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Women's health & hair loss

Female pattern baldness, (women's hair loss) also called Androgenic alopecia in women is hereditary hair loss condition which causes loss of scalp hair or baldness in about 20 percent of all women.  If you are healthy and you begin losing hair, then your female hair loss condition may be hereditary

Prescription drugs, chemo and radiation therapies, and diseases, such as circulatory disorders and arthritis, can cause hair loss. Temporary hair loss may be initiated by medications, such as blood pressure drugs, Beta Blockers for depression, oral contraceptives as artificial Estrogens, Naproxin Sodium (Nuprin) and others.  Also, excessive intake of iron or vitamin A is toxic and can cause hair loss. Some illnesses may lead to thinning hair, including: thyroid disease, overactive or under active thyroid gland, ringworm, certain STD's, and even high fever may cause temporary hair loss.   

Pregnant women and women who go through menopause may experience excessive hair loss or thinning hair.  Female-pattern baldness typically begins during menopause when women's estrogen levels decrease and testosterone increases, causing hair loss. 

Female hormonal imbalance problems is a leading cause of hair loss in women.  Male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens may be out of balance to cause excessive hair loss. Various forms of estrogen can "oppose" androgens and thereby reduce their availability to the cell, by blocking androgen receptors. 

 Some women may also experience permanent hair loss during pregnancy or when starting or stopping oral contraceptives.   If balding occurs due to birth control pills, then a woman should consult with her doctor about switching to another pill. 

Excessive hair loss can be seen in women post childbirth.  Within two to three months after delivery, excessive hair loss may be seen on brushes and combs.  This is normal in most cases and hair will grow back to the original state after several months.

Another common hair loss cause, other than female pattern baldness is stress related hair loss. Stress can also increase the speed of the hair loss process of individuals who have the genetically inherited the trait.  Severe stress, such as the loss of a loved one, divorce, severe illness or major surgery, may cause hair loss.

Women with pattern baldness rarely develop complete frontal bald area as men do. Women typically have gradual hair thinning throughout the scalp. Women's hair loss is experienced as a diffuse thinning of their hair.