A women’s hair is her crowning glory, which is why losing our manes can be quite disconcerting and even devastating.
True, this can also be troubling for men, but I think we can agree it’s a bigger issue when it happens to a woman which is why this post is female focused.
Many women come to me concerned about hair loss. Their hairbrush is full of hair and it seems to happen over night.
For some, it’s coming out in clumps. For others, they’re noticing the hair around their temples and foreheads receding, or their pony tails shrinking, or there’s a slightly cooler spot on the back top of their heads.
Many try shampoos without much luck, which is not surprising as it’s not targeting the root cause (pun intended)!
So why does it happen? What’s going on? And what can you do about it? There can be a variety of reasons and, as always, it’s important to find out the root cause to effectively treat. And the reason will vary from woman to woman.
Here are common origins of hair loss for women:
1. Hormone imbalances and/or loss: Hair loss can hit right after pregnancy and then again around ages 45 to 55 due to hormone shifts and/or loss.
PCOS-Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome which results in elevated male hormones can cause male patterned balding and hair in places we don’t want.
2. Hypothyroidism: Many women are underdiagnosed and undertreated in this arena. Thyroid deficiency is so common in woman reaching menopause that it’s been given the name, Thyroid-Pause :-).
3. Adrenal Dysfunction: which can affect thyroid. Ongoing elevated stress, either emotional or physical is the driver behind this.
4. Genetics: Some women push their testosterone down a pathway that causes more acne and chin hairs along with loss of hair on their head which can lead to a difficulty with keeping hair follicles healthy with age.
5. Nutrient Deficiency: zinc, iron, biotin, iodine
6. Diet and elevated insulin
I would say that the majority of women over 45 who are losing hair or have brittle hair are suffering from some type of adrenal or thyroid imbalance and/or are moving into menopause which means a lot of changes in terms of hormones.
Women experience a huge drop in estrogen and progesterone which affects insulin sensitivity and inflammation and not in the way we’d like.
As estrogen drops women can get a male baldness pattern where we lose the hair on our heads and often start growing a beard.
Suggested Steps to determine the Cause and ultimately the Remedies:
1. Test! There are simple blood tests available to evaluate hormone issues, thyroid function as well as nutrient status. And it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Use this link to find out how to get the tests you need.
2. Determine the root cause based on clinical (symptoms) signs which are not as accurate as testing but can point us in the right direction and are valuable.
3. Take a look at gut function which can impact nutrient status.
4. Work with an experienced practitioner.
5. In all cases, reducing starches, monitoring your blood sugar, lowering stress, getting enough sleep (7-8 hours), meditating, journaling, walking, doing more for yourselves and what you enjoy are all part of the solution.
As always, I hope this was helpful. If you’d like further help and support, I encourage you to either work with me or another practitioner.
While you’re getting to the bottom of why you have hair loss, there is something that can help you now.
There is a new and a pretty awesome hair peptide formula that works differently from most on the market today for hair growth and with no nasty side effects.
As we get older, we have a harder time getting rid of old worn out cells. When it comes to hair, that means new hair follicles don’t have room to grow because the old stuff is in the way.
The One Skin-01 Hair Peptide reactivates the hair growth cycle by getting rid of the old cells. It’s a great kick start and if there’s a genetic component driving hair loss this may be the ticket for many.
BTW-the studies on this Hair formula have shown to be effective for both men and women! You can use the button below to get yours. And yes, I do receive a 5% commission on each sale.
Since this product is new to me, if you do try it, I would be very grateful if you would share your experience with me.
If you’d like more help navigating through hair loss, perimenopause, or menopause, please schedule a call using this link.
Please remember that anything written here is for informational purposes only. Nothing here is to replace the care or recommendations by your health care provider.