Hair Loss in Women

Studies have linked baldness in men and women not only to dissatisfaction with appearance, but also with lowered self-esteem and self-worth. A study published in the Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine found that hair loss in women was associated with a feeling of powerlessness about hair loss. The research also indicates that women tend to be more upset than men by their hair loss. Other study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology that compared the psychological impact of hair loss on men and women found that women were less able to adapt to the loss.

Although many balding men are distressed by their hair loss, we don't have to look far to find examples of bald men who are considered successful, youthful and handsome. Sean Connery, Jack Nicholson, Andre Agassi, Michael Jordan, the list goes on and suggests that baldness can be sexy...in men. Balding women, however, are hard pressed to find celebrity women who are visibly losing hair.

While men tend to start losing hair in the 30s and 40s, thinning begins in the 40s or 50s in women, though it can occur as early as the 20s. The higher rate of hair loss in women is due to a combination of genetic and styling issues like hair extensions and tight braiding as well as chemicals used to relax hair can damage hair follicles.

Sometimes, hair loss is due to an underlying medical condition such as lupus, polycystic ovary syndrome, a thyroid problem, anemia or hormonal imbalances. Hair loss can also be a side effect of medication such as ibuprofen, antidepressants, hypertension drugs, anticoagulants and chemotherapy. After pattern baldness, telogen effluvium is the most common cause of hair loss in women. It is a temporary hair loss in which a higher than normal percentage of hair shifts into a shedding phase. Telogen effuvium can occur after pregnancy or when a woman goes on or off birth control pills, or it can follow an emotionally traumatizing event such as the loss of a loved one. Studies have also linked crash dieting to temporary hair loss.

Despite the negative impact of their hair loss on their lives women have been reluctant to seek treatment. It's crucial that any woman who notices hair loss visit a hair loss professional in order to determine the reason for the loss. Once a doctor establishes that pattern baldness is the cause of the hair loss, women can consider treatment and can openly seek and weigh their treatment options.