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Hera Hair and Skin Clinic
Hair Loss in Female
​An introduction to Women’s Hair Loss
Women’s hair loss can be caused by a number of different factors including genetics, stress, or various medical issues. Hair loss can be either temporary or ongoing depending on the diagnosis. Consulting a hair loss expert is essential in order to ensure the correct diagnosis is achieved and the right course of action is taken.
Take some time to read through our guide to female hair loss, which should give you an indication of what might be causing your problem and what you can do. You can contact Hera Hair and skin clinic any time to arrange a one-on-one consultation with a hair loss specialist. The good news is that most women’s hair loss conditions are treatable and can be prevented or reversed. Jump to more information on hair loss treatments for women.
​Female Pattern Hair Loss
One of the most common conditions that affect women is Female Pattern Hair Loss, or Androgenetic Alopecia.
This hereditary condition causes thinning hair which can be found around the top of the head and/or the crown area, whilst the density of the hair from the sides and back of the scalp will remain unaffected.
You may notice you start to shed more hair than usual, and your parting becomes wider. Female hair loss can also cause a receding hairline, where hair thins around the temples.
​Telogen Effluvium
Telogen Effluvium is usually temporary. The condition causes thinning of the hair from all over the scalp and is caused by an event that shocks certain hair follicles and causes the hairs produced by these follicles to move from the growth phase to the resting phase.
As the resting phase lasts around three months before the hair sheds, hair loss will occur roughly three months after the event which caused it. Triggers will usually be either a sudden stressful event or medical occurrence, but can also include:
Chronic Telogen Effluvium
Diffuse Hair Loss
Chronic Telogen Effluvium, also known as Diffuse Hair Loss, is similar to temporary Telogen Effluvium in its causes, the main difference being that hair loss can be prolonged. The reason for this is that the underlying cause of the hair loss has not been dealt with. In order to treat Chronic TE effectively it is important not only to treat the condition with an optimum course of treatment, but also to look at the medical issues causing the problem.
Chronic Telogen Effluvium can be caused by a number of health-related conditions including:
​Traction Alopecia
Traction Alopecia causes hair loss by placing constant, excessive tension on the hair shafts, often due to overuse of hair extensions, tight braids or weaves. The hair follicles become damaged, leading to hair loss generally centred around the hairline and temples, with only fine or ‘fluffy’ hairs left behind. If the cause of the Traction Alopecia is concentrated in one specific location, for example a heavy hairpiece or ponytail extension, the condition can also cause patchy hair loss in those specific areas. Due to the nature of this condition being related to damage caused by hair styling, Traction Alopecia mainly affects women, although it is also common in men who wear their hair in cornrows.
Other Hair Loss Conditions
There are a number of other, less common hair loss conditions which can affect women, including the following conditions which are far rarer than those listed above.
Alopecia Areata
This is a highly unpredictable, autoimmune skin disease resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. This common but very challenging and unpredictable disease affects approximately 1.7 percent of the population.
Due to the fact that much of the public is still not familiar with alopecia, the disease can have a profound impact on one’s life and functional status, both at work and at school.
In Alopecia Areata, the affected hair follicles are mistakenly attacked by a person’s own immune system, resulting in the arrest of the hair growth stage. Alopecia usually starts with one or more small, round, smooth bald patches on the scalp and can progress to total scalp hair loss (Alopecia Totalis) or complete body hair loss (Alopecia Universalis).
​Alopecia Totalis
This is the loss of all head hair. Its causes are believed to be an autoimmune disorder. Stress is sometimes thought to be a contributor to the hair loss caused by alopecia, however many people leading relatively stress-free lives have experienced the symptoms.
Alopecia Universalis
Alopecia Universalis or alopecia areata Universalis is a medical condition involving rapid loss of all hair, including eyebrows and eyelashes. It is the most severe form of alopecia areata, with an incidence of .001% (1 in 100,000).
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a self-inflicted condition which sees sufferers repeatedly pull, tug at or twist their hair until it comes out.
Pseudopelade
Pseudopelade is an extremely rare hair loss condition, also known as Alopecia Cicatrisata. It mostly affects women and occasionally children, causing patchy hair loss with bald patches that can still contain individual healthy hairs.
Lupus
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease which causes the body’s immune system to turn on its own tissues and organs. Perhaps best known for the butterfly-shaped rash it can cause across the nose and cheeks, Lupus can also cause diffuse hair loss.
Cicatricial alopecia
Cicatricial alopecia, also known as ‘scarring alopecia’, is a group of rare hair loss conditions, one of which – Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia – is specific to women. These conditions target the hair follicles directly but can also include hair loss caused by scarring following burns or radiation.
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