Cause of Female Hair Loss

What is the main or most common cause of female hair loss? Believe it or not, there are many reasons for women to lose their hair in today's society.

Even though there have been countless studies conducted through the years, it is now considered that the main cause of female hair loss is not primarily due to genetic inheritance - if mum or dad, or even grandma suffered the indignity of losing their locks that doesn't mean that you will likely suffer the same fate.

Let's look at 14 of the many causative possibilities and what they really mean should you suddenly suspect or discover that your beautiful tresses are really thinning.

The most common causes:

• Andronic Alopecia, hereditary thinning or female pattern hair loss.
• Age. A woman's hair gradually thins as she ages.
• Stress. One of the most common causes of hair loss in women is telogen effluvium, usually brought about by trauma to the body through extreme stress, an accident, childbirth or a serious surgical procedure.
• Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease.
• Reaction to the taking of certain medications or treatments for illness. For example, some cancer treatments, hormonal treatments or therapies and the introduction or discontinuation of oral contraceptives.
• A hormonal imbalance of estrogen, androgen or even testosterone.
• Iron deficiency.
• Rapid weight change due to a crash dieting program or severe illness.
• Puberty, pregnancy or menopause which all can affect usual hormone levels.
• Traction alopecia - the result of too much styling, pulling or braiding. Tight ponytails and the use of clips that pull the hair backwards, the overuse of hot hairdryers and tongs can all present scalp problems.
• Severe illness itself in the form of blood pressure problems, gynecological conditions like an ovarian tumor, thyroid and liver disease, hepatic or renal failure, a viral or fungal infection.
• The application of tints, dyes, bleaches, straightening, perming and hot oil treatments all can contribute to scalp problems.
• Poor nutrition, the lack of protein, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins in a good balanced daily diet.
• High doses of Vitamin A.

Can something be done to beat my problem?

Bear in mind that some conditions can become permanent if the situation goes undiagnosed and is left untreated.

However, most cases of scalp damage are temporary and can be reversed or improved once the real cause has been established and the right treatment put in place as quickly as possible. A successful regrowth program is usually possible irrespective of the culprit cause.

There are a number of proprietary products and herbal remedies that can effectively counteract the cause of female hair loss. Unfortunately, some can produce nasty side effects in sensitive people and so I therefore recommend the natural approach. Put it into action as soon as you have checked out your condition with a recognized health practitioner.

Don't guess and therefore assume you have determined the real problem - seek a professional diagnosis first.