Causes of Hair Loss in Women
Most common type of hair loss in women occurs in a diffuse pattern. One of the commonest forms of hair loss in women is a condition called telogen effluvium, in which there is a diffuse shedding of hairs around the scalp and elsewhere on the body. There's a large genetic predisposition, which may be inherited from the father or mother. Androgenetic alopecia affects roughly 50 per cent of men and perhaps as many women over the age of 40. It is caused by the actions of two enzymes; aromatase and 5-a reductase. Alopecia areata is an immune disease that affects almost 2% of the population in the US. This type of hair loss appears in various degrees of severity from small, round patches of hair loss that regrow without medical treatment to chronic, extensive hair loss that can involve the loss of all hair on the scalp or body hair. Alopecia Areata-This is a patchy type of hair loss.
Alopecia areata is an immune disease that affects almost 2% of the population in the US. Hair loss can be seen to some women as losing their femininity. Women's pattern of hair loss is different to the typical receding hairline and crown loss in men. Instead, androgenetic alopecia causes a general thinning of women's hair, with loss predominantly over the top and sides of the head. Another important cause of hair loss in women is a condition called alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that affects more than two per cent of the population. In this, the hair follicles are attacked by white blood cells. Milder cases often see a greater improvement with treatment than severe cases. In no case does treatment restore full hair in patients with 100% scalp or body hair loss. Hair thinning or slight hair loss is bad enough but total baldness can be completely heartbreaking. There is no known cure for the problem and many women with the disorder sadly spend vast sums of money with the so called "hair specialists" on wonder shampoo's which they claim will restore their crowning glory.
Hair is lost when combing, brushing and washing the hair. Men and women have both male and female hormones, but in different amounts. A male hormone causes androgenetic alopecia. Most women with androgenetic alopecia do not have more of this hormone than other women. However, they are more sensitive to the hormone. Some women with female pattern hair loss, particularly those with other medical conditions, may have androgen - a male hormone such as testosterone-sensitivity causing these problems. Women with this pattern of hair loss should be evaluated with special blood tests to determine their androgen levels. In some cases, female pattern hair loss may be the first sign of an underlying type of diabetes that is more frequent in women with elevated androgens in the blood. Both men and women get alopecia areata. It can begin at any age, but often starts in childhood.
Treatment of this type of hair loss includes immunomodulating therapies such as glucocorticoids, topical immunotherapy, or anthralin. Hair Replacement Surgery - Modern surgical techniques have made transplantation for females a viable treatment option providing they are qualified candidates and have realistic expectations. Hair Additions -- Modern forms of hair additions have also made recent improvements in simulating a natural appearance. Minoxidil (Rogaine) - Now sold over-the-counter, minoxidil may help stop hair loss in some people. Medication - Drugs used to treat cancer, blood thinners, antidepressants and high blood pressure medications, as well as birth control pills and high doses of vitamin A, may cause hair loss. Hair transplantation - tiny punch-holes of skin containing a few follicles of hair are taken from elsewhere in the body and implanted into the thinning areas. Scalp reduction - devices are inserted under the skin to stretch areas of scalp that still have hair, then the redundant bald areas are removed.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com
Related Tags: women, hair, loss, causes, in, of
Juliet Cohen writes articles for http://www.healthatoz.info/, http://www.health-disease.org/ and http://www.health-care-articles.info/ . Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Dental Insurance For Individual Can Be Of Help At Time
Dental problem may cost one a lot of money and pain. But, practicing a reasonable care could decreas - Personal Trainer For Perfect Health
There is a general misconception that need for a fitness trainer comes for novice or from those who - Varicose Veins - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
The majority of people after thirty notice the changes that appear with the maturing. In this case t - Scenar Therapy - Self-treatment Or Healing Partnership
Do you want to learn about a device which will help you to ease your pain? If you get this kind of a - Scenar - 5 "no, Nos" Of Scenar
Are you fed up with the pain in your body? Various parts of our body seem to ache due to different r - Scenar Device - 5 Tips On Travelling With Your Scenar (skenar) Device
You might be aware of scenar which has become quite popular these days. This is actually the acronym - Scenar Therapy - How To Treat Your Pet With Scenar
There are many alternative methods of treatment that are being invented these days. Lots of people a - Your Options For The Treatment For Appendicitis
Appendicitis is considered to be a surgical illness. Due to its severe character, the treatment for - How To Choose The Right Copd Medication
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD does not have any cure. But with the help of medicines - Septic Arthritis: Infectious Agents Penetrate Joints' Spaces
Another major type of arthritis is septic arthritis, which is also known in various terms like: pyog
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Drugs - the Last Alternative for Adhd in Kids
Anyone over the age of thirty who has grown up with ADHD understands that there was not much help av - Foods To Eat To Gain Weight
Malnutrition has the same degree of problem as obesity. There are people who are too skinny, they fi - Understanding Postpartum Clothing
The same way most pregnant women dream of the day when they will begin showing for wearing maternity - Kegel Exercising for Bladder Control and Enhanced Sexual Pleasure
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, thereby improving the urethra and/or rec - The Use Of Weight Loss Herbs
Nothing has garnered more attention in today's world than the success or failures of weight loss pro - A Simple Acid Relux Cure
Many people today are afflicted with heartburn. If they eat food that is too spicy, they get heartbu - Five Effective Household Back Pain Treatments
Back pain treatment comes in lots of forms, from exercise to pain mediction. Standard and most wides - Herbal Remedies - Can They Cure What Ails You?
You've probably heard about herbal remedies before and how they can treat a variety of health proble - Natural Relief for Tinnitus - What are your Choices
Natural Relief For Tinnitus - Alternative Options Did you know that there are an estimated 50 t - Birthing Around the World
Since ancestral times, different cultures showed off different customs and beliefs around the miracl