All posts by miriam

The most obvious symptom of any hair loss condition is, of course, the loss of hair. However, there are many different types of female hair loss condition, so you may need to look out for other symptoms in order to accurately pinpoint which one you have.

The most important thing to do if you suspect that you have a hair loss condition is to visit your GP and get a formal diagnosis. To make sure your diagnosis is as accurate as possible – some hair loss conditions present similar symptoms – you may need to look out for the following symptoms and tell your doctor.

Alopecia symptoms

Look out for:

• Round, coin-shaped bald patches on the scalp or any other part of the body
• A tingling or slightly painful sensation in the areas where hair has fallen out
• Hairs that have thinned towards the scalp, often called ‘exclamation point’ hairs
• Hair that pulls out easily near bald patches
• Pitting in your nails

Report any of these symptoms to your doctor, who may then refer you to a hair loss specialist or a clinic specialising in hair replacement or treatment.

Hair loss is a condition that affects your appearance, which in turn affects how you feel about yourself and your relationship with the world. Hair loss in women is often the hardest to bear, as society’s perceptions of beauty and youth are often linked to the healthy, lustrous-looking hair that we see on TV shampoo advertisements.

Whilst the damaging effect of hair loss on self-esteem is to be expected in many cases, those with a hair loss condition cannot allow themselves to be overwhelmed with negative thoughts and feelings. The most common kinds of negative thoughts had by women with hair loss include:

• “I’m not attractive anymore because I don’t have hair”
• “I will never be in a relationship because of my hair loss condition”
• “People are laughing and staring at me”

These thoughts are unlikely to be accurate, but by repeating them to yourself you will start to believe them and subsequently feel worse about yourself. You need to force yourself to try some positive thinking, challenging and dismissing each negative thought and replacing it with one that will help to boost your self-confidence.

If you need reassurance that your fears are unfounded, take a look at famous alopecia sufferer Gail Porter and her inspirational outlook on life. Her recent naked photo shoot confirms that she is definitely still attractive, she has a loving boyfriend and daughter and she has had nothing but support from fans and well-wishers.

How you cope with your hair loss condition is a very personal decision, all depending on what makes you feel the most comfortable and self-confident. Some people choose to cover their head, whilst others shave off their remaining hair and head out in public with a completely bald head.

If you are worried about your hair loss being noticeable and attracting unwelcome attention, you can wear a human hair wig or see a specialist about Medi Connections hair extensions or another hair replacement method.

On the other hand, if you have decided to embrace your hair loss without attempting to disguise it, you will need to know how to deal with the attention you may receive. There seems to be a stigma surrounding female hair loss, so you might encounter people staring and whispering.

Rather than being hurt or offended by these hurtful and insensitive actions, you can take positive steps to diffuse the situation. Try:

• Explaining your condition briefly when you meet new people, bringing the subject up first to alleviate any awkwardness
• Politely asking people not to stare
• Being assertive rather than aggressive, defensive or confrontational

Unlike other types of hair loss condition, particularly ones that are hereditary, traction alopecia can affect anyone. It is caused by excessive strain or tension being inflicted on the scalp over a long period of time.

Traction alopecia is a gradual hair loss condition, where the hair starts to thin, recede or fall out in response to a continual pulling force applied to the hair. Therefore, it mainly affects people who opt to wear their hair in styles which put excessive tension on the scalp. This means that you could be at risk if you regularly wear:

• Tight ponytails or pigtails
• Braids
• Hair extensions
• Weaves

Hair weaves

Hair weaves present the biggest risk of the wearer developing traction alopecia, especially as the style is becoming more and more popular. The tight braiding and close-fitting hairpieces involved in getting and maintaining a weave can cause the hair to thin and even fall out. Ironically, weaves are often worn to cover existing hair loss.

A number of models and actors regularly wear hair weaves, as well as sporting all kinds of different hair styles, as part of their jobs, which makes the chance that they may suffer from traction alopecia all the more likely.

There are numerous hair loss treatments available now, some of which we have looked at already. Some of them may work for you, whilst some may be a waste of time and money. The best way to find out is to consult your doctor and to do as much research on each as possible.

To point you in the right direction, here are a few pros and cons of one more hair loss treatment. This treatment is suitable for people with more than 50 per cent hair loss.

UVB treatment

This is similar to PUVA treatment, except that it uses a different wavelength of ultraviolet (UV) light. It is often used to treat people with more than 90 per cent hair loss, as well as those with skin conditions.

Pros: This treatment is often free on the NHS.
Cons: It is time-consuming, as you have to stand in a UV cubicle (or sun bed) for two to three times a week. Each session will need to be increasingly longer.
Cons: You are likely to experience painful burning of the skin and an increased risk of skin cancer, like with PUVA.
Cons: This treatment has rarely proven to be effective at improving hair growth.

We’ve already looked at a couple of the most commonly used hair loss treatments for people with less than 50 per cent hair loss, but what about more severe cases?

As with treatments for milder conditions, there are many options available for people with more than 50 per cent hair loss. These options can often be expensive, invasive and ineffective, so it is useful to know the pros and cons of each before making a final decision.

PUVA treatment

PUVA (psoralen + UVA) treatment involves taking a light-sensitive drug then undergoing a brief exposure to UVA light.

Pro: This treatment only takes three to six weeks to complete
Con: It is quite time consuming, as two to three sessions a week are required
Pro: It can be effective for more recent hair loss
Cons: The treatment does not have a very encouraging success rate at just 6 -12 per cent

Immunosuppressive medication

Pros: The treatment is designed to suppress the immune system so that the hair will have a chance to regrow
Cons: As it suppresses the immune system, the risk of infection is higher
Pros: This treatment is available on prescription via the NHS