By: Annie Morgan
Women are known for their beautiful locks – so if a woman experiences hair loss or starts to go bald it can be traumatic.
While men are expected to lose their hair, having a full head of hair is a symbol of youth and beauty for a female.
But there are many things, both environmental and internal that can cause a woman to start losing her hair, and they might surprise you.
Hormones
Yep – those raging hormones have a major impact on the entire body – including hair loss.
Women going through menopause often notice they start to grow hair in places they don’t want (like on their face), while their normal hair begins to thin.
Some women begin to experience the dreaded “female-pattern hair loss” and notice their hair doesn’t grow as quickly and even falls out more.
Signs of hair loss include noticing a visible hair loss pattern near the part, or finding more hair coming out when brushing hair or after washing hair in the shower.
Iron Deficiency
Turns out, getting enough iron does more than give you energy.
According to Harvard Health, iron deficiency is a cause of hair loss in some women.
Women who are vegetarians and don’t take iron supplements are more at risk, the same goes for women who have heavy periods, as they lose a lot of iron.
Make sure to have your blood iron tested by your doctor just to be on the safe side.
Tight Ponytails
If you are rough on your hair – always pulling it back into tight braids and ponytails – you could be damaging your hair and increasing your chances of hair loss.
Tight hairstyles and harsh chemicals damage the hair follicles by pulling at the root.
You’ll notice your hair starts to break.
And while it used to bounce back quicker as a teen, it’s not the same once women begin to age.
Stress
Stress causes havoc on the body, and can even lead to hair loss!
While there are different kinds of hair loss, there are some types that take months to occur.
The Mayo Clinic reported:
“In telogen effluvium, significant stress pushes a large number of hair follicles into a resting phase. Within a few months, affected hairs might fall out suddenly when simply combing or washing your hair.”
In addition, other people who are stressed or struggle with anxiety actually pull out their hair, some without even realizing it!
Pulling out hair from the scalp (or other areas like the eyebrow) is called trichotillomania, and is often a coping method some women use to handle negative emotions.
See A Doctor
If you notice unusual hair loss, seek a doctor and start going through various tests.
It could be something as simple as adjusting hormonal medication or implementing breathing techniques to deal with stress.
Hair loss can be traumatic in women, but it doesn’t have to destroy your life!
Have you or any other women you know struggled with hair loss?
Which of these hair loss causes surprised you the most?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to share this article with your friends and family to let them know surprising reasons women might be losing their hair!
