Hormones occur naturally in the body, so what is it that causes their levels to increase and change our bodies? I wrote this article as a special interest; please consult your Doctor if you are concerned about any of the issues identified in the piece and do not replace any of the information shown with any of that from a Health Professional.
Female pattern baldness can occur in over half of women from the ages of twenty upwards. The causes are usually hereditary although many other factors can come into play when considering the reasons for your hair loss.
Causes of Female H air Loss
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is something that all males and females produce in their bodies. It is actually a male hormone that is present in females and has been passed down through genetics. At certain points, the body may become more sensitive to the production of DHT especially when its levels begin to rise. The DHT causes the follicles of the hair to weaken, resulting in the thinning and sometimes partial balding of the hair. Treatments can be found to improve the effects of excessive DHT, although in most cases the hair loss seen is temporary.
Diet and Nutrition
Diet is one extremely important aspect to consider. As low levels of nutrients, especially iron, can play a huge part in womens health, it is one of the first things that we should look at - a balanced diet is not easy to follow if you are not used to it, but it can easily be changed with a little willpower. Taking extra vitamin supplements to treat temporary female hair loss can help improve the condition. In some cases it is the diet alone that has caused the hair loss and results can be seen within a few months of beginning the balanced diet.
Oestrogen Levels versus Hair Loss
Increased levels of oestrogen, in both women and men, can cause thinning of the hair. Levels of oestrogen rise when you reach the menopause, usually around the age of fifty when most cases of thinning are seen. Thinning of hair in females occurs gradually, but you should not worry about balding unless you notice that your thinning is not quite following the general pattern - it is often weakening and thinning of the hair that is seen gradually although if your hair loss is sudden or heavy then seek medical attention from your Doctor. Men can suffer from the menopause too, although it is hard to say as at this age is also when you see most cases of genetic hair loss. That's not to say that we can't all suffer hair loss from an early age - thinning can be seen from the age of twenty. It can run through the family tree as 'Androgenetic Alopecia' is passed down through the generations.
Other hormonal changes can occur when stopping a course of birth control pills or after giving birth too.
Treatment for Hair Loss UK
You must be aware that there is no such thing as a miracle cure for male or female hair loss. There are many hair loss treatments however; the only dramatic results you will see will be as a result of choosing surgery, although sometimes there is not enough hair already on the head to make a transplant. Hair transplanting is a cosmetic procedure where hair can be taken from the side or the back of the head, providing you are not suffering total baldness, and it is transplanted onto the top of the head to make the condition less obvious. Surgery can be costly and should be considered very seriously.
Other treatments include topical treatment for female hair loss, such as Regaine which contains the ingredient Minoxidil, usually only two percent is effective enough to see valid improvements. It is safe for use in women but only five percent of women see good results.
With all treatments, side-effects can be seen with its usage. Those noted are increased amounts of facial hair.
As a word of advice, the best trusted source I can recommend is the National Health Service website at www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk, or visit your family Doctor.
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