Female Pattern Baldness

Female pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in women.

Causes

Each strand of hair sits in a tiny hole (cavity) in the skin called a follicle. In general, baldness occurs when the hair follicle shrinks over time, resulting in shorter and finer hair. Eventually, the follicle does not grow new hair. The follicles remain alive, which suggests that it is still possible to grow new hair.

Thinning Hair Can be Devastating. But Have Calming News.

You're not alone. Up to 60 percent of women experience hair loss at some point. The causes are multiple—genetics, hormones (too much thyroid, not enough thyroid, low estrogen, high androgen), or trauma (an allergic reaction, high fever, stress). The most common, and chronic, cause is a genetic condition called androgenetic alopecia. 

9 Causes of Hair Loss in Women (Part II)

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Women who have heavy periods or don't eat enough iron-rich foods may be prone to iron deficiency, in which the blood doesn't have enough red blood cells. Red blood cells transport oxygen to cells throughout your body, giving you the energy you need.

9 Causes of Hair Loss in Women (Part I)

Everyone loses hair. It happens during your morning shower, while you're blowing it dry, or when you give it a quick brush—and that's normal. On average, we lose fifty to a hundred hairs a day. "That's just hair going through its cycles, and there will be a new one to replace it." But hair loss may be a sign of a more serious medical condition that needs an evaluation by a dermatologist and possible treatment. Here are nine causes of hair loss and how to deal with them.

What Women Can Do To Treat Hair Loss

Our obsession with our hair reaches a whole new level when we start losing it. What we could once bend (or straighten or color) to our will feels suddenly, terrifyingly beyond our control. Or is it? Many of the causes of hair loss -- crash dieting, reactions to medications -- are temporary; address the underlying issue and your hair will grow back. Unfortunately, the most common culprit, genetic female pattern hair loss, is chronic. But you don't have to operate at a loss.