Often, when we think about hair loss, we picture men in the midst of a mid-life crisis. However, the truth is that hair loss can also affect women. Hair loss can be an embarrassing and stressful issue, no matter your age or gender. Here are five things you should know about female hair loss:

Women Represent 40% of Hair Loss Sufferers

Women suffering from hair loss are underrepresented in media and advertising, perhaps because hair loss can feel so embarrassing to women. That’s not to say that it isn’t embarrassing for men as well, but many women closely tie their hair to their own self-image throughout their lifetimes.

“Male Pattern Baldness” Can Be a Misnomer

The most common cause of hair loss in women is androgenetic alopecia, the very same genetic condition that strikes men. The difference is that androgenetic alopecia usually manifests itself in different patterns in women, showing as thinning at the hair’s “part” and overall thinning throughout the scalp.

Hair Loss Is Closely Tied to Hormone Cycles

Hormones can be blamed for any number of frustrating problems for women, from gum disease during pregnancy to osteoporosis in our old age. Add hair loss to the list. As many as ⅔ of women experience drastically thinning hair and even bald spots after menopause, when androgen production increases. Women can also experience hair loss related to post-pregnancy hormone levels and even birth control.

External Factors Can Cause Hair Loss

Women can also experience reactive hair loss, which means that the hair loss is a reaction to external (and often temporary) triggers. These can include…

  • Periods of high stress
  • Nutritional imbalance (sometimes cause by extreme dieting)
  • Illness, trauma, or surgery
  • Beauty products used on the hair and severe hair treatments

Modern Treatments Can Help

There are many options for treating female hair loss. Here at Barr Aesthetics, we’re highly experienced with treating hair loss for both men and women. First, we can help you identify the underlying cause of your hair loss. Then, we target treatment that will give you maximum results for your situation. These treatments may be anything from medications to hormone therapies to spa or surgical treatments. Call us today to learn more.