Due to the numerous celebrity sufferers who have spoken out about their own personal battles with hair loss in the last few years, most people are familiar with alopecia areata as a common cause of female hair loss.
Alongside alopecia, there are many other potential causes and triggers for hair loss in women. If you are suffering from hair loss and believe any of the following causes may be to blame, consult your doctor to get a formal diagnosis.
Female hair loss may be caused by:
• Trichotillomania – This is otherwise known as compulsive hair pulling, where the sufferer has the overwhelming urge to pull out their own body hair, usually on the head.
• Telogen effluvium – This is the shedding or thinning of hair in response to emotional or physical trauma or excessive stress. It is where the growth cycle of the hair is interrupted. Telogen effluvium can be triggered by anything from childbirth (fairly common) and eating disorders to chronic illnesses, emotional disorders and major surgery.
• Androgenic alopecia – This is also known as female-pattern baldness, where the hair thins all over the head rather than recedes from the front. This is believed to be caused by an androgen hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
• Thyroid problems
• Anaemia
• Response to medication