Hair Loss Reasons in Women: Why losing hair is a problem.

There may be a number of reasons why you might lose your hair, and treatments will differ, so before you decide on a solution, it’s a good idea to determine what’s causing your hair loss in the first place.

Hair loss (alopecia) may be an inherited problem where hair on the head thins and falls out, especially on the top of the head. This can happen to both men and women, but it’s more common in men.

The Life Cycle of a Hair

Each hair on your head goes through a cycle of growing and resting, the length varying from one person to another. During the growth phase, which usually lasts two to three years, the hair grows just under 1/2 inch (1 centimeter) every month. This is followed by the resting phase which usually three to four months, after which the hair strand falls out and a new one begins to grow in its place. Once a hair is shed, the growth stage begins again.

If you feel that a lot of hairs seem to be falling out of your scalp, remember that it is normal for most people to lose 50 to 100 hairs every day, and because there are about 100,000 hairs in the average person’s scalp, this amount of hair loss shouldn't be noticeable.

However, when the rate of falling out exceeds the rate of regrowth, when new hair is thinner than the hair which has fallen out or when hair comes out in patches, there is definitely a problem.

Types of hair loss

There are specific types of hair loss. One of the most well known is pattern baldness which can be a problem for both men and women. In this type of hair loss, the hair’s time of growth shortens, and the new hairs which grow are thinner and weaker, and with each growth cycle, the hairs fall out more easily because they are not as deeply rooted as they should be.

Another type of permanent hair loss occurs when new hair cannot grow because inflammation has damaged and scarred the hair follicle.

You may also read about specific conditions under the following names:

Alopecia areata. This is classified as an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake. However, it is not known what causes this condition, and people who suffer from alopecia areata are usually otherwise healthy. It is thought this might be a genetic condition which is sparked by some kind of trigger, such as a virus or something else in the environment. If someone suffers from alopecia areata, their hair, in most cases, grows back but they may lose and regrow it several times.

Telogen effluvium. This condition is usually caused by a change in the body’s normal hair cycle, such as occurs when there is some type of emotional or physical shock to the system, causing hair roots to go prematurely into a resting state so that affected growing hairs fall out. Fortunately, once the trigger that caused this condition is corrected, the hair follicles become active again within one to two months, and new hair begins to grow. Examples of trauma which might trigger Telogen effluvium are emotional distress, such as a death in the family or a physiological stress, such as a high fever, sudden or excessive weight loss, extreme diets, nutritional deficiencies, surgery, or metabolic disturbances.

Traction alopecia. When hair is pulled too tightly as a result of hairstyling or hairstyles, hair loss may also result. It is possible to reverse this if the pulling is stopped before there is scarring of the scalp or permanent damage to the roots.

Another type of hair loss may be cause by other factors such as

- fungal infections
- aging
- illness (such as diabetes of lupus)
- some medications or medical treatments (such as chemotherapy or radiation
therapy)
- poor nutrition (such as a lack of protein in the diet)
- hormonal changes (as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, discontinuation of birth
control pills, the beginning of menopause, or an overactive or underactive thyroid
gland)

Generally, if these conditions are treated or corrected, the hair may stop falling out.

If you have a hair loss problem and you know that it is not likely to go away on its own, then it is really worth looking for a good treatment, and giving it a try!

Find out more about hair loss treatment at rogaine Foam Review and
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