Though uncommon, alopecia has been seen to begin in women as young as fifteen or sixteen years of age. Alopecia in women becomes much more prevalent as they get older, and can be caused by a variety of factors, including dietary, hormonal, and environmental factors.It is believed that the causes for female alopecia differ from that of male hair loss, which is almost always caused by a mutation of the male hormone testosterone attacking genetically susceptible hair follicles, resulting in the familiar male pattern baldness that affect the hair at the front and top of the head in men. Where male alopecia generally begins with a receding hairline that then spreads to the crown of the head, female alopecia is more of a thinning effect than anything else, and can occur anywhere on the head. This hair loss is typically not related to the same hormones that cause thinning hair in men, but rather can be caused by a wide variety of factors, making female hair loss more difficult to identify and treat.
Hair follicles generally grow about half an inch a month and each hair has a growth phase lasting two to six years. After this, the hair "rests," falls out and the cycle resumes as a new hair follicle replaces it. However, some women suffer an interruption in this cycle, generally those who have a genetic predisposition to such hair loss. Such interruptions can speed up the rate at which hair follicles fall out, or slow down the rate of replacement. This can cause noticeably thinning hair all over the scalp, especially at the crown.
Some women who experience hair loss may be suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a disorder which affects female hormones. They may also suffer from certain autoimmune disorders that wind up causing problems like alopecia areata, which causes hair to come out in clumps or patches. It is also important to note that certain situations in which hair loss is only temporary may exist. For example, many women experience sudden alopecia following childbirth, surgery, crash dieting, and even emotionally traumatizing events. Hair loss from these experiences is usually only temporary, with full hair regrowth occurring within a few months.
A few other potential causes of alopecia in women include anemia, chronic illnesses, thyroid disorders, as well as certain medications. For this reason, it is necessary to get to the "root" of the problem before trying to fix alopecia, as it is likely that an underlying disorder could be the cause of the problem. Once a diagnosis has been made, treatment can follow.
Several options exist for women who want to end the process of alopecia and attempt to reverse the process altogether. For one, it is beneficial for women to get the proper nutrients into their diets in order to stop hair loss caused by way of deficiency. A properly balanced diet contains the essential fatty acids, which can be found in numerous food items like soy, fish, walnuts and canola oil. Vitamin B12 is also a necessity, which is difficult to obtain in vegan diets outside of taking supplements. Many women have found that being deficient in biotin and magnesium can have a dramatic effect on female hair loss.
In other cases, certain products can help women naturally both end and reverse hair loss, such as dietary supplements. With supplements, the goal is to supply the scalp with the proper nutrients it needs to be revitalized and come alive again. This can be beneficial in those who are under strict diet orders or otherwise cannot seem to get enough of the proper nutrients.
