"Hair loss not only robs a woman of her sense of style, but oftentimes her sense of self-esteem and her security -- it can be very devastating," says Michael Reed, MD, a New York University Medical Center dermatologist who specializes in female pattern hair loss.
Because of this, depression, stress and anxiety often accompany hair loss. But doctors and other experts agree that stress is one factor that can cause you to lose hair, causing you more distress. This can lead to a vicious cycle. So the advice of one columnist to ”allow yourself to feel bad about feeling bad” is a good one. The less stress in your life, the better. Feeling bad isn’t the worst thing in the world as long as you don’t sit in it too long.
Hair Composition
Hair is made of a very tough protein, keratin. Hair follicles, which originate beneath the skin, anchor the hair. At the base of the follicle is the hair bulb. In this bulb, hair cells divide and grow to create the hair shaft. Blood vessels that connect to the hair bulb provide nourishment to the hair as well as hormones that modify growth and structure at appropriate times in the hair cycle. On average, a scalp contains about 110,000 hair follicles. If your hair is falling out faster than 100 scalp hairs a day, you may want to see a professional. There may be genetic, environmental or medical causes for the hair loss, and the sooner you find the reasons, the faster you can remedy the situation.
Causes of Hair Loss
Androgenetic alopecia is the most common form of genetically induced hair loss in both women and men. About 19 percent of women in the general population are afflicted with this gene or genes. There is a greater likelihood of FPHL if both the mother’s and father’s side of the family experienced hair loss. The thinning typically starts behind the bangs' hairline, with the crown of the head and the sides following next.
Some diseases cause hair loss, such as hypothyroidism, which means that the body produces too little thyroid hormone. This is much more common in women and makes hair brittle and easily broken. Hyperthyroidism is an overabundance of thyroid hormone. This speeds up metabolism and hence, hair growth and loss, because it goes through its phases at an accelerated rate. Lupus is another autoimmune disease that can thin hair.
Alopecia areata is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease of the hair follicles. It is thought to originate from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. This usually results in round, quarter-sized or larger, smooth, hairless patches of the scalp. Stress seems to be a factor in an outbreak of alopecia areata.
Dealing with Hair Loss
Here are four ways of dealing with hair loss. Some may be a better fit for you than others. So if one doesn’t help, go on to the next suggestion, though it may require you to visit your doctor or do some mental reprogramming.
1. Try a different hair style -- shorter hair styles minimize thinning hair and could add body and bounce to your hair that you have forgotten about. And forget comb-overs. They only accentuate the fact that you have thinning hair.
2. There is a type of hair loss that is associated with pregnancy, drastic weight loss, major surgery or extreme stress. It also can be caused by side effects from drugs such as antidepressants, beta blockers and NSAIDS. It is called telogen effluvium. During this phase, hair shifts from the growing stage to the resting stage before quickly moving to the hair shedding or “telogen” step. This hair loss is typically noticed about six weeks to three months after the stressful event.
The solution: For pregnancy and surgery, time is your friend. Wait out the healing process. For meds, the hair loss can be sudden and rapid, so speaking with your medical professional as soon as possible is crucial. He or she may suggest a different dosing schedule or amount or perhaps an alternative drug with fewer side effects
3. Hair transplants or drugs like minoxidil (Rogaine) can provide near-permanent fixes if done right. They are about the only medical treatments available at this time. Hair transplants rely on the ability of the patient to donate hair follicles from other places on the head.
Rogaine for women is a 2 percent formulation, rather than the 4 percent strength in men’s Rogaine. One must remember that the goal of using Rogaine for women is to prevent further loss of hair. The treatment is good only as long as you continue to use minoxidil twice a day. It must be used consistently and continuously, or the hair growth gains will be lost. Depending on the technique you choose, results can take from a few months to a year to see results.
4. And finally, don’t sweat hair loss. Anxiety can speed up hair loss and give you a look of stress or unhappiness.
"If you are losing sleep over your hair loss, if you are continuously ruminating over the problem, if it affects your appetite, or if you are consistently feeling sad, blue, hopeless, or especially helpless, all because of your appearance, then you are seriously affected by your hair loss and should consider talking to a mental health professional," says Shari Lusskin, M.D., director of reproductive psychiatry at New York University Medical Center in New York City. The goal of this therapy is to foster a strong sense of self-esteem and beauty.
But this “don’t give a damn” attitude is difficult to achieve for women because so much of their appearance is wrapped up in societal approval. Acceptance of one’s appearance goes a long way toward projecting a strong self-image to the world.