subject: Common Types Of Hair Loss In Women [print this page] Suffering from hair loss is of great concern to many men but is devastating for women and can lead to a great loss of self esteem. Women are judged so much more on appearance than men and the great need for women to have the perfect body, perfect skin, voluminous, gorgeous tresses, etc. If you are suffering from hair loss as a woman, you are not alone and there are many treatments available. But before treating the problem, it is important to determine the type you are dealing with.
To get to the root of the problem, you will need to have a discussion with a dermatologist, a specialist in this area or many other doctors if you are not getting the help you need because while there is a lot of research for male hair problems, research into hair loss in women is still very little and you may need to do some of your own research. Thank goodness for the internet which is a great source for information and support on this issue.
The Reason For Hair Loss In Women
All women are born with androgens which are the male hormones responsible for hair thinning and loss in men but women also have estrogen which is the female hormone that counter acts the activity of androgens. However, because of the presence of the male hormones, every female has the possibility of suffering from some hair loss at some point in life.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is a form of the male hormone testosterone is what leads to hair loss as it attacks the hair follicle and shrinks them making it impossible for healthy growth leading to thinning and bald spots. Many factors can lead to this such as age, stress, illness, genes, etc.
Common Types of Hair Loss In Women
1. Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss in women that causes small bald spots on various areas of the scalp. These bald patches often feel very smooth to the touch since there is completely no hair in the area where there was once hair.
2. Alopecia totalis is a severe form of alopecia areata that leads to total loss of hair on the scalp or body when the body inexplicably attacks all the hair follicles.
3. Traction alopecia results from certain hair care practices such as wearing tight corn rows, tight ponytails, tight braids, etc, that pull at the hair follicles and sometimes pulling the hair right out of the hair follicle. This can inflame the hair follicle leading to stunted hair growth and a lack of hair growing out of the hair growth especially along the hair line.
4. Telogen effluvian represents excessive amounts of hair shedding which is often experienced by women after a pregnancy or illness. New growth will usually replace this shed hair after a period of time.
5. Anogen effluvian is the hair loss that results from undergoing chemotherapy.
6. Symptomatic alopecia results from infection of the scalp or skin, nervousness, disease, etc.
7. Friction alopecia results from wearing too tight wigs or hats which can be remedied once these behaviors are stopped.
8. Cicatricial alopecia results from scarring on the scalp due to many reasons such as hot hair oil burning the scalp. When there is scar tissue, there is not chance of hair being able to regrow in this area.
by: Jenny Mays
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