Hair loss can be a difficult thing to deal with especially for women. Women can associate a lot of their beauty with their hair, so when it starts to go, women might feel more self-conscious. What can make it even more difficult is being unsure of what’s causing your hair loss. Just like any other medical condition, you want answers. You want to know why your hair loss is happening and how to fix it. We’re going to cover common causes of hair loss in women in this blog, so read more to find out possible reasons you might be experiencing hair loss.
Your Genes
One cause of your hair loss might be due to your genes. Another way to word this is hair loss in women runs in your family. A doctor will likely ask you about your mother, grandmother, etc. to see if there’s a pattern in the genes throughout your family. Additionally, a doctor might use a magnifying glass to look at the follicles on your head to see if they vary in thickness. This is a telltale sign of female pattern hair loss, also called androgenetic alopecia. That’s a hereditary condition that affects 30 million females in America. It often occurs in the 50s or 60s, but it can begin as early as the teenage years. Normally, when we lose hair, it grows back with the same thickness. But when you lose hair and have androgenetic alopecia, the hair grows back thinner.
Medical and Other Conditions
Along with the evaluations from above, a doctor might run blood work to determine if there is a condition that’s affecting your hair. Thyroid glands or autoimmune diseases are a common cause. One way a doctor might be able to determine if blood work is needed is by looking at the follicles on your head with a magnifying glass. If the follicles are the same size, it’s likely your hair loss is caused by something other than your genes. Here is a handful of some of the reasons you may be experiencing hair loss outside of the genetic aspect:
- Pregnancy
- Thyroid disorders
- Anemia
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Psoriasis
- Seborrheic dermatitis
It’s also been hypothesized that hair loss and menopause are correlated, but experts find it unlikely. What they think is more likely is that the two just happen to occur around the same age.
If you’re experiencing new hair loss and are concerned there might be a specific reason other than seasonal shedding, contact Parker Trichology today! Our experts want to help you determine the cause of your hair loss and determine a treatment plan for you.
