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Step
1 - Understanding Women's Hair Loss
Some first steps to take that will get you on the road to taking
control of this very unenjoyable dilemma.
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First
Steps to Combating Women's Hair Loss |
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First let's discuss what does and what does not cause hair loss. As we
already mentioned, the vast majority of women's hair loss diagnoses are
due to hormonal related issues. Therefore, it is easy for us to dispel
some of the very common myths.
Stress. Probably
not. Only extreme emotional turmoil for many months can cause minor
thinning. Stress is one of the most common myths blamed for hair loss,
and while it does happen, it is rarely the culprit.
Bad Circulation. Hair
loss is not caused by a lack of circulation or nutrients to the follicle.
Treatments which claim to stop hair loss via increased circulation are
a recipe for disaster, and a lot of wasted time and money for you.
Sweat & Dirt.
Anyone who has ever had an ingrown hair can vouch for the fact that
it takes much more than a liquid to stop a hair from growing.
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Hair
Loss Video Webcast |
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Female
Androgenetic Alopecia
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Similar to male pattern baldness, women's hair loss can take
many shapes and forms, however the causes can be much more elusive.
Researchers have classified some forms of female hair loss by using
a scale known as the Ludwig Scale. This is a rather limited, but accurate
portrayal of what is commonly seen in women with hair loss. Female Androgenetic
Alopecia is just one kind of diffuse hair loss experienced by women.
It is particularly likely to appear at times of hormonal change, and
is generally identified by overall thinning versus patchy loss. Some
common causes of Female Androgenetic Alopecia are:
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» Starting or Stopping the
Birth Control Pill
» The Postpartum Period
» Pre and early Post menopausal Periods |
With Female Androgenetic Alopecia, women rarely go completely
bald. The end result of the condition is a visible decrease in density
of hair in the affected areas.
Your hair grows in cycles of growth and resting phases.
Telogen Effluvium is simply the occurrence of a larger number
of follicles entering into resting phase than normal. Telogen
Effluvium is very similar in appearance to Androgenetic Alopecia
in women. The only true way to determine
which you may have is to have an educated physician perform the
appropriate tests. Like Alopecia Areata,
Telogen Effluvium is associated with a variety of hormonal factors,
but can also be due to many other causes.
Let's look at the most common causes:
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The Birth
Control Pill. Hair loss while on "the pill"
has been reported. So too has diffuse Alopecia upon stopping the
pill. A history of previous postpartum hair loss is variably present. |
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The
Postpartum period. The months following childbirth are
also a very common time for some women to experience hair loss.
Each individual hair goes through cycles of growth and resting phases.
During pregnancy, more hair follicles are maintained in the growth
phase due to high estrogen levels. After pregnancy, a greater proportion
of these hairs go into the resting phase than normal, causing a
temporary "shedding" (really a mass-dormancy) of the hair,
which typically is self-correcting over time. |
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Hormonal
factors. Changes in hormone levels, especially those
of the thyroid and sex hormones, influence the hair follicle. The
associated hair loss usually disappears when the condition is put
under control. Hypothyroidism is a very common cause. |
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Nutritional
Factors. Crash dieting, or chronic nutritional deprivation
(starvation or alcoholism) may result in some diffuse hair loss.
Discontinuation of such practices typically results in hair regrowth.
Iron and Zinc deficiency are also recognized as potential causes
of Telogen Effluvium. A blood test can reveal whether this is a
factor in your situation. |
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Fever.
Two to five months after a severe fever related illness,
increased Telogen hair loss can begin. |
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Systemic
Illness. Various systemic illnesses including Crohn's
disease and hepatic disease have been associated with diffuse hair
loss. Others include late stage syphilis, lymphoproliferative disorders,
and inflammatory bowel disease. |
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Medications.
A large number of drugs have been reported to cause
or possibly cause, diffuse Alopecia. |
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Hair
Loss Video Webcast |
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A sudden patchy loss of hair may be due to the condition known
as Alopecia Areata. This condition is relatively common, and as many
as 1 in 1,000 people may suffer from it at some time. The cause is unknown
and occasionally it becomes very widespread and severe.
An autoimmune response is typically suspected as the
culprit, whereby the body (for one reason or another) is perceiving
the follicles as foreign objects, and is attempting to reject them from
the system. There are a number of potential causes for this response,
and it requires qualified physician to accurately diagnose.
Alopecia Areata can also be caused in some cases by Thyroid
disease, and some related autoimmune disorders including Hashimoto's
disease, ernicious anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis. Alopecia Areata
is relatively common in children.
Occasionally, a severe acute Alopecia Areata may be experienced. In
such a case, touching the the side of your head may lead to a sudden
loss of handfuls of hair, revealing almost bald scalp beneath. Nail
changes are also common in Alopecia Areata patients, varying from marked
alteration of the nails to fine pitting.
With this condition, usually, given time, the hair reappears on its
own, although in persistent cases, steroid injections may help. Sometimes
the condition becomes severe or recurrent, and the patient may even
lose eyebrows and lashes (Alopecia Totalis) or all body hair (Alopecia
Universalis). Overall, 50% of people experiencing AA before puberty
will eventually become bald.
There is no truly effective drug treatment for severe Alopecia Areata.
A diverse approach has included the use of irritants such as dithranol
and systemic steroids. Treatment with immune enhancers is occasionally
useful but can cause unpleasant side-effects. Topical Minoxidil with
or without oral steroids for short periods has been used. Cyclosporin
may have dramatic effects but they are usually temporary. In deciding
how to treat Alopecia Areata, the age of onset and severity are key
factors.
Above we've discussed the major types of hair loss in women. If your situation
does not seem to fit any of these, make sure you check out the "Alopecia's"
section of our site for other common conditions. If you do fit one of
the above however, it is imperative that you now gather the information
necessary to help effectively diagnose your condition and get treatment.
In Step 2 we will discuss the things you will need, the things your doctor
will need, and the information you, as an informed consumer, may need
to give your doctor.
Click step 2 below to begin...
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