6 Warning Signs of Female Hair Loss and What You Can Do to Prevent and Treat It

Your hair is your crowning glory. Depending on how you style and care for it, your hair has the power to dramatically change your appearance and elevate your personality. 

But what happens when you start dealing with falling hair or seeing bald spots?

Hair loss is something that’s experienced by both men and women. In fact, over 50% of women will experience female hair loss. Approximately 30 million women in the US suffer from female-pattern hair loss (FPHL), which is the most common type of female hair loss. It can be difficult to deal with female hair loss, but there are several ways to treat it and start coping.

In this article, we’ll dive into female hair loss, its causes, and what you can do about it. 

What Causes Female Hair Loss?

There are several possible causes of female hair loss. 

To better understand it, we first must look at the hair growth cycle. Your hair undergoes three cycles—the anagen or growing phase, catagen or the transition phase, and telogen or resting phase. When these cycles are disrupted by factors such as illness, chemicals, or infection, it can potentially cause hair loss. 

Some of the common causes of female hair loss include alopecia areata, traction alopecia, and severe infection. Genetics can also play a role in hair loss, and while it isn’t always preventable, there are ways for you to keep your hair strong and healthy to minimize further damage. Additionally, traumatic or stressful experiences such as childbirth, as well as vitamin or dietary deficiencies, can also cause hair loss.

Other potential causes of hair loss include aging (women over 40), tight hairstyles, and fluctuating hormone levels, particularly that of androgens. 

Female Hair Loss Types

Female hair loss can be classified into three types:

Anagen effluvium

This usually occurs when an individual takes medications that poison their hair follicles in the anagen phase or the growth stage of the hair growth cycle.

Telogen effluvium

During the telogen or resting phase, your hair tends to shed or fall out because the anagen or growth phase tends to slow down. The good news is this type of hair loss is temporary and reversible.

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL)

FPHL is considered to be the most common type of female hair loss. This is characterized by thinning hair on areas like the top of your head or the sides.

6 Signs of Female Hair Loss to Watch Out For

Female hair loss signs tend to vary from person to person. It can happen suddenly or over time. Here are some of the common signs of hair loss you should look out for:

• Thinning on the top of the head or crown
• Noticeable bald patches
• Your scalp becomes more visible
• Hair strands that break easily
• You notice that there are more strands on your comb, showers, or pillows
• Full hair loss after a medical treatment like chemotherapy

Prevention and Treatment

Female pattern baldness, which is genetic, isn’t always preventable. However, there are several ways to keep your hair healthy:

• Eating a balanced diet or adding foods rich in iron to your meals
• Avoiding or limiting the use of chemical or heat treatments
• Minimizing sun exposure by wearing a hat or using an umbrella
• Avoid or quit smoking

There are also over-the-counter treatments for hair loss, such as minoxidil, that you can use to promote hair growth. However, this can take some time before you begin to see results. If you are pregnant or using oral contraceptives, you may want to discuss this with your doctor first before seeking medications for hair loss. 

Another option you can look into is hair transplant surgery, where portions of your scalp with hair follicles are grafted onto areas with bald spots. Microneedling, when used with minoxidil, may also help treat female hair loss. 

Note that some cases of hair loss, such as temporary hair loss brought about by stress or hormonal changes, might not need treatment. Also, if your styling practices are causing hair loss, changing how you take care of and style your hair can help stop hair loss. 

Before using any type of treatment for female hair loss, it’s always best to consult with your doctor. This can help medical professionals better diagnose your hair loss and how it can be treated. Your healthcare provider may ask you questions about your lifestyle and medical history. 

How to Cope with Hair Loss

Hair loss, even if it’s only temporary, can affect women psychologically. You can join a support group for female hair loss, or you can talk about it with your trusted friends and loved ones. You can also opt to cover up or disguise the signs of hair loss. 

Dapper & Divine offers solutions that can help you transform the way you look and feel. Our ladies hair studio can give you the right haircut, as well as different hair extension types to help cover up female hair loss signs. We also offer keratin treatments to help strengthen your hair to prevent breakage.  

Get in touch today and let us know how we can help you overcome the challenges of female hair loss.