hair loss women

Copyright 2006 Mary Desaulniers

It wasn't until his mid-fifties that my father started losing his hair. I remember the boxes of lotions
creams
heating massage pads that kept coming to his house (much to my stepmother's chagrin). But his hairline kept receding and a decade later
only a well-greased tuft remained on the crown of his head.

Genetics had a lot to do with his situation. My older brother
almost 60 now
is showing the same pattern of thinning hair. But
unlike my father
he has a lot more treatment options at his disposal.

Causes for hair loss can run the gamut from genetics
medical treatments like chemotherapy
skin eczema or allergies
excessive stress
poor nutrition
hormonal changes like menopause and "andropause"
under-active thyroid
immune disorders to trichotillomania
a psychological disorder in which people are compelled to pull out their hair. A study in England has also shown a direct connection between smoking and hair loss. It also showed that smokers were 4 times more likely to have gray hair than non-smokers.

Some conditions can be treated medically through drugs like minoxidil and corticosteroids. Others might require something more drastic
like follicular hair transplant
a form of surgical hair restoration that does provide lasting benefits. The cost
however
can be prohibitive.

But for us normal folks in our 30's
40
even 50's
who are just starting to notice our thinning hair
what preventative measures or supplementation can we take to minimize hair loss?

Because healthy hair is dependent on the health of the scalp (hair requires a plentiful supply of nutrient-rich blood to nourish the hair follicles in the scalp) it makes sense that eating nutritionally balanced meals will promote healthy follicles and healthy hair growth. In a recent interview
Dr. Shari Lieberman Ph.D CNS
a nutrition scientist and exercise physiologist at the University of Bridgeport
CT
claims that crash diets have been responsible for many cases of hair loss: "I'm seeing a lot of women not eating enough protein. A lot of them are eating vegetables; they're eating carbs. They've really gone off a lot of protein and sometimes I'll see hair loss in women for that."

There is no doubt that a daily diet rich in protein
good carbs and essential fats is important for hair health. Hair is very sensitive to vitamin or mineral imbalances in the body. A flaky scalp can be caused by too little vitamin A; however
too much vitamin A can also bring about hair loss. Supplements
when taken on a consistent basis
at the average or standard dosage suggested below or at a dosage recommended by your physician
can be a strong deterrent to premature hair loss. Consider the following:

a) Evening Primrose Oil and Flaxseed Oil. Both of these are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for strong
healthy hair. Evening primrose oil contains a special fat called gamma-linolenic acid( GLA) which the body converts to hormonelike compounds called prostaglandins. The GLA in evening primrose oil is directly converted to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins which are effective against eczema and skin allergies. Taking evening primrose oil (1000mg 3 times a day) will prevent hair loss that is caused by excess flaking and shedding of skin on the scalp.

b) Flaxseed Oil (14 g a day) provides substances called lignans which may help fight cancer
bacteria
viruses and fungi. Flaxseed oil boosts the health of hair and nail and speeds the healing of scalp lesions that may contribute to hair loss. A recent study involving 10 men between the ages of 20 and 70 in varying stages of male pattern baldness ( AGA) showed that 8 of the subjects reported modest improvement of their hair loss condition
one reported much improvement and one subject reported no effect. Throughout the study
the daily numbers of hair loss decreased and 50 percent of the subjects noticed a decrease in oil secretion in their scalp.

c) Zinc (30mg) can boost thyroid function and reduce hair loss that comes from an underactive thyroid. Zinc must be taken with its companion Copper (2 mg a day) in order to maintain proper mineral balance in the body. Copper also contains melanin
the pigment that colors hair and skin and can help reverse or delay premature graying. Zinc can also affect the levels of androgens
the hormones involved in some form of genetic hair loss.

d) Biotin (1000 mcg a day) and Vitamin B-50 Complex (1 tablet twice a day) can also reduce the oiliness and flakiness of the scalp and strengthen the condition of the hair.

Other preventative procedures could include a weekly scalp massage to stimulate blood flow and reduce stress which can contribute to hair loss
wearing a hat to protect hair and scalp from sun damage and avoiding abrasive hair treatment like permanents or coloring.

It is very natural for a person to loss 50 to 100 hairs each day under the body’s hair renewal process. But most of the people at least once in their lifetime suffer with heavy hair loss. There may be various reason behind this; like medication
chemotherapy
exposure to radiations and certain chemicals
nutritional and hormonal factors
thyroid disease
skin disease or stress
etc.

In most of the cases hair loss is temporary but in certain cases it may be permanent depending on the severity of disease. Some of the most common causes of hair loss are explained here.

HORMONAL

Hormones are stimulant to hair growth and causes hair loss problems. Hormones affect heavily our hair growth. These affect both male as well as female hair health.

Hair thinning is one of the hormonal problems and affects both men and women. Hair thinning in male is specific and follows a pattern from the front through to the crown. Hair thinning in female does not follow any specific pattern.

Hair thinning is caused by androgen DHT or Dihydrotesterone. Everyone has DHT but only some suffers with hair problem
are you wandering
why? This owes to the hair follicles
which have a greater number of androgen receptors for the DHT to attach with. Till date the most effective treatment for the problems of hair thinning is; anti androgens. Anti androgens are preventive drugs that prevent the creation of DHT. In future we may get genes therapy for hair thinning problems.

Childbirth

Many of the females experience hair loss after labor. In such a situation many of the hair enters the telogen or resting phase. Some of the females experiences hair loss within two to three months after giving childbirth.

Hair problem due to pregnancy is temporary and in many of the cases eradicate within time
say 1 to 6 months. This occurs because of diverse hormonal changes that take place within the body during pregnancy.

Birth control pills

The females who are genetically programmed with Androgenic Alopecia
if takes birth control pills at much younger age encounters hair loss. Androgenic Alopecia is caused due to various hormonal changes.

The females who have history of hair loss in their family must consult doctor before taking any birth control pills. This type of hair loss is temporary and may stop in 1 to 6 months. But in some of the cases
it has been noticed that a female cannot regrow some of her hair that was lost due to Androgenic Alopecia.

Deficient diet

A good balanced diet rich in varied variety of nutrients is equally important to your hair health. The person who eats less of proteins or has irregular eating habits suffers with hair loss. Generally to save protein our body pushes growing hair into resting phase. If your hair can be pulled out by the root very easily
then this may be due to lack of a well balanced diet. This condition can be prevailed by eating a diet rich in proteins and other necessary nutrients.

Low serum iron

If some person either may not have access to iron rich food or his / her body may not absorb enough of iron then this may cause hair problems. Women during menstrual period are more prone to be iron deficient. Low iron in the body can be detected by laboratory test and can be corrected by taking a diet rich in iron and iron pills.

Disease Or Illness

Hair loss due to some disease or illness is very common
but this type of hair loss is temporary and lost hair may grow again. Diseases like sever infection or flu and high fever
thyroid disease etc may lead to hair loss.

Certain medications
cancer treatments
and chronic illnesses also cause hair loss. A person who receives surgery also faces hair loss problems.

However
hair loss problems of any sort are generally temporary and can be solved by taking good nutritious diet and professional help.