CityPages Kuwait June 2016 Issue June 2016 | Page 40

WHAT CAUSES HAIR LOSS IN

WOMEN?

While baldness is an issue
most often associated
with men, women can
suffer from hair loss as
well. In fact, you may
be surprised to learn
just how prevalent the
condition is.

Dr. Nazia Nausheen
Dr. Nazia Nausheen is a certified
medical doctor. She also holds
a Masters Degree in Business,
Specializing in Sales and Marketing.
Readers should look forward to her
regular articles on women health
and other general health related
issues.

Hair loss, or alopecia,
can affect the whole
body. It may be a hereditary condition, a side effect
of medications or a physical or psychological ailment.
Research indicates as many as two-thirds of all women
experience hair loss at some point. You might notice
strands of hair at the bottom of the shower or caught
in your hair brush. It's normal to lose 50 - 100 hairs a
day. However, when hair falls out in clumps or thins
conspicuously, it may be indicative of a more serious
medical condition. Most women who experience hair
loss notice it in their 50s or 60s, but doctors say it can
happen at any age.
Here are some of the primary causes of hair loss:

Telogen Effluvium
This condition takes place after pregnancy, major
surgeries or even after drastic weight loss. Hair shifts
more quickly from the growing stage, to the transition
stage, to the shedding stage. Women experiencing this
will notice hair loss between 6 weeks and 3 months after
a stressful event and may have to be patient and wait
for hair loss to slow down. If it has been determined
the hair loss is from medication, your doctor may be
able to lower the dosage or switch drugs.

Hypothyroidism
Hair loss can be a byproduct of an under active thyroid.

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JUNE, 2016

That's because, in addition to regulating your basal
metabolic rate, the thyroid is also responsible for the
growth of hair, skin and nails. Blood tests can be given
to test for hypothyroidism.

Anemia
Iron deficiency results in insufficient numbers of red
blood cells to transport oxygen through the body.
Anemia can cause weakness, pale skin, fatigue,
headaches and hair loss. Increasing iron in the diet
through leafy greens, fortified cereals and beans can
help.

Poor Scalp Health
Skin conditions present on the scalp may be the culprit
behind the hair loss. Psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis
(dandruff) and even fungal infections can affect the
skin on the scalp, and, in turn, affect the hair follicles.

Alopecia Areata
This is an immune disease that affects roughly 2% of
the population and is characterized by small, round
patches of hair loss.

Genetics
Do the women in your family have thinning hair, most
pronounced at the crown of the head? Hair loss may
be in your genes so you may have a higher risk than
others for losing hair. Hair follicles that vary in size,
with some thin and others thick, are telltale signs
of female pattern hair loss known as Androgenetic
Alopecia.

Beauty Styling
Dyes, chemical treatments, styling tools and aids, and
rough or aggressive brushing can damage hair and
cause breakage. Be gentle when toweling or styling
hair to help minimize hair loss.