Baldness, hair thinning, hair loss, alopecia, all these are very scary words for us women and we always avoid taking about it. For centuries, thick long hair has been associated with women’s beauty and the thought losing them is no less than a nightmare. But he fact is, baldness or hair loss is not just a male problem, about one third of all women face hair thinning at some point in their life and hence it is very important to understand it so you are ready to fight it.
Let us first understand what causes this condition.
What causes it
Although there is no definite reason for female pattern baldness, unlike male pattern baldness, which is mostly associated with genetics, there are a few medical causes which can lead to hair loss in women.
Thyroid: An underachieve thyroid(hypothyroidism) or an overactive thyroid(hyperthyroidism) may be one of the reasons you are losing hair. This can easily be ruled out with a blood test which detects the level of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.
Deficiency of Iron: This is very common in women now a days. Women with lack of iron levels may experience hair loss. A blood test can be done to detect ferritin levels in blood, level lower than 100 ng/dl may cause more hair loss.
Stress: Be it psychological or emotional, stress can be a major contributor to hair loss. A major illness, trauma, childbirth or sudden weight loss can trigger hair fall episodes.
PCOS: Polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is again very common in women now a days, can also cause hair loss by producing too much androgen in the body, a hormone known to reduce and ultimately stop the life cycle of hair follicles.
Medications: Some medications like antidepressants, beta-blockers, anticoagulants and chemotherapy can result in hair loss.
Other than these medical causes, there might be some other reasons for hair loss in women including excessive chemical treatments on hair like permanent hair color, cheap hair straightening products etc., and let’s admit it, we are really drawn towards these. Tying the hair too tight, using tools like straighteners and dryers too often which expose too much of heat directly to the hair are also some of the factors contributing to hair loss.
Medications of treating hair loss
There are a lot of treatment options available in the market. Few of them are:
Minoxidil – This is an FDA approved drug which is applied to the scalp daily. Regular usage has shown to be effective, however, continuity needs to be maintained, the hair loss resumes if the medication is stopped.
Finasteride – This is an oral medication which has also shown to reduce hair loss and even grow new hair, however, same as with minoxidil, the medication needs to be continued.
Zinc sulphate and calcium pantothenate – These are OTC supplements which can be taken in addition to topical treatments like minoxidil.
PRP scalp injections – Platlet-rich plasma injections have recently shown to improve both hair density and thickness. High concentrations of stimulating nutrients are injected into the scalp which encourage hair growth.
Is there a better, easier way?
Yes there is. Scalp micropigmentation is the answer to that. SMP is a relatively new hair loss treatment which has shown to be very effective, it is non-invasive, cost effective and is a permanent solution. Interesting enough? SMP of Austin provides scalp micro pigmentation services for bald spot coverage for women in Austin. We have the best industry experts who ensure your treatment is 100% success. Call us at (512) 980-1209 to know more about the procedure and our services. Book an appointment now and forget about your hair loss woes!
