There are many types of female hair loss - This page explains what they are, and which type affects you.
Generally, women find any form of hair loss much more embarrassing than men. As such, they are far less likely to accept it, and much more likely to seek treatment for it.
The treatment required for one type may differ from another, so it's important to seek professional advice and find out exactly what type you have.
What type of female hair loss do you have?
Hair loss often has a genetic connection and, as such, can affect both men and women. But, whilst the vast majority of men will experience androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness), for women it's a bit more complicated.
Most types of hair loss are also connected to hormones in some way. And women have a greater fluctuation in their hormone levels than men (due to menstruation, pregnancy and the menopause). It follows that, whilst statistically fewer women experience hair loss than men, they tend to be affected by more types.
So, let's look at these different types of female hair loss.
Telogen effluvium
Up to 50% of all women may experience significant hair loss by the age of 60. Chronic telogen effluvium (CTE) is the second most common type of hair loss after androgenic alopecia and, between them, these two types account for as much as 95% of all female hair loss cases.
Telogen effluvium can be connected to many things including nutritional deficiency. This deficiency is largely due to iron depletion (from menstruation cycles). It can build up slowly over many years and lead to CTE. Vegetarians might also experience CTE (including men).
Telogen effluvium is evenly distributed (diffuse) thinning across the entire scalp (i.e., not just the crown of the scalp). And, because this thinning isn't just confined to one area, telogen effluvium is not normally obvious to other people.
But, just because you might be the only one who knows about it, doesn't necessarily make it any more acceptable, right? Find out more about
telogen effluvium.
Androgenic alopecia
As stated earlier, androgenic (or androgenetic) alopecia mostly affects men. However, as the name suggests, this type involves genetic inheritance, and so can be passed on from parent to child (both male and female).
It also involves androgens. These potent hormones are produced by women in much smaller quantities than they are in men. However, they can still affect a women's body. As such, androgenic alopecia is also a form of female hair loss.
It normally manifests itself as diffuse thinning (i.e., it's similar to CTE) but only on the crown of the scalp.
Because of this, androgenic alopecia is often much more noticeable to others as well as yourself.
This type of hair loss can also make your scalp much more visible, and any parting you may have, much wider.
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If your hair falls out literally overnight and in clumps, it's probably alopecia areata. Alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis are also types of alopecia areata. This horrifying disease can be extremely rapid and extensive.
Find out just how horrifying, rapid, and extensive it can be - alopecia areata.
Braids, clips and other hair accessories can, to an extent, literally pull your hair out! Over time, ponytails, cornrows, even excess brushing or combing can also cause this type of female hair loss. If you want to find out more, click here - traction alopecia.
Chemotherapy hair loss
This form of hair loss is due to the powerful chemicals used to treat various forms of cancer. Whether or not chemotherapy is the best form of treatment depends upon the type and extent of the cancer involved. As such, chemotherapy may lead to both male and female hair loss. Click here for chemotherapy hair loss.
