Causes and Solutions for Hair Loss Concerns

The hair plays a major role in a person's overall appearance. Both men and women spend a lot of money and time on their hair. Research has found that that it is closely connected to a positive self-image. Most people expect to have "bad hair days,” but hair loss has been shown to have a negative impact on a person's self-esteem. The problem of thinning hair or more severe hair loss is a distressing one that affects men and women. Forty percent of people experience some hair loss in their life. The causes are numerous and should be addressed as soon as the problem appears.

Common Causes for Hair Loss
Thinning hair may be attributed to medical conditions such as hormonal changes that occur slowly over time. Both men and women are susceptible to the hormonal process that changes testosterone to DHT, which can harm hair follicles. Even though women do not have the testosterone levels that men have, they can still experience thinning and loss of hair. When women reach menopause age, the levels drop significantly which increases the risk of hair loss developing. While men usually have distinct baldness patterns, hair loss in women is closely related to heredity and traumatic life events such as childbirth, extreme stress, or poor nutrition.

Medical Conditions that May Trigger Hair Loss
Abnormal hair changes may signal certain medical problems that should be addressed by a medical professional. There are approximately thirty different medical conditions that can trigger hair loss. One of the most common is associated with the thyroid, the butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that produces essential hormones that regulate many of the body's major functions. Even though hair loss is one of the symptoms of a low-functioning thyroid, it is not the only sign. Birth control pills, scalp conditions caused by the body's own immune system and scalp ringworm infestation can also contribute to hair loss and thinning.

Treatments and Solutions for Hair Loss
Not all hair loss in women results in complete baldness. Even though about two-thirds of all women suffer from some hair loss, there are solutions that can help slow down the loss and restore healthier hair. There are permanent solutions such as hair transplants that very effective for the forty percent of women with thinning hair. Some temporary solutions include several prescription drugs that doctors can prescribe for women with a high success rate for about fifty percent of those with female pattern hair loss problems.