Causes of female hair loss

Why Am I Losing My Hair?

Finding the cause is the key

When it comes to the causes of female hair loss, there is no lack of theories. Fortunately, there are many techniques and approaches you can try to gain control of your hair loss and prevent future problems. In most cases of hair loss in women, causes can be traced to:

Heredity

Whether we like it or not, family history may be a strong indicator of your chances of developing female hair loss. Hereditary hair loss most commonly occurs in a diffuse pattern — meaning you are losing hair from all over your head, and the hair loss is not concentrated in any one spot.

Medications

Hair loss is a relatively common side effect of many of the prescription medications we take most commonly. From acne to ulcers, prescription medications have been identified as a relatively common causes of female hair loss, including:

1. Antidepressants
2. Cholesterol medications
3. Glaucoma drugs
4. Heart medications
5. Hormonal therapies, including birth control pills
6. Blood thinners
7. Medications that treat gout
8. Thyroid medications like Synthroid

The American Hair Loss Association has a great list of medications that cause hair loss.

Diet

In North America, we have an almost embarrassing selection of food compared to most of the world. Problem is, we don’t always make the best choices — and the foods we choose are often low in nutrition and high in fat, sugar and other less healthy nutrients. It’s not a question about getting enough calories — we get plenty of those. Trouble is, many of them are empty. And that lack of nutrients is one of many causes of female hair loss. Generally, it’s a good idea to take a daily multivitamin, preferably one that includes iron, zinc, folate and calcium. The jury is still out, but some studies suggest that Vitamin D and biotin may also be useful. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 80% of the female population is iron deficient. Since low iron (anemia) is a leading cause of hair loss, you can see why more and more women are suffering from debilitating hair loss. You can read more about iron and hair loss here.

Hypothyroidism

The number of people being affected by thyroid disorders is growing at an alarming rate. As many as 300 million people are thought to be affected by thryoid disorders worldwide — and for many of them, it’s one of the main causes of female hair loss. You can read more about hypothyroidism and hair loss here.

Menopause

As we age, there’s no question that hair loss becomes more common. Experts suggest that up to 50% of women — most of them in their 50s and 60s — will be affected by hair loss. The fluctuating hormones associated with menopause can play a significant role in hair loss. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall during menopause — and since they are largely responsible for the health of your hair, these lower levels often contribute to hair loss.  The fact that testosterone levels are increasing at the same time doesn’t help — it can also lead to more hair loss. The flip side to the hormonal challenges? Some women who have issues with anemia can actually find that menopause helps reduce the hair loss they are experiencing.