Causes of Thinning Hair in Women

There is a difference between the way baldness occurs in men and women. Male pattern baldness follows a certain order in which hair loss starts at the temples and the hair line starts receding. The thinning of hair at the crown follows after that. Female hair loss pattern, on the other hand, starts with the thinning of hair at the crown while the hair line remains intact. There is a significant hair thinning at the crown which may be followed by moderate hair loss. But in most cases hair thinning and subsequent hair loss in women rarely progresses into total baldness.

But even though thinning hair in women and hair loss does not mostly lead to total baldness the thin lifeless hair and scanty look can be extremely embarrassing in social gatherings. If you are seeing thinning of hair all over the head and visible signs of mild or moderate hair loss at the crown, there is sufficient cause for you to worry. Severe cases of female pattern baldness may be permanent and irreversible.

The most common cause of thinning hair in women and subsequent hair loss is hormonal imbalance. This is generally caused approximately three months after delivering a child. Similar hormonal imbalances also occur when women take birth control pills as they increase the level of male hormones present in the body. Menopause also brings about a major change in the hormonal structure of women, thereby causing thinning hair in women that is relatively more permanent as compared to the one caused post pregnancy.

Another major cause of thinning hair in women is the side effect of certain medications taken due to various other conditions. Medical conditions like thyroid problems and depression merit conventional medication that can result in hair thinning and hair loss in women. Blood thinners and antidepressants also cause damage to the hair.

Women are also more prone to styling their hair. Coloring agents, styling gels, hair straitening agents and excessive use of conditioners can make hair dull and lifeless over time. This is mainly because they contain chemicals that are harmful for the hair follicles and weaken them over time. Even styling hair into tight ponytails, hair extensions, cornrows and buns can cause damage to the hair over time. However, the damage caused by natural styling is reversible and temporary and can be reversed by simply changing the hair style or stopping certain habits.

Emotional and physical stress, immune system irregularities and genetics are other causes of thinning hair in women and hair loss.

While most physicians tend to treat a certain amount of hair loss as natural, you should be aware of the fact that the sooner you start doing something about thinning hair, the better it is. There are various natural products in the market that are completely made from natural ingredients and therefore do not cause any harm. These products are made from products that have known to activate hair follicles into hair growth and others that are known to nourish hair into becoming stronger and thicker. If you want to learn more about the various ingredients that go into the making of such products, log on to www.hairchi.com to know more.