You need to see a board-certified dermatologist who can make a definitive diagnosis. There are many reasons for hair loss in women — ranging from genetic factors (female pattern alopecia), thyroid disease, extra weight loss, pregnancy, etc. With a simple physical examination and biopsy of your scalp, the diagnosis can be made along with an appropriate treatment plan.
Women over 40 start to find that their hair is thinning not only in the 50âs. This can be due to a thyroid gland that is over or under active, diabetes, hormone level changes and nutritional deficiency. This is a huge issue but there are solutions.
1) A visit to the doctor is mandatory as it could be a medical condition that is causing the hair to thin.
2) Have a stylist change your haircut by layering & texturing your hair so that it appears thicker.
3) There are shampoos & conditioners for voluming.
4) Oribe makes a product called âVolume Maximista”, a thickening spray to deliver exaggerated volume & thickness.
I interviewed Lily Yip, Senior Stylist at Mizu NY & specifically asked her this question as women ask it quite often. To view interview w/ Lily Yip click on this link: : http://susanhersh.startlogic.com/?p=105
Chloe,
Hair loss, especially in women, is one of the most upsetting and frustrating conditions. As many of the responses here say, it truly can be caused by many, many things, ranging from easily correctable nutritional issues, to permanent damage that can at best be slowed. There is no way around a full medical workup for this, including blood tests, and a careful examination of your scalp by a dermatologist, along with a careful and detailed medical history. I recommend that while you may try out some of the cosmetic hair thickeners, etc, you also go right to a dermatologist who will take the time to properly evaluate you. It may be something as easy as low iron or other minerals, or it could be an inflammatory scalp condition that needs medication. If it is what we call “female-pattern hair loss” or androgenetic alopecia, there may be unabalanced hormonal issues creating a worsening of the situation, that can be addressed if they are identified. I wish you great luck and success in pursuing treatment.
Dr. Krant
This is such a frustrating thing to have happen, Chloe. One technique that some find effective is high frequency. Another product that I have seen work comes from NuSkin. A friend of mine who lost all her hair during chemotherapy swears by Rogaine.
The first thing you should do, however, is see a dermatologist and get a diagnosis. You could be lacking a certain mineral or vitamin which is causing your hair to fall out. You may simply need more estrogen or testosterone. Get this checked out first, and then take the necessary steps.
My first recommendation is look at any medications you’re taking, including over the counter products; since some of them (and some combinations of them) can cause hair loss. Next, does this run in your family? If not, before doing anything else, I recommend speaking with your Primary Care Doctor; since it could be a physical illness causing it. Next, look at your diet and make sure you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals your body requires. There are many shampoos that can help make your hair look fuller; and a good massage on your scalp may help increase the blood flow in addition to regular exercise.
There’s no substitute for starting with the correct diagnosis for any physical issue and that includes hair loss. You may well just have a ‘common things being common’ case of patterned baldness, which women can get too. There are, however, other causes of hair loss on the top of the head that need very specific treatment. With some of these diagnosis, time is of the essence because they can cause permanent scarring hair loss. I recommend seeing a dermatologist first to get a diagnosis. Once armed with your diagnosis, then you can go on to search for a treatment. Don’t assume that just because hair loss is common, that yours is of the common type! Best of luck.
There are many reasons for hair loss. Many women lose hair due to hormonal changes, or because of medication they are taking. You might want to consult a doctor, as some medical conditions can cause hair loss as well. Fortunately,there are several things that can help. Exercise increases circulation throughout the body and encourages hair growth. Eating a well balanced diet, including a multi-vitamin helps as well. Taking a supplement that contains omega 3, flax and borage oil will increase/encourage hair growth. Woman’s Rogaine, which is now sold over the counter, re-grows hair for many types of hair loss, but you do have to keep using it. Consult with your hair stylist on how to style you hair to camouflage the thin areas until the hair grows in. Hope these suggestions are helpful!
I also was losing the hair on the top of my head. Actually, it wasn’t that I was losing it, it was that I wasn’t growing any hair. As it turns out, if your Iron levels are low enough, you will not grow hair, which give the impression of losing hair. I would recommend first checking with your doctor and have your iron level tested. It worked for me.
Another recommendation from the doctor was to try full strength Rogaine – the men’s formula. He said the women’s formula was a waste of time.
Although I am fortunate to have a full head of hair, I had two beautiful cousins that did not…neither did their mother, which would have been my Aunt.
All of my life, my eyes admired my cousins, such beautiful women…pin ups types, the kind of pin ups from WW11, which was their era.
They held their age well…it was as though they never aged.
Their hair was a beautiful brown..as the years went by, a few wisps of gray could be seen at the temples.
Then , near the age of 90, one developed Alzheimer. My dear brother watched over her till she passed..her illness took her quick due to her age I suppose.
It was not till the last day of her life, when he rushed her to the hospital, that it was revealed that she wore a wig !
Now, I know everyone else will recommend treatments, and that’s wonderful, because they seem to have wonderful remedies for most anything these days.
But, if the day ever comes that I begin to loose some of my hair..or, if the day comes that I tire of having the color added by the stylist, I will not hesitate to buy and wear a wig.
And you know why ? Because over half my life time, I admired two beautiful women who wore wigs since their 30’s ( this was revealed by the surviving sister ) and none of the relatives ever knew.
I buy wigs from wowwigs.com for my mannequins.
And that’s where I will buy a wig for myself someday.
I hope my story has helped you understand that you are a beautiful person , no matter what, but, loosing hair is hard to accept…my Aunt’s did not hesitate, they began to loose their hair in the front in their 30’s and wore wigs all their lives.
And that’s in the days when wigs were hot, today’s wigs are not.
Good luck to you, it will all work out, no matter what remedy you choose,
best wishes,
Linda
Hi Chloe, I’ve found several products that work for hair loss and thinning hair. Copper peptides can really help hair grow back and the best product so far is Hair Signals by Skin Biology. Emu oil works as well (yes, the large flightless bird!) and, as with copper peptides, there are clinical trials to show that follicle strength is encouraged. Emu oil can even wake up dormant follicles. For overall hair health, thickness and less hair shedding, Nutra-Lift’s shampoo makes a difference and everyone I have recommended it to loves it. There’s more info here: https://truthinaging.com/store/TIA-Exclusives/Thicker-stronger-hair-collection
0 Answers
dssarnoff wrote on :
You need to see a board-certified dermatologist who can make a definitive diagnosis. There are many reasons for hair loss in women — ranging from genetic factors (female pattern alopecia), thyroid disease, extra weight loss, pregnancy, etc. With a simple physical examination and biopsy of your scalp, the diagnosis can be made along with an appropriate treatment plan.
Susan Hersh wrote on :
Hi Chloe,
Women over 40 start to find that their hair is thinning not only in the 50âs. This can be due to a thyroid gland that is over or under active, diabetes, hormone level changes and nutritional deficiency. This is a huge issue but there are solutions.
1) A visit to the doctor is mandatory as it could be a medical condition that is causing the hair to thin.
2) Have a stylist change your haircut by layering & texturing your hair so that it appears thicker.
3) There are shampoos & conditioners for voluming.
4) Oribe makes a product called âVolume Maximista”, a thickening spray to deliver exaggerated volume & thickness.
Amazon.com has âOribe Volume Maximistaâ available to ship:
http://www.amazon.com/ORIBE-Maximista-Thickening-Spray-6-8fl-oz/dp/B004UMYEIS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312077026&sr=8-1
I interviewed Lily Yip, Senior Stylist at Mizu NY & specifically asked her this question as women ask it quite often. To view interview w/ Lily Yip click on this link: : http://susanhersh.startlogic.com/?p=105
Best,
Susan
Jessica Krant, M.D. (Derm) wrote on :
Chloe,
Hair loss, especially in women, is one of the most upsetting and frustrating conditions. As many of the responses here say, it truly can be caused by many, many things, ranging from easily correctable nutritional issues, to permanent damage that can at best be slowed. There is no way around a full medical workup for this, including blood tests, and a careful examination of your scalp by a dermatologist, along with a careful and detailed medical history. I recommend that while you may try out some of the cosmetic hair thickeners, etc, you also go right to a dermatologist who will take the time to properly evaluate you. It may be something as easy as low iron or other minerals, or it could be an inflammatory scalp condition that needs medication. If it is what we call “female-pattern hair loss” or androgenetic alopecia, there may be unabalanced hormonal issues creating a worsening of the situation, that can be addressed if they are identified. I wish you great luck and success in pursuing treatment.
Dr. Krant
Maria Comfort wrote on :
This is such a frustrating thing to have happen, Chloe. One technique that some find effective is high frequency. Another product that I have seen work comes from NuSkin. A friend of mine who lost all her hair during chemotherapy swears by Rogaine.
The first thing you should do, however, is see a dermatologist and get a diagnosis. You could be lacking a certain mineral or vitamin which is causing your hair to fall out. You may simply need more estrogen or testosterone. Get this checked out first, and then take the necessary steps.
Good luck to you.
Maria
gkd9@aol.com wrote on :
My first recommendation is look at any medications you’re taking, including over the counter products; since some of them (and some combinations of them) can cause hair loss. Next, does this run in your family? If not, before doing anything else, I recommend speaking with your Primary Care Doctor; since it could be a physical illness causing it. Next, look at your diet and make sure you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals your body requires. There are many shampoos that can help make your hair look fuller; and a good massage on your scalp may help increase the blood flow in addition to regular exercise.
Cynthia Bailey MD wrote on :
There’s no substitute for starting with the correct diagnosis for any physical issue and that includes hair loss. You may well just have a ‘common things being common’ case of patterned baldness, which women can get too. There are, however, other causes of hair loss on the top of the head that need very specific treatment. With some of these diagnosis, time is of the essence because they can cause permanent scarring hair loss. I recommend seeing a dermatologist first to get a diagnosis. Once armed with your diagnosis, then you can go on to search for a treatment. Don’t assume that just because hair loss is common, that yours is of the common type! Best of luck.
Cubie131 wrote on :
There are many reasons for hair loss. Many women lose hair due to hormonal changes, or because of medication they are taking. You might want to consult a doctor, as some medical conditions can cause hair loss as well. Fortunately,there are several things that can help. Exercise increases circulation throughout the body and encourages hair growth. Eating a well balanced diet, including a multi-vitamin helps as well. Taking a supplement that contains omega 3, flax and borage oil will increase/encourage hair growth. Woman’s Rogaine, which is now sold over the counter, re-grows hair for many types of hair loss, but you do have to keep using it. Consult with your hair stylist on how to style you hair to camouflage the thin areas until the hair grows in. Hope these suggestions are helpful!
Charlotte Johnson wrote on :
I also was losing the hair on the top of my head. Actually, it wasn’t that I was losing it, it was that I wasn’t growing any hair. As it turns out, if your Iron levels are low enough, you will not grow hair, which give the impression of losing hair. I would recommend first checking with your doctor and have your iron level tested. It worked for me.
Another recommendation from the doctor was to try full strength Rogaine – the men’s formula. He said the women’s formula was a waste of time.
Good luck
linda caricofe wrote on :
Although I am fortunate to have a full head of hair, I had two beautiful cousins that did not…neither did their mother, which would have been my Aunt.
All of my life, my eyes admired my cousins, such beautiful women…pin ups types, the kind of pin ups from WW11, which was their era.
They held their age well…it was as though they never aged.
Their hair was a beautiful brown..as the years went by, a few wisps of gray could be seen at the temples.
Then , near the age of 90, one developed Alzheimer. My dear brother watched over her till she passed..her illness took her quick due to her age I suppose.
It was not till the last day of her life, when he rushed her to the hospital, that it was revealed that she wore a wig !
Now, I know everyone else will recommend treatments, and that’s wonderful, because they seem to have wonderful remedies for most anything these days.
But, if the day ever comes that I begin to loose some of my hair..or, if the day comes that I tire of having the color added by the stylist, I will not hesitate to buy and wear a wig.
And you know why ? Because over half my life time, I admired two beautiful women who wore wigs since their 30’s ( this was revealed by the surviving sister ) and none of the relatives ever knew.
I buy wigs from wowwigs.com for my mannequins.
And that’s where I will buy a wig for myself someday.
I hope my story has helped you understand that you are a beautiful person , no matter what, but, loosing hair is hard to accept…my Aunt’s did not hesitate, they began to loose their hair in the front in their 30’s and wore wigs all their lives.
And that’s in the days when wigs were hot, today’s wigs are not.
Good luck to you, it will all work out, no matter what remedy you choose,
best wishes,
Linda
TruthinAging wrote on :
Hi Chloe, I’ve found several products that work for hair loss and thinning hair. Copper peptides can really help hair grow back and the best product so far is Hair Signals by Skin Biology. Emu oil works as well (yes, the large flightless bird!) and, as with copper peptides, there are clinical trials to show that follicle strength is encouraged. Emu oil can even wake up dormant follicles. For overall hair health, thickness and less hair shedding, Nutra-Lift’s shampoo makes a difference and everyone I have recommended it to loves it. There’s more info here: https://truthinaging.com/store/TIA-Exclusives/Thicker-stronger-hair-collection