I still remember vividly how a friend's hair suddenly fell out while studying law. The reason was obviously enormous stress (and that's why they grew back). But I realized: hair loss is not an exclusive topic for men! We women can also lose our hair, be it due to stress, age, hormones or improper care…
It is clear to me: I want to keep my hair for a long time and I think you feel the same way. That's why I've collected the reasons, treatment options and a few simple tips on what you as a woman can do against hair loss.
In order to treat or prevent female alopecia (smart German for hair loss), the first thing we need to know is why women lose hair. So:
What are the reason and cause of hair loss in women
It won't surprise you: hair loss in women can have different causes.
Typical causes of female alopecia include hereditary factors, hormonal conditions, stress and malnutrition. Hair loss can also have organic reasons or occur as a result of drug treatments.
Let's take a quick look at the various causes.
Hereditary hair loss in women: the genes are to blame
Here doctors also speak of androgenetic alopecia. In men this is the cause of hair loss in 80 percent of cases, in women the proportion is 40 percent.
In congenital hair loss, the sex hormone dihydrotestosterone damages the hair roots and causes the hair to fall out. This form of hair loss occurs less often in us women than in men because we have more of the femininity hormone estrogen: This normally protects us from hair loss.
However: If the hormone level is disturbed and this can happen in old age, the hormone level gets mixed up and protection against hereditary hair loss is no longer applicable.
Hormones can cause female hair loss
Hormonally induced hair loss is very similar to hereditary hair loss:
Menopause turns a woman's hormonal balance upside down. The estrogen level can drop and the hair roots are exposed to the dihydrotestorerone. This can lead to hair loss, especially in women who bring the system with them.
Pregnancy also means hormonal chaos, with a small difference from menopause:
First of all, our body supplies us with an extra portion of estrogens for full female performance, and this is where the beautiful shine on the skin and hair comes from. With birth, however, the tables turn: the estrogen is reduced to a normal level and the hair, which should normally have previously been falling out, all at once say goodbye.
But don't panic: they usually grow back and six months later everything should grow back again. If this is not the case for you, please speak to your: r doctor: in.
Hair falls out due to stress
If we are constantly at high voltage, the female body also releases more masculinity hormones: This means that we are ready to fight, persevering and at 180.
This testosterone can come in handy when we want to achieve certain goals. However, it can also damage the hair roots: If we tend to be hypersensitive to testosterone (genetic alopecia), we lose our hair.
Diet and nutritional deficiencies are linked to hair loss
Your diet is related to thishow well your hair and skin are doing. Your diet not only influences whether your hair is shiny, it also influences the health of your hair roots:
If you lack important vitamins, trace elements or iron or biotin, this can be a cause of hair loss. This does not necessarily have to be related to eating habits, but can also be due to extreme diets, cigarettes,Alcohol or drug use.
The reason: circulatory disorders.
The fine blood vessels are no longer able to supply the hair roots with important nutrients. Like a plant, these die and cannot do their job of producing healthy hair.
Organic problems in women are noticeable in hair growth
The thyroid gland is one of the common causes of hair loss. Their job is to produce hormones (thyroid hormones) and to control body functions. These include: expanding blood vessels, controlling blood pressure and regulating metabolism and cell growth.
Malfunctions in the thyroid are noticeable on the body. Skin, hair and nails indicate when something is wrong. You may already see this with small disturbances: The hair structure changes and more hair may fall out than usual.
Hair loss can be due to medication
Chemotherapy also causes hair loss in women. That is known. The cocktail interferes with the cell functions and means that they cannot renew themselves. This is good for the treatment of cancer, but unfortunately it is bad for the hair: the cells of the hair roots cannot regenerate.
After all, hair usually grows back after chemotherapy.
There are other drugs that can lead to thinning hair or hair loss. These include certain antibiotics or beta blockers as well as anti-epileptic and anti-rheumatic drugs. Hair loss can also occur with lipid-lowering drugs and thyroid drugs, as well as with blood clotting drugs, antidepressants, and birth control pills.
Therapy for female alopecia: what really helps women with hair loss
Treatment for hair loss in women depends on the cause. If you are affected by hair loss, you should first seek medical advice: This is the only way to ensure that you have the correct diagnosis and that you are receiving the right treatment.
Depending on the case, your doctor will be able to suggest various therapies:
- Well wordedShampoos help to stimulate the hair roots. Active ingredients such as caffeine, sandalore and niacinamide play an important role here: They promote blood circulation in the scalp and support hair growth. This can help with the first signs of thinning hair.
- Of theActive ingredient minoxidil can be used in the early stages of hair loss and shows success in at best 80 percent of cases after a few months but also has side effects.
- Hormone treatments are an option for hereditary hair loss in women: antiandrogens or estrogens can help. Unfortunately, side effects are almost inevitable here.
- If hair has fallen out irretrievably, is oneHair transplant Worth considering, especially when the psychological stress is high: During transplantation, existing hair roots are transplanted onto the scalp where they are missing.
Unfortunately, no medical treatment option is perfect, and almost every one has a small catch. Otherwise, without medical help, you have to resort to a wig ortabula rasa To do: Bald looks really good on many women. But of course that's a matter of personal preference.
What else you can do is prevent hair loss with the right tips:
3 Prevention Tips With Hair Care And Home Remedies: Which Routine Helps Women With Hair Loss
You don't have to be acutely affected by hair loss to take care of your hair. It iseven more than simple with these three tips:
Tip 1: Be kind to your hair (and yourself)
It is not just hair dyes, chemical clubs and hairdressing sins that can promote hair loss; careful treatment begins after shampooing:
Don't rub your hair too dry. The mechanical stress affects your hair roots. You should also not blow dry hot, but rather at a mild temperature and with plenty of space.
Ideally, you tie a nice turban with a soft cloth and let your hair dry.
And when your hair is dry, don't tug around it unnecessarily: Barrettes, hair ties, braids, etc. go to the roots of the hair. It's easy to avoid.
In short: stress shouldn't play a role either for your hair or for you.
Tip 2: take good care of your hair
Good care starts with the shampoo and there are some sham packs here. Take a close look at what's in your shampoo. There should be no substances in it that are harmful to your scalp and that can irritate it. OneYou can find an overview of harmful ingredients in cosmetics here.
Are perfectClean beauty shampoosthat do without surfactants, parabens or silicones but rely on substances that care for and stimulate the scalp. These include caffeine for blood circulation or sandalore for hair growth.
Extra tip: Gently massage your shampoo in, take five minutes for it! This stimulates the blood supply in the scalp and gives your hair roots a kick start so that they can absorb important nutrients.
Tip 3: pay attention to your diet
The goal is that you absorb important nutrients that are good for your skin, your hair roots and thus for your hair.
A diet rich in vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fruits is good. This gives you valuable vitamins and trace elements, but also iron and fiber. Plus a lot of water and of course: no cigarettes, no alcohol.
We have more information on the subject of healthy eating (including a few ideas for the menu)here for you.
Take good care of your (hair) health!
As you can see, hair loss in women can have various reasons and, accordingly, many treatment options. Whether it is down to the genes or not, taking care of your own health is essential and anyway: an important basis for beautiful hair!
Take good care of yourself and #treatyourself
Anne