Female Hair Loss - Known Causes
There are many causes of female hair loss, and many myths that accompany the causes and some of the remedies available. When I was growing up, it seemed that my parents had an obsession with eating certain things that would make you see in the dark, make your hair curly - there were many other promises they chose to tell me about which accompanied their demands to eat what was on the plate. All these weird and wonderful promises did help, believe it or not, when I was older and could understand that foods were full of so much goodness. That's why, when I was writing this article, I wanted to highlight how diet is related to male and female hair loss.
Diet and Female Hair Loss
If you are concerned that you are suffering from slight hair loss, it is a very well known fact to note that diet is one of the most important things when considering your general health and wellbeing. Simply by excluding vital nutrients found in our food, we begin to sacrifice our health and one of the first signs of this is the skin and hair looking sallow and straggly - the first signs that you are either not taking care of yourself, or that an illness has set in, will always be seen in your hair and skin. This can lead to all manner of things, and one of those can be loss or thinning of the hair.
Often, losing hair or partial balding can be temporary but concentrating on a balanced diet can help repair slight damage. If you take a look at a person suffering from serious forms of anorexia or those in third world countries that do not get the nutrition in their diet that their bodies need, you will also notice their hair is extremely thin and in extreme cases you will notice balding. These are extreme cases that can be used to highlight the problems that can cause hair loss in females and males, and please seek help if you or anyone else you know may be suffering from anorexia, bulimia, or if you do not know the reason for their hair loss.
If you are unsure of what to eat when concentrating on improving your diet, think like a cave woman - their diet must have been pretty much vegetables, herbs, meats and fish - and eat natural foods that have not been processed or have any hidden additions (e-numbers, sugar, salt). I say keep it simple, but it doesn't have to mean that you sacrifice taste - there are some fabulous contemporary recipes out there that take into account the busy grind of daily life. One of the best I use all the time is a tomato-based recipe that can be used in soups, for pasta sauces, and anything else that you can put your mind to. I use the idea of adding hidden fruit and vegetables to it so that I'm getting my five portions and know that my body is getting the vitamins it needs to function properly.
. Pregnancy
. Birth Control
. Pre Menstrual Tension
. Age
. Stress
. Surgery
. Medicines - chemotherapy, thyroid medication
In most of the causes listed, hormones play a huge part in the loss of hair. Most of those mentioned are temporary - such as pregnancy and surgery - and others are temporary and, like when taking medication, will stop when you stop taking that treatment or medication.
Help Available
If you are suffering from what you believe is hair loss, you can seek help from Doctors (General Health Professionals), Tricholigists (hair and scalp specialists), Dermatologists (scalp specialists) and Pharmacists if your symptoms are very light. Like those suffering from hair loss following change in pregnancy hormone levels, you really do not need to get help as your body is merely ridding the body of the extra hair gained during pregnancy. However, as in all events, if hair loss continues or if you are concerned then it is important to get the right help.
Products that specialise in female hair loss are Regaine (containing the chemical Minoxidil) which is a medication that can be prescribed or bought over the counter. Other milder treatments are those supplied by specialists in hair and scalp care that you can purchase at your salon or superstore. Those include manufacturers like Wella, L'Oreal and Kerastase. Vitamins and herbal remedies are also a very good option if you are already taking medication, or wish to follow a drug-free course, although be aware that some herbs and vitamins can counteract the effectiveness of certain medications in the body so my advice here is to get the correct advice wherever possible, and always question recommendations to assure your own safety.
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