers her hair to be one of the most crucial elements of her beauty and attractiveness. Women spend a lot of time and money to make their hair look luxuriant and healthy. They put much effort in creating and maintaining a stylish hairdo. That is why, when something bad happens to their hair, women immediately notice these changes and try doing something about them.
The only problem with their activeness is that usually young women try different home remedies which can be even dangerous for their hair, instead of going to a doctor. Therefore, if you have noticed that you lose more hair than you usually do, visit a specialist to find out why you lose hair. Hair falling out can be a symptom of some health disorders. In this case it is obvious that masks and expensive modern hair care products will not help until the initial cause is not removed.
Alopecia In Women
There can be many problems with hair including splitting, thin hair and its dull color, that women usually tolerate, but if they start losing hair, women begin to panic. Of course, nobody wants to become bald. According to the statistics, alopecia is more widely spread among men over 40 than among women of all ages. Besides, male pattern baldness is more severe than female. However, it is psychologically unbearable for a woman to lose even a third of her hair. What to do if you suspects progressing extreme hair loss?
First of all you should state whether your hair fall is physiological (normal) or pathological. To do this, inspect your fallen out hair. If you see a hair bulb on its end, than you have troubles. Another thing you can undertake is to pull a bit your hair on your temples; if you have more than 5 hairs left in your hands, than you have to visit a doctor to find out the reason which caused excessive hair loss in your case.
Your hair reflects your general state of health. If there is something wrong with your hormones or blood circulation, very soon it will affect your hair. That is why it is better to make special medical tests to find out the initial cause of your problems with hair. Usually it is a lack of microelements in your body. Therefore, if you restore the natural balance, your hair will soon come back to normal on its own.
Do not neglect hair fall, because it can be a sign of a serious disease. The best solution at any case of hair fall will be to consult a doctor, do necessary tests and undergo the prescribed female hair loss treatment.
Causes Of Hair Loss In Women
Doctors divide alopecia in women into two kinds:
- Sudden hair loss in women;
- Female pattern baldness.
The first one is usually connected to the activity of some external factors, for example radioactivity or side effects of some drugs and chemicals. Very often cancer treatment can provoke sudden hair loss. However, in most cases, there is a big probability of hair regrowth for women. No special treatment for female hair loss is needed, because your hair follicles start producing new hair as soon as you remove the unfavorable factor.
Female pattern baldness is a gradual hair loss which can become chronic. Female hair loss does not lead to hair fall at particular areas of your head, unlike male pattern baldness. Usually you notice hair thinning all over your head. The promising news is that you are not going to lose all of your hair.
Hormonal Imbalance
There are lots of reasons which lead to loss of hair in women. One of the most frequent causes of hair loss in women is hormonal imbalance. Since hormonal surges can be natural, for example, in puberty, during and after pregnancy, in menopause, hair loss caused by them is considered to be harmless. As soon as your hormones come back to normal, your hair will restore.
Many new mothers think that they are going to be bald, because they lose up to 30% of their hair after the delivery. Postpartum hair loss can start after a month after delivery and it will disappear by itself within a year or even less.
Hair loss can begin after you stop taking hormonal contraceptives or when you begin unprotected sexual life. In the latter case your body gets male hormones, which may provoke hair fall.
Two main reasons for hair loss in women over 50 are menopause and aging. During menopause the level of female hormones gradually lowers before it reaches new balance and at this age our body undergoes slow aging processes. All body systems work not that smoothly as before. All these changes cause gradual natural hair loss in older women.
However, if hormonal disorder is caused by other reasons, it is mandatory that you visit a doctor, because hormonal problems can lead to even more serious states than hair loss. Usually a doctor makes a test to find out your current level of hormones. Then he or she prescribes treatment that will correct hormonal imbalance. As a rule, after the course of treatment you will forget about hair fall.
Unfortunately, the hormonal factor is not the only one to cause hair fall. Very often it comes together with other risk factors such as stress.
Severe Or Constant Stress
Stress is another popular reason for hair fall among women and men. Basically, stress negatively influences your health in general, especially your nervous and blood circulatory systems. Small vessels on your scalp that nourish hair bulbs do not get enough blood and nutrients contained in it. As a result, your hair weakens and falls out.
Modern women have a lot of stress, both at work and at home. This is especially true about new mothers, who don’t have time for themselves, sufficient sleep and proper eating. If you feel that you are under stress and you lose hair, try to eradicate stressful factors. Try to have a sufficient sleep. Spend some quiet time just on your own or doing your hobby. Perhaps, it is time to think about a new job?
Anyway, if you keep living in stress, no hair loss remedies will help you.
Lack Of Vitamins And Minerals
This is the third important reason of hair fall. Female baldness can be caused by exhausting diet. Some women want to become slim so much that they do not think about the consequences of strict diets. Lack of iron, zinc, calcium and some other elements leads to problems not only with your hair, but also with your hormones and metabolism.
Therefore, if you want to have healthy and beautiful hair, you should eat properly. Make sure you get enough minerals and vitamins from the food you eat. You may even need to take vitamins in pills. Consult your doctor about vitamins for hair loss in women. Eat much fruit and vegetables, meat and cereals.
Lack of iron can also be caused by blood loss during delivery or surgery. If you have undergone one recently, ask your doctor to prescribe you iron containing drugs.
Other Health Problems
Hair fall is often connected to various diseases. Even an ordinary cold can cause hair fall, especially if you have fever. Scientists have noticed a connection between immunity disorders and hair loss. Therefore, if you recovered from an infectious disease, it is quite possible that you will face hair loss.
Besides, such diseases as arthritis, tumors, diabetes, hepatitis, psoriasis, seborrhea and some others can be accompanied by hair fall. In addition, some drugs that you take have hair loss as a side effect.
Some people think that hair loss can be provoked by using hair dryers or irons and exposure to chemicals, but doctors say that outer influence cannot trigger hair loss. It just aggravates already existing problems.
Female Hair Loss Treatment
In every particular case a specialist prescribes hair loss treatments for women that cure the initial cause of hair fall and strengthen your hair. To find out the reason which provoked your hair loss a doctor will ask you to make several tests including hormonal, blood and hair analyses, because he or she must know the overall state of your health to prescribe you the right medication.
Very often you can notice sudden improvement of state of your hair after treating the illness that caused your hair problems. Hair can begin to grow even without applying any special hair growth products for women.
However, there are some cases of female hair loss that need special complex treatment. The best hair loss treatment for women can include:
- Vitamins and drugs for intake (usually hormonal);
- Medical creams and lotions for local use;
- Laser treatment;
- Scalp massage. It helps to normalize blood circulation in hair follicles;
- Medical hair loss products for women (special shampoos, masks or conditioners);
- Natural remedies for hair loss including herbal solutions, decoctions and masks;
- Hair transplant for women.
Homemade Remedies For Hair Loss
Using healing properties of natural products is the best treatment for thinning hair in women. Here are some recipes that can help to treat hair loss in women and men.
- Burdock or castor oil is very good for your hair. Prepare a mixture of one of these oils with alcohol in a ratio of 1:1 and rub it into your scalp half an hour before shampooing. Use this remedy for 1-2 months.
- Another remedy that works is a castor oil mask. To prepare it mix a tablespoon of oil with juice of a medium onion, add an egg yolk. Apply this mask to your hair for 45 minutes before washing your head. For the better result cover your head with a plastic bag or towel. Then wash your hair as you usually do.
- The next remedy is good for prevention of hair problems. Peel 2-3 oranges. Cover the peels with 8 cups of warm water. Let it stay for 3 hours and then use this water to wash your hair. Orange peels lotion helps to give shine and strength to your hair.
- You can prepare a pepper mask to stop female hair loss. Chop one chili pepper and pour it with 50 ml of ethanol. Let it stay for 2-3 weeks in a dark cool place. Add the resulting infusion to your shampoo or conditioner. Warning! Do not use the remedy in pure form.
These natural remedies are aimed at preventing hair loss in women and stimulating new hair growth. Before applying any remedy or treatment, ask your doctor how to stop hair loss in women. As a rule, experts prescribe a complex treatment that combines medication and use of special hair care products. This approach provides fairly rapid and sustained results.
Remember that only a doctor can appoint a competent treatment. Try better not to solve the problem on your own as you can aggravate it. Almost all drugs have contraindications and only a specialist can chose the right medication for you. If you are fond of folk medicine, ask your physician to advise a good homemade remedy for you.
Besides, try to avoid stress, have enough sleep and nourish properly. Health of your hair begins with your general health.