Hair is an expression of ourselves and a big part of our identity and confidence, especially for women. When women have hair loss, it can be challenging to regain confidence and seek help to reverse hair loss.
When it begins thinning, the part widens, or bald spots form, it’s likely a form of hair loss. Fortunately, there are many options to help women with hair loss. Learn more about the causes of hair loss in women and the possible treatment options to restore a full, natural head of hair.
“Hair loss occurs when new hair doesn’t replace the hair that’s fallen out, but the reason it’s falling out or not regrowing can vary.”
What Causes Hair Loss in Women?
It’s natural to lose 50 to 100 hairs daily for both men and women. This often isn’t noticeable because new hair is growing simultaneously. Hair loss occurs when new hair doesn’t replace the hair that’s fallen out, but the reason it’s falling out or not regrowing can vary.
Sudden hair loss is often related to one or more of the following factors:
Family History
The most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition that happens with aging, androgenic alopecia. This is also known as female-pattern baldness. Typically, androgenic alopecia occurs gradually and in predictable patterns. In women, that’s often hair thinning along the crown of the scalp.
Hormonal Changes and Medical Conditions
Several medical conditions can cause permanent or temporary hair loss in young women, including hormonal changes from pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and thyroid problems. Medical conditions include alopecia areata, which is related to the immune system and causes patchy hair loss, scalp infections, and a hair-pulling disorder called trichotillomania.
Certain Medications and Supplements
Hair loss can be a side effect of certain drugs, such as drugs for arthritis, depression, heart problems, cancer, gout, and high blood pressure.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation can cause hair loss, mainly when directed to the head. Hair may not grow back the same as it was previously.
Extreme Stress
People may experience hair thinning after a traumatic event that caused a physical or emotional shock. Known as telogen effluvium, this condition causes hair to come out in handfuls with shampooing, combing, or touching hair. This hair loss is usually temporary, but it can be caused by severe infections, major illness or injury, childbirth, crash dieting, severe emotional stress, and certain medications.
Older women may experience telogen effluvium after 60, though the causes are unknown.
Hairstyles and Hair Treatments
Excessive styling or hairstyles that pull hair tight, such as cornrows or pigtails, can cause traction alopecia. Permanents and hot-oil hair treatments can also cause hair to fall out. If there’s scarring, hair loss could be permanent.
Hair Loss Treatment for Women
The options for hair loss in women include:
FUE for Women
Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is a hair transplant procedure that involves removing individual hair follicles from the scalp and transplanting them to another body part where the hair is thinner or absent. The donor area is usually on the back of the head because it often has healthy, abundant hair.
FUT for Women
Follicular unit transplantation (FUT) is a surgical hair restoration technique that removes a thin strip of healthy skin from a permanent scalp area. It’s then cut into grafts containing one to four hairs transplanted to other areas of the scalp.
Rogaine for Women
Rogaine (minoxidil) is a topical hair regrowth treatment that uses an FDA-approved ingredient that can regrow hair. The active ingredient in Rogaine increases blood and nutrient supply to the hair follicles, causing them to shift from a dormant phase to an active growing phase. This can strengthen existing hair and encourage new growth.
PRP for Hair Loss for Women
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a medical treatment for hair loss that involves drawing blood, processing it, and injecting it into the body. The injections are made up of the patient’s cells and plasma. This treatment can prevent hair loss and thinning and promote hair growth.
Treatment for Hair Loss in Women NYC
If you’re experiencing sudden hair loss or thinning hair, Hair Restoration NYC can help. We offer PRP, FUE, and Rogaine solutions for women to reverse or prevent hair loss and restore their healthy locks. Hair restoration is all we do, and we do it well. Contact us today to get the hair you’ve always wanted!