When you brush or wash your hair, it is only natural that you will see some shedding. We all lose a fair amount of hair, about 80 strands, on a daily basis. It is when much more than this is lost; when hair begins to look thin, or areas of complete hair loss occur, that we want to explore why. On your end, if you’re noticing any amount of significant hair loss, the primary goal is to identify a solution.
Female hair loss is an interesting phenomenon that is far more common than most people imagine. Research suggests that 1 or more of every 3 women may face this problem. Restoring adequate growth is a priority, and it is important that we realize the path may not be straight and narrow. There are a number of reasons why hair growth may be interrupted in the average woman. Therefore, our approach to treatment must take into account the potential for multiple underlying factors.
Hair loss tends to occur because of genetics or as a result of some type of trigger or triggers. These may include:
Health and Wellness
If hair loss occurs in a woman, we want to consider what may be going on in her body and in her life. Stress has been pinpointed as a mitigating factor in female hair loss, due to the increase in androgen hormones related to unmanaged stress.
Nutritional deficiencies may also exist prior to the onset of hair loss or thinning. Two that have popped up in research studies include anemia, or iron deficiency, and the deficiency of vitamin B12.
It is not enough to take supplements for perceived nutritional deficiencies or hormone imbalance, nor to assume that such supplements will restore proper hair growth. Adequate testing is necessary to find where focus needs to be placed.
hormones
We blame a lot of concerns on hormones, from weight gain to adult acne and more. It’s now acceptable to also blame hair loss on an imbalance in the hormone department. We don’t want to just play the blame game, though, we want to observe which hormones are depleted and which are elevated. In so doing, we are able to implement lifestyle strategies and develop medical treatments around hormone rebalancing.
Hormones don’t revolve only around estrogen and testosterone. There are other sex hormones to observe, and also matters related to thyroid function. Often, thyroid dysfunction goes hand-in-hand with hormone imbalance. Because the thyroid gland is crucial to numerous biological processes, including the oxygenation and nourishment of tissues, imbalance of any kind, either hypo- or hyperthyroidism, can disrupt hair growth patterns.
In our Scottsdale office, Dr. Ong provides comprehensive care that includes nutrition, hormones, and innovative hair loss treatments. Learn more, and rediscover your confidence. Call (480) 771-7771.
