If you have noticed that your hair is thinning or falling out more than usual, it is likely that you have a female hair loss condition. This may be temporary, but you still need to get it checked out by a professional.
Getting a formal diagnosis is also important for your peace of mind, as gaining proper, well-informed knowledge of your condition can help to alleviate some of your worry, stress and panic.
There are three routes you can choose to ensure your condition is properly diagnosed and treated, although you can opt for all of them.
See your GP
Your doctor should be your first port of call if you think you have a hair loss condition. Your GP may be able to identify the condition or refer you to a specialist dermatologist, as well as taking down most of the important information about symptoms, rate of hair loss etc.
See a dermatologist
Dermatologists are experts in skin disorders, and should be able to give you the very best advice, information and treatment. You can be referred to a dermatologist by your GP or visit one as a private patient.
See a trichologist
Whilst a dermatologist deals with skin disorders, a trichologist is a hair loss specialist who will be able to advise you appropriately on how to treat your condition.
As an adult, losing your hair can be very distressing. As an image-conscious, insecure teenager, however, a hair loss condition can be devastating.
Going to school or college every day and facing the often harsh and insensitive judgement of your peers can be very damaging to the self-esteem of an adolescent with hair loss, which is why it’s important to get a formal diagnosis from the doctor and find out what exactly is causing the hair to fall out.
Hair loss in teens can be caused by a number of factors and conditions, such as:
• A medical condition or illness - i.e. thyroid disease, polycystic ovary syndrome or other hormonal conditions
• Medication – Hair loss can often be a side effect of acne medications or diet pills, both of which are taken by some teens
• Alopecia areata – An autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, the onset of which is often linked to stress
• Androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness) – A hereditary hair loss condition
• Trichotillomania – This is a psychological disorder in which the person feels a compulsive urge to pull their own hair out.
• Poor nutrition – People who have eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia may be at risk from hair loss
The most obvious symptom of any hair loss condition is, of course, the loss of hair. However, there are many different types of female hair loss condition, so you may need to look out for other symptoms in order to accurately pinpoint which one you have.
The most important thing to do if you suspect that you have a hair loss condition is to visit your GP and get a formal diagnosis. To make sure your diagnosis is as accurate as possible – some hair loss conditions present similar symptoms – you may need to look out for the following symptoms and tell your doctor.
Alopecia symptoms
Look out for:
• Round, coin-shaped bald patches on the scalp or any other part of the body
• A tingling or slightly painful sensation in the areas where hair has fallen out
• Hairs that have thinned towards the scalp, often called ‘exclamation point’ hairs
• Hair that pulls out easily near bald patches
• Pitting in your nails
Report any of these symptoms to your doctor, who may then refer you to a hair loss specialist or a clinic specialising in hair replacement or treatment.
There are many different causes and types of female hair loss, with everything from hormones, stress and cancer treatment being responsible for the loss of what some women consider to be their best feature.
Whatever the cause, hair loss in women can be devastating. The lack of control over what is happening, and the confusion as to why it’s happening, only makes sufferers feel more worried, stressed and depressed.
This is why it’s important to get a formal diagnosis, as identifying the cause of the hair loss is the first step on the road to recovery. What’s more, taking positive, decisive action will help you feel that you have regained more control over your situation.
Your doctor may be able to prescribe you a treatment, but there are no guarantees that this will work. As with everything, it depends on your personal circumstances and the type of hair loss you have. You need to prepare yourself for disappointments and setbacks, as these will only upset you and possibly worsen your hair loss condition if they take you by surprise.
There are, however, a number of options and alternatives for you to consider. Find a specialist female hair loss clinic and ask for a consultation – there are options such as natural hair extensions and human hair wigs that may be able to help you disguise your hair loss until you can fully come to terms with it.
Your hair loss is nothing that you should be worrying about when you are pregnant or going through the menopause. Many women are going through the same experiences as you and unfortunately, hair loss can be one of the side effects of a pregnancy or the menopause. The main reason why you are losing your hair is because there is a lot of change occurring in your body and there are also a lot of hormones racing around. This can impact on your body and as a result your hair follicles have stopped producing hair. However this should only be temporary.
Most women find that once they have given birth or they have finished going through the menopause that their hair returns. It may take a few months for it to come back completely as normal, but the hair will return. If you think that your hair is not returning or your hair loss is getting worse, you need to speak with your GP to find out if there is any medication that you can take that will stimulate your hair follicles. There are many different forms of treatment for female hair loss and your doctor is best placed to offer you advice.
Hair loss is something that many women can suffer with during your lifetime and if you have started to notice that your hair is thinning or that you have bald patches on your scalp then you may need to have a visit to your doctor.
The worst thing you can do when you notice that you have something medically wrong with you is to look on the internet and try and self diagnose. Rather than self diagnosis, you need to visit your doctor and ensure that there are no underlying issues that you might be suffering with that could potentially be causing your hair loss. Hair loss can be a side effect for many different illnesses and some medical treatment for cancer can cause cancer as well.
However your doctor will be able to fully diagnose your hair loss and ensure that you are receiving the right medication. They may even refer you to a specialist to get your hair loss fully assessed. The hair specialist may ask to take samples of your hair and undertake blood tests to see if there is a reason behind your hair loss. They will also give you some advice about how you should control your hair loss with reducing your stress levels and ensuring that you have a good work home life balance as this could be causing your hair loss.
It might surprise you to hear that many women suffer from female hair loss, however it isn’t something that is generally talked about amongst friends and family. Unlike male hair loss, female hair loss is relatively unknown, although there are just as many women who suffer from hair loss as men.
If you are embarrassed about your hair loss, you might be covering it up with a hat, a scarf or a wig. There are many different types of wig that you can choose from in order to cover your hair loss, however human hair wigs look the most authentic.
Human hair wigs come in many different colours and styles. They are made from human hair, which means that they can be styled just like any other type of hair. You can also get your hairdresser to cut and colour your hair so that it looks even more realistic. You can have a multitude of wigs so that you can alternate them. You might as well have some fun with your wigs whilst you are suffering with female hair loss. If you are self conscious about your hair loss, then human hair wigs are certainly the best way to ensure that nobody knows about your hair loss condition.
If you or somebody you know is going through a hard time at the moment and they aren’t feeling themselves, it is always good to know that you have a network of support that you can lean on whenever you need them. This is especially true when you are experiencing female hair loss. It is always great to have your friends and family around you to rally support for your cause and get you motivated in order to ensure that you recover fully from your hair loss experience.
Hair loss is not a nice thing to go through and it is surprising how many women actually experience some form of hair loss during their lifetime. There are so many different forms of female hair loss that it is vitally important that you get your doctor to determine what hair loss condition you are suffering with. Your doctor will be able to examine your scalp and if necessary refer you to a specialist for further treatment. Getting the right treatment is important because you want as much of your hair as possible to return or at least make improvements to other elements of your life, which might be impacting on your hair loss.
If you have been suffering with hair loss recently but you haven’t been sure about what sort of treatments are available for women who are in your position or what you can do in order to conceal your hair loss, you need to make sure you have had your hair loss formally diagnosed by a professional.
There are many different treatments that you can get for hair loss but it is vitally important that you get the right treatment for the specific kind of hair loss that you are suffering with. If you have been suffering in silence, now is the time to see your doctor, as there might be a more serious undertone to your hair loss that needs to be recognised and treated as soon as possible.
If you are feeling self conscious about your hair loss, why not thinking about getting a couple of cute hats or accessories to cover your head or even invest in a human hair wig. Human hair wigs look completely authentic and nobody will be able to tell that you are wearing a wig. They can be styled just like the hair on your head so you can style it into however you want it to look.
There are many different types of female hair loss that you might be suffereing with, but in order to get a proper diagnosis and to find out what the right treatment is for you, you will need to see your doctor and possibly a hair loss specialist at your local hospital.
With many different women experiencing hair loss, there are specialists who will be able to pinpoint any trigger for your hair loss and ensure that you are put onto the right type of medication so that your hair starts to return. So many women feel embarrassed and self conscious about their hair loss but in actual fact, it is something that you shouldn’t be ashamed although. It may not be a common sight to see women who have lost or are losing their hair, but at least you are getting treatment and hopefully your hair should start to return.
Whether you have been diagnosed with alopecia or you are receiving cancer treatment, with the right treatment and making certain changes to your lifestyle, your hair should start to return. It might be a slow process but it will all come back and you will be wondering why you ever worried yourself sick about your hair loss.
