Treating Female Hair Loss

Oftentimes when we think of hair loss or balding, we think of middle-aged men. Yet excessive hair loss can and does occur in women, as well as children. In males and females, children or adults, excessive hair loss is known as alopecia. There are several kinds of alopecia:

• Androgenic hair loss is caused by genes and heredity.
• Traction hair loss is caused by wearing tight braids or ponytails.
• Telogen hair loss is caused by mental or physical stress, such as divorce or childbirth.
• Anagen hair loss is caused by hair follicle damage such as with chemotherapy for cancer.
• Alopecia Areata is caused by autoimmune diseases such as Lupus and syphilis.

Women mostly experience thinning hair instead of wide patches of baldness, due to thyroid conditions, digestive problems, and hormonal changes. When those conditions are addressed, females usually experience hair regrowth. In some instances, however, hair does not regrow due to follicle damage.

Some steps to follow to address and treat female hair loss are:

• Speak with your doctor or a specialist if you experience hair loss following surgery, weight loss, pregnancy, or onset of menopause.
• Use prescription or doctor-approved shampoos or treatments.
• To boost hair regrowth, buy and use an over-the-counter product containing minoxidil specifically geared for use by women.
• Seek natural remedies for hair regrowth such as green tea, nettle, and saw palmetto.
• If you find that your hair will not regrow, invest in quality wigs or hair weaves.

Minoxidil products, such as Rogaine, are applied topically to the scalp, and women have a greater success rate with hair regrowth using minoxidil than do men. Minoxidil is the only medicine approved by the FDA specifically to treat hair loss.

Other medicines that restore hair growth are prescribed to treat other maladies, with hair regrowth as simply an added benefit of taking the prescription. A few of those medications are:

• Spironolactone is a diuretic, most commonly known as a water pill. It is also used to treat high blood pressure, potassium deficiencies, edema, and hormonal disorders. A brand name spironolactone is Aldactone.
• Histamine blockers, made from the drug cimetidine, are used to treat ulcers by preventing the stomach from producing excess acid. Cimetidine also blocks hormones from closing hair follicles. A brand name of cimetidine is Tagamet.

Fortunately, female hair loss can be temporary. Find the cause of your hair loss, discuss with your doctor solutions to correct the underlying problems, and you may experience hair regrowth. If not, there are viable options found with wigs and hair weaves, and other cosmetic enhancers.