More females are losing their hair, but there is often a simple underlying cause.
On a typical day at his hair-loss clinic, David Salinger sees people of all ages with complaints that range from dry or oily hair or scalps through to alopecia (hair loss thought to be caused by an autoimmune disorder) and balding. In recent years, however, he says he has been seeing significantly more women, many of them young and suffering from severe hair loss.
"I'm certainly seeing more young women suffering genetic hair thinning - thinning at the front and top of the scalp," Salinger, head of the Trichology Centre in Sydney and Adelaide, says. "One reason for this is the type of birth control pill they are using. Contraceptive pills that contain more of the male hormone can trigger genetic thinning. Still, that's only one reason and it isn't the major cause for all of the women I see."
Anecdotal evidence suggests that hair loss in women is on the increase, but with so many different causes, definitive data is hard to collect. There are a number of medical and nutritional areas that relate to hair and scalp problems. Of particular importance are the immune, endocrine, nervous, circulatory and digestive systems. Salinger says many people don't realise that simple nutritional imbalances are a common cause of hair loss. "Many women I see with general hair loss are suffering from an iron deficiency or have malabsorption problems," he says.
Growth Cycle
Salinger, a registered member of the International Association of Trichologists (trichology is the scientific study of hair and scalp health), explains that while hair thinning is part of the ageing process, hair loss is not. "We say that losing 70 to 80 hairs a day is normal, but having said that, everyone is different," Salinger says. "A normal amount for someone may be about 40 hairs a day, so if that suddenly doubles to 80 a day and continues, then that could be of concern and they need to see a specialist."
Tony Pearce, a trichologist and registered nurse who specialises in female hair loss, says hair loss in women is becoming more prevalent, but in most cases it can be treated relatively easily. Pearce says hair is in a constant cycle of growth, rest and renewal. It's natural to lose some hair each day, and hair grows in phases, with about one in 10 head hairs "resting" at any time. The only living part of the hair, he adds, is the root or bulb.
Treatment Options
The Australasian College of Dermatologists says the treatment for hair loss depends on the cause. In some cases the hair loss may be temporary and full regrowth will occur without treatment. The identification and treatment of reversible health conditions such as anaemia or thyroid disease can often result in complete recovery.
In other cases, hormone replacement therapy or measures to block hormone effects on the hair follicles may be used. If you have alopecia, cortisone injections into the scalp or a mixture of topical creams and lotions may be the best treatment. Antifungals or antibiotics may be required for certain infections that cause hair loss, such as tinea capitis.
As far as over-the-counter treatments are concerned, Salinger says Minoxidil 5% is the only topical non-prescription product that "can sometimes be of benefit to genetic thinning in men and women and to alopecia areata".
Getting Help
Pearce says hair-loss sufferers are not always taken seriously by GPs. He says a problem in the hair can often be the first sign of an internal problem. "Some hair-loss problems can be self-correcting and there are a lot that can be corrected through nutritional or hormonal interventions,"
Pearce says. He says many of his clients have spent thousands of dollars on products and treatments that don't work when what they needed was an iron supplement or to change their contraceptive pill. Salinger has similar stories.
He says the first thing to do if you are suffering hair loss is to find a registered trichologist, who usually works in conjunction with doctors. He says a large part of a trichologist's job is to reassure people. "Women are scared they're going to go bald. Once you show them the hair regrowing and reassure them that the problems can be fixed, usually within about three months, they feel much better," he says.
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