Women who are struggling with visibly thinning hair are likely to have many concerns about their appearance. However, it’s also common to wonder just what it is that’s contributed to the loss of their hair in the first place. Here’s a closer look at some of the lesser known causes for baldness and thinning hair in women.
1. Too Much Stress
Stress can wreak havoc on the body in a number of ways, like causing digestive problems, headaches and muscle tension that leads to chronic back or neck pain. Left untreated, too much stress can spiral into more severe mental issues like clinical depression, anxiety disorders or other stress-related illness. Stress is also the number one risk factor for a developing number of more serious health issues, like obesity and heart disease, and can worsen symptoms of health conditions that already exist like asthma or diabetes.
One of the places that too much stress may become evident is right at the hairline. A specific stress response to a severe physical or emotional health event is sometimes evidenced by increased loss of hair over the next few months. Sudden changes in hormone levels can also contribute to thinning hair, like after childbirth. Luckily, as the body recovers from the stressful event or hormones balance out again, hair often grows back naturally over time.
2. Toxic Hair Products
Hair products are in place to nourish, clean and protect hair follicles for the most part. However, some seem to actually have the exact opposite effect. In both men and women who are sensitive to the active ingredients in shampoos and hair dyes, hair follicles can be damaged enough to cause visible thinning. This is especially true for those who use harsh dyes very frequently, like celebrities who are always changing their look and undergoing frequent hair treatments.
In addition to dyes and products, the way hair is styled can also have an impact on hair health and thickness. Heat-based styling practices like blow-drying and using curling irons or flat irons can damage hair enough that follicles become damaged as well. Wearing the hair in constant tight braids or under a tight hat can also put damaging pressure on the follicles. All of this can impact hair growth enough to cause noticeable thinning in severe cases. For the most part, though, any hair loss due to styling practices or products is only temporary; giving your head a break from chemicals and severe styles should give the follicles a chance to rest and recover.
3. Lifestyle Factors
Research shows that illness, nutritional deficiencies and even allergies can contribute to hair loss. Side effects from certain medications can also cause problems with hair thinning and regrowth, like the extreme example of chemotherapy. For the most part, eating a healthy, balanced diet and staying healthy can go a long way toward protecting your existing hair growth. Hair loss treatments can help slow or reverse baldness, although prescription treatments like Propecia are not recommended for use in women at this time.
