Irina Thorton asked:


There has been an ongoing debate on whether or not vitamins can help prevent or stop hair loss in women. What is the real score here? Is preventing hair loss as simple as eating a good diet and taking vitamins for hair loss in women?

Androgenetic Alopecia

Majority of both men and women who lose their hair have andorgenetic alopecia. In this condition, the hormone DHT binds itself to the hair follicles and damages them. The condition is especially marked in those who are genetically predisposed to hair loss. Since genes and hormones are the main factors in this form of hair loss, some individuals have stopped seeing vitamins as a factor that can prevent hair loss.

Contributing Factors

If your condition is caused by androgenetic alopecia, vitamins for hair loss in women don’t really have much of an effect. They are however still necessary to address the contributory factors that can make hair loss worse in women. It is generally known that aside from genes and hormones, female hair loss can be made worse by stress, trauma, emotional distress and serious illness. The only way to fight these contributory factors is through vitamins for hair loss in women.

What Vitamins Can Do
How can vitamins help? Vitamins for hair loss in women are perfect for keeping your present hair healthy, strong and free from damage and dryness. Vitamins also keep the entire scalp and the follicles properly nourished to encourage new hair growth. Although vitamins for hair loss in women can be found in nutritious foods, it still makes a lot of sense to get some extra boost from vitamin supplements. These can help supply whatever we lack from food intake.

Vitamins for Hair Loss in Women

There are numerous vitamins for hair loss in women. Here are some of the most important ones.

- PABA or Para-Aminobenzoic Acid – This is a B-vitamin that has a crucial role in the metabolism of protein. It is also a known antioxidant that can help sweep the body clean of harmful free radicals. Its role in hair health seems to focus more on the restoration or maintenance of hair color. Along with some other vitamins for hair loss in women, this one helps prevent your hair from graying prematurely. PABA can be found in whole grain foods and liver.

- Biotin- This is another member of the B-complex group of vitamins. It plays a role in fat, protein and carbohydrates metabolism. Just like PABA, it is also crucial for the maintenance of hair color. Moreover, it also promotes hair growth, strength and thickness. Various studies have shown that a deficiency in biotin can result in some hair loss. Vitamins for hair loss in women like biotin can be found in milk, whole grain, egg yolk and liver. This vitamin however can be destroyed by over heating and the process of canning so it is best to always eat fresh or take supplementation.

- B6 Vitamin – This powerhouse vitamin can work wonders on the immune, circulatory and nervous systems. Like other vitamins for hair loss in women belonging to the B-complex family, this one also helps maintain hair color and strength. This vitamin can be found in bananas, liver and avocados.

Rebecca Burlinson asked:


Female Hair Loss:  Is your bath or sink full of hair?  Hair feeling thin and lacks body and shine?  Modern society loves a full head of beautiful hair on a woman, thick glossy hair is associated with radiant health, which is a little unfair for all of those people who don’t have good genes or have other problems associated with hair loss.  Unfortunately when women get older so does their hair, female hair can become dehydrated and brittle which can cause hair to become thinner, depending on your lifestyle, diet and health.  Fortunately, woman today can do something about it in most cases. Probably the most devastating hair problem for women is thinning and balding.  Grey hair can be coloured and conditioners can rehydrate and restore suppleness, but there is no easy fix available for significant hair loss, the cause of the problem should be determined. Causes can be determined by a physician and may be one or more of the following possible reasons:

 

1. Hereditary: 

It is more common for men to suffer from hereditary hair loss than women. This is because the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is created as a by-product of testosterone, is the cause of hereditary hair loss and more abundant in the male system. This hormone breaks down genetically sensitive hair follicles and creates baldness.  However, testosterone is also found in the female body, albeit at lower levels, so women can also experience hereditary hair loss and hair thinning as they age.

 

2. Stress/Anxiety: 

When the body and our health is negatively affected e.g. Trauma, Stress, Anxiety, Pregnancy, Major illness, your hair is no longer your body’s number one priority.  Your body’s healing process decide’s its got more important things to worry about so it concentrates on the life threatening problem and ignores your hair which therefore means a lower blood supply to the scalp.  ‘A sudden or stressful event can cause the hair follicles to prematurely stop growing and enter into a resting phase.”(1)  Severe mental stress can have this affect as your body and mind tries to deal with your emotional issues.  This process is known as telogen-effluvium, which occurs when more hairs go into a “resting phase” and are shed.

3. Disease: 

Certain diseases such as diabetes, lupus and thyroid disease will cause hair loss, but given the right treatment and once the disease is under control, the hair loss can reverse itself.  Drugs for diseases can cause hair loss as well, and, again, once the drug is stopped, hair usually returns.  Many people notice rapid hair loss as a symptom of their hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. When the body is in

crisis, the hair cells can shut down to redirect energy elsewhere.  People with lupus are very susceptible to skin diseases and infections which can also cause hair loss, and sometimes even localized permanent baldness.  Systemic lupus – erythematosis can lead to kidney and blood diseases

that can also cause hair loss.  Diabetes is a condition wherein a person’s body is not able to effectively metabolize carbohydrates (sugar). This kind of disease can lead to other diseases such as skin disorders. Since the scalp is part of the skin, hair healing and hair re-growth can be impeded.

4. Diet/Exercise:

 A poor diet, lack of regular exercise, and a lack of hydration can cause hair loss to accelerate beyond the normal rate (normal being 100 or so strands a day).  High-fat, high-animal protein and high-salt diets damages the kidneys and creates acidic blood, thereby leading to hair loss.

 

5. Skin and Scalp Infections:

There are a great number of skin and scalp infections that can cause mild or severe hair loss but can be reversed with the right treatment.

 

6. Menopause and Hormones:

 Many women experience increased hair loss with the onset of menopause – this too may be permanent. The hormonal changes that are brought on by pregnancy and childbirth can lead to temporary hair loss.  During the last trimester of pregnancy hair growth can be increased due to overproduction of certain hormones. However, immediately after childbirth these hormones decrease significantly and hair follicles are forced into an extended resting phase.  During this phase hair shedding is increased but new growth does not occur to take its place, thus leading to temporary hair loss.  Hormonal changes brought on by peri-menopause and menopause can also lead to hair loss. During this time oestrogens and progesterone levels in a woman’s body fluctuate and decrease.  These changes can affect the function of the hair follicle resulting in extended resting phases and notable hair thinning.

There are some good hair loss products out there specifically for woman.  This is important, because male products are not advised and can be dangerous.  These products will slow the hair loss process and may stimulate some re-growth.  A great place to look is http://www.livelylocks.com where you will find a reputable company offering low-cost treatment that works to block DHT, a form of testosterone that is responsible for 95% of hair loss.  It also works to stimulate the scalp and bring dead follicles back to life.  Wigs are now fashion accessories, and even women with normal hair often have several.  This is a fortunate societal trend for sufferers of hair loss.  Surgical procedures are available and are effective for patterned hair loss, because hair from the back of the head can be transplanted to the thinning frontal areas.  These options are expensive and not covered by health insurance and obviously with all surgical procedures carry certain medical risks.  Women who want to feel and look attractive and gain some of their confidence back can now do something about their thinning hair.  Scientifically proven and affordable supplements are available at http://www.livelylocks.com  

 Isolate the cause and develop a plan of action.

 

Good Luck

Gary Heron asked:


In today’s increasingly stressful world, the number of women suffering from hair loss is increasing. We all want to look our best and damage to a woman’s ‘crowning glory’ can be a uniquely upsetting affliction.

Hair loss in woman can generally be seen evenly across the scalp, without definite bald patches. If this is happening to you, the following conditions may be affecting you:

Diffuse hair loss is a gradual thinning of the hair as opposed to a straightforward bald patch and is the most common type of hair loss in women. The replacement of old hairs by new hairs is slowed down so that the hair becomes sparse and the scalp can be seen clearly through the hair. The causes can be numerous and include stress, restriction of the blood supply, a poor nervous system and hormonal influences.

Androgenetic alopecia (female pattern baldness) in women is often linked to hormonal changes with the hair loss following events such as the menopause, childbirth or as a result of stopping or starting oral contraceptive pills. The hair loss is generally more uniform over the scalp than in the male counterpart, but also results from a complex chemical reaction when the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts the testosterone in the system into DHT or dihydrotestosterone. The hair follicles are genetically predisposed to be over sensitive to the DHT and become smaller and smaller with time, leading to the eventual hair loss.

Telogen Effluvium occurs when the growing phase of the hair is interrupted prematurely causing the hair follicles to enter the telogen (resting) phase of the hair cycle earlier than normal. Two to four months later, following the normal cyclic pattern, diffuse shedding of the hair begins. When this happens there are not enough hairs left in the anagen phase, or growing phase, and the result is diffuse thinning of the hair.

Pregnancy will also affect hair production. Hormone levels increase as the pregnancy begins and slow down the hair growth cycle. Hairs that should stop growing continue to grow beyond their usual life cycle. Often this means that the hair appears to grow thicker as more hairs are present than normal. Following the birth, hormone levels change very quickly and hairs that were growing beyond their normal lifespan enter the telogen phase at this time and begin to fall out. This can sometimes appear to happen all at once and can be very worrying to the new mother.

Late onset thinning can be seen in diffuse hair loss across the scalp as density is reduced gradually. This is due to age-related hormonal changes as the natural reduction of oestrogen/progesterone production results in the hair follicles becoming smaller and smaller. These produce finer and finer hair until there is a general reduction in overall density.

If your hair loss is patchy you may be suffering from a form of alopecia:

Alopecia Areata is an extremely common condition and will affect 1% to 2% of the population at some point in their lives. Most sufferers are children and young adults (below 40 years old), though it can affect people of all ages. The hair loss is sudden and manifests itself in small, smooth-skinned patches that are likely to gradually widen with time. It can also affect the sufferer’s nails, giving them a pitted, ridged or brittle appearance. The exact cause is still unknown, although current theories include an auto-immune disease, stress or suggest a genetic basis. If the hair loss progresses until all the scalp hair is lost this is known as alopecia totalis or as alopecia universalis if all the body hair is lost as well.

Pseudopelade is characterised by the development of small, smooth patches without any clinical changes other than transient erythema (redness). The initial patch is usually on the crown of the head, but can occur anywhere on the scalp. It is generally regarded as a clinical syndrome, which may be the end result of any one of a number of different pathological processes due to a weakened immune system.

Hair loss can also have traumatic origins:

Chemical trauma can be caused to the hair by bleaching, relaxing, perming or even dying the hair. The chemicals involved in these processes can damage the hair’s protein structure, making the hair dehydrated and brittle and often causing hair loss. As well as damaging the hair’s protein structure, these chemicals are also not good for the scalp and can irritate it.

Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by constant tension on the hair, such as that created by an over-tight ponytail, plaiting or through using too tight rollers to style the hair. The action of pulling on the hair over a long period of time results in the gradual shrinking of the hair follicle and so the hairs produced become finer and finer.

Injury to the body or surgery and its associated anaesthetics and medications can also cause an interruption of the normal growth cycle. A relatively minor injury can result in disproportionably severe hair loss.

These are just a few of the reasons for hair loss. It order to treat hair loss effectively we would recommend that you have a diagnosis made as soon as possible by one of our experienced trichologists. Stress can be an aggravator in almost all cases of hair loss and an accurate diagnosis will always, at the very least, take some of the stress away from you.

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