What causes hair loss in women?

On average a woman loses 75-100 hairs a day as new hair grows in, so if you pull a small wad out of your hairbrush every night, it’s nothing to worry about. A condition called stress alopecia results when a large number of hair follicles inappropriately enter a resting phase, and therefore, fall out at the same time. This diffuse hair loss usually occurs around 3-4 months after a “stressful” event such as a sudden change in hormones from stopping birth control pills or delivering a baby.

Non-hormonal causes of stress alopecia can occur with certain medications, severe dieting, nutritional deficiencies, surgery, a high fever or a stressful event. Yes, going through a divorce can make your hair fall out! You are not going to go bald and there will be a gradual return to normal, but it will take at least 3-4 months. Medical conditions such as anemia or an over-active or under-active thyroid can also cause diffuse hair loss, so it is a good idea to see your doctor for an evaluation.

The first step to determining the treatment for hair loss is to identify the cause, of which there are many, including: poor nutrition, genetics, imbalanced hormones, medications such as chemotherapy, radiation treatment, infections, chronic stress, and rapid weight loss, to name a few. Certain illnesses and diseases can also cause hair loss or hair shedding. Examples include anemia (low iron) or hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels). In all cases of hair loss, it's also important to ensure that the following blood tests are completed by your doctor in order to determine a cause:

• TSH, free T3, free T4, and thyroid antibodies to assess thyroid gland function. All should be completed to properly diagnose a thyroid condition that may result in excessive hair loss. (Note: Optimally, your TSH should be less than 2.5).
• Ferritin (This is the storage form of iron. Low iron (<70) is a very common cause of hair loss).
• Vitamin B12 and folic acid (either of these nutrients in low levels may cause hair loss).
• Free and total testosterone (high levels of testosterone in women may accelerate hair loss).
• Low estrogen can cause hair loss as well as low progesterone

Also ensure that you are eating a balanced diet (crash dieting will cause hair loss), taking high quality vitamins and managing stress through yoga, regular exercise and meditation.

Wishing you perfect balance,

Dr. Natasha Turner ND

New studies reveal that a crop of external factors can have a damaging effect on the thickness and fullness of women’s hair.

In a study of 84 identical female twins, marital status emerged as the leading forecaster for thinning hair. Widows and divorcées experienced greater amounts of hair loss than their married counterparts -- a phenomenon that scientists attribute to the effects of stress on the body.

Other factors that contributed significantly to hair loss included genetics, heavy smoking (tied to temple hair loss) and large weekly intake of alcohol (linked to thinning along the front hairline). Meanwhile, women who drank up to two alcoholic beverages a week showed significantly less hair loss than their twin, which one could conjecture to be the result of the calming effect of moderate amounts of alcohol consumption.