Hair loss in women as a symptom of disease

Compared to other parts of the body, the vegetation on the head contains the most hair. At the same time, apart from the aesthetic load, the curls do not perform other functions. Increased fragility, dryness and ultimately hair loss is a serious problem that can be a sign of certain diseases.

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Causes of severe hair loss in women

Hair loss on the head is a completely natural process. But if every day more and more hairs remain on the comb, then this is a reason to seek medical help to find the causes of increased baldness. Women's hair most often loses its strength due to immunogenetic diseases and stress.

The main reasons for increased hair loss include:

• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Disorders of the endocrine system.
• Infectious and viral pathologies.
• Oncological processes in the body and their treatment with chemotherapy.
• Temperature exposure and mechanical damage.
• Unbalanced diet, vitamin deficiency.
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding and other hormonal changes.
• Fungal diseases.
• Metabolic disorders in the body.
• Genetic predisposition to alopecia.

In addition to the above reasons, severe hair loss is observed with intoxication, uncontrolled use of antibiotics and hormonal drugs, frequent dyeing. Restoring the beauty of hair is based on eliminating the factors that caused the painful condition and comprehensive strengthening of the body.

Read about other causes of hair loss in women in this article.

Let's also consider the main diseases accompanied by baldness:

1. Hair thinning in women is often associated with sudden hormonal changes: puberty, pregnancy and breastfeeding, menopause. These factors are not pathological, since they are part of female physiology, but can lead to the so-called nesting alopecia.
2. Celiac disease is a condition in which the small intestine becomes inflamed when gluten-rich foods are consumed. This prevents the body from absorbing nutrients properly. The pathology is accompanied by severe abdominal pain, weight loss, chronic fatigue, thinning and hair loss.
3. Cushing's syndrome is an increased secretion of the hormone cortisol by the adrenal glands. Symptoms develop gradually, so the disease is difficult to diagnose. At the same time, the syndrome itself does not lead to baldness, but if it occurs with benign neoplasms on the adrenal glands, then the problem of alopecia arises.
4. Thyroid diseases – this organ produces hormones responsible for many metabolic processes in the body. With hyperthyroidism, that is, hyperactivity of the organ, or with hypothyroidism, its hypoactivity, the metabolic rate is disrupted. This contributes to a decrease in the life cycle of hair follicles, curls become thin, brittle, and fall out.
5. Eating disorders - poor nutrition, unbalanced diet, deficiency of nutrients, inflammatory lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and a number of other factors lead to deterioration in the quality of curls, their dying off. Anemia, that is, iron deficiency in the body, also leads to baldness.
6. Oncological diseases – baldness occurs during the treatment of malignant tumors, that is, during chemotherapy or radiation. Chemotherapeutic drugs inhibit the growth of follicles. Some patients will lose up to 90% of their scalp hair during treatment. But after the end of anti-cancer therapy, the hairline is restored.
7. Diseases of the central nervous system - psychological and nervous disorders lead to many problems, including thinning hair.

In addition to the above diseases, there are many other pathologies that cause alopecia in women. In any case, a noticeable deterioration in the condition of the hair is a reason to see a doctor and undergo a comprehensive examination of the body.

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Psychosomatics

Female baldness is very often associated with psychological reasons. Psychosomatics explains alopecia and many other pathologies by the fact that all diseases come from the head. That is, an unstable emotional background, increased irritability, stress, depression and much more lead to a decrease in the protective properties of the immune system and, as a result, various diseases.

Many psychological problems lead to such problems:

• Increased oiliness of hair.
• Dryness and brittleness.
• Slow growth.
• Seborrhea (dry/oily dandruff).
• Alopecia.
• Scalp rashes, irritation and sores.

Psychosomatics identifies the following main reasons for hair loss:

1. Fear - from the physiological point of view, fear or fright is a strong stress, which causes vascular spasm. Disruption of follicle nutrition leads to increased hair loss. This is observed if a person often experiences negative emotions.
2. Disappointment, depression – these factors have a subconscious effect on the body, slowing down many important processes, including the growth of follicles.
3. Guilt and shame are practically identical problems from a psychological point of view. In both cases, there are sharp fluctuations in weight, dermatological diseases and alopecia.
4. Gender – this problem is typical for women, because many ladies in certain situations stop feeling like the weaker sex. The idea of a male role is born in the head, which is why focal baldness typical for men appears.
5. Loss of spirituality and denial – refusal of a role in society or family, devaluation of moral principles and faith leads to psychological problems and deterioration of well-being.

There is a severe psychological disorder called trichotillomania, which occurs against the background of severe stress. The peculiarity of this pathology is that a person feels the need to pull out his own hair, and sometimes with subsequent eating of it. Most often, this disease is diagnosed in women and children.

The obsessive condition can lead to both partial and total baldness. Most often, locks of hair are removed from the head, eyelashes and eyebrows can also be pulled out. As the disease progresses, hair pulling occurs on any part of the body. To remove strands, patients use their own nails, tweezers or other mechanical objects. The result of such plucking is hair loss and damage to the skin.

To determine the psychosomatic component of hair loss, you should seek medical help. There are a number of symptoms that indicate this cause of the deterioration of the hair:

• Hair loss occurs gradually over a long period of time. Every day the number of lost hairs increases. If alopecia is associated with other causes, then the changes occur abruptly and in a short period of time.
• In addition to hair thinning, its quality deteriorates. You have to wash your hair often, because the curls quickly become greasy, dull, and lose volume.
• The deterioration affects not only the hair, but also the nails and skin. The progressive neurological condition leads to increased fragility and delamination of the nails, the appearance of pigmentation on the body.

Treatment of the psychosomatic component of hair loss in women is carried out by a neurologist/psychotherapist and a trichologist. Patients are prescribed autogenic training, meditation and yoga. The main goal of therapy is to recognize your femininity, eliminate stressful situations, old traumas and grievances. A change of environment, maximum positive emotions and proper care of vegetation allow you to restore the beauty and strength of your hair.

Sudden hair loss in women

Beautiful hair is not only a sign of attractiveness of its owner, but also a signal of health of the organism. Severe hair loss and deterioration of the hair condition is a sign of pathological processes and disorders in the organism.

Most often, abundant hair loss is associated with the action of factors such as:

• Hormonal imbalance (puberty, pregnancy, lactation, menopause).
• Emotional experiences, depression, stress.
• Use of strong medications or oral contraceptives.
• Lack of nutrients in the body.
• Allergic reactions to the hair care products used.
• Use of chemical styling products, tight hairstyles.
• Dermatological diseases of the scalp and others.

Sudden hair loss in women is a reason to seek medical help. A trichologist is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of this problem. After comprehensive examinations and establishing the cause of alopecia, the doctor draws up a treatment plan. Treatment consists of normalizing metabolic processes in the body and special hair care procedures.

Itching and hair loss in women

The problem of hair loss is one of the most pressing today. It can affect absolutely everyone, regardless of age or gender. If alopecia is accompanied by itching, it causes discomfort, and when scratching the skin, it causes pain. This condition requires diagnosis and treatment.

Most often, the etiology of itching and hair loss is associated with the use of inappropriate hair care cosmetics or various diseases that require emergency treatment.

The main reasons why the scalp itches and the hair on the head thins are:

1. Stress is the cause of many painful conditions of the body. As a rule, curls begin to fade and fall out 1-2 months after emotional stress. If stress is chronic, then baldness takes on a permanent basis.
2. Allergic reactions – itching can be caused by cosmetics containing sodium lauryl sulfate. This substance provides good foaming of shampoo, but can irritate delicate skin.
3. Seborrhea (dandruff) – drying your hair with a hot hair dryer, using curling irons, flat irons and other curling devices dries out the scalp and the hairs themselves. Seborrhea can occur with frequent hair washing. For example, if a woman has dry skin, frequent washing leads to its greater thinning, irritation and the appearance of dandruff. These processes trigger the mechanism of baldness. With chronic seborrheic dermatitis, the hair looks greasy, flaps of dandruff are visible on the shoulders and head, washing the head does not improve the painful condition.
4. Fungal diseases – the scalp is affected by fungi Mycosporum and Trichophyton. Mycoses of the scalp have different symptoms, but all of them are accompanied by itching and lead to a decrease in hair growth.
5. Parasitic invasions – infestation with lice and mites lead to severe itching of the scalp and alopecia. A dangerous mite – demodex, affects hair follicles, causing redness and peeling of the skin. If the mite settles on the eyelashes, this leads to their loss.
6. Psoriasis is a non-infectious skin disease of chronic nature, which occurs with the formation of red plaques on the head. The growths progress quickly, spreading over the entire surface of the scalp and beyond. The hairs thicken and become covered with scales, which fall off when combed.
7. Atopic dermatitis - neurodermatitis manifests itself as papular rashes and occurs with hair loss in places where papules appear. It causes severe itching, which intensifies at night.

In addition to the above reasons, itching and baldness can be signs of diabetes, vitamin deficiency in the body, a symptom of autoimmune processes, long-term intoxication or hormonal disorders. A comprehensive diagnostic approach and treatment can help get rid of this problem.

Dandruff and hair loss in women

A common cosmetic problem affecting the scalp, causing deterioration of hair condition and hair loss is dandruff (seborrhea). This is a skin disease caused by improper functioning of the sebaceous glands and the development of skin fungus.

Dandruff is the particles of the top layer of the head that peel unevenly. In places of active peeling, the skin becomes inflamed and begins to itch. This contributes to the progression of skin fungus and increased hair loss. In addition, weakened scalp is unable to fully nourish the follicles, which leads to deterioration of the condition of the strands and loss of their elasticity.

The appearance of dandruff in combination with alopecia is most often associated with the following factors:

• Failure to observe personal hygiene.
• Exposure to chemicals contained in cosmetics.
• Allergic reactions.
• Improper nutrition.
• Bad habits.
• Hormonal imbalances.
• Stress and nervous tension.
• Adverse environmental conditions.
• Metabolic disorders of the body.
• Genetic predisposition.
• Diseases of internal organs.
• Weakened immune system.
• Taking medications.
• Poor blood circulation in the scalp.
• Frequent temperature fluctuations in the environment.

The action of any of the above factors leads to a failure in the functioning of the sebaceous glands and entails the following complications:

1. With increased secretion of sebum, the tissues try to cleanse themselves of dirt and toxins that clog the pores. The curls look dirty and greasy, dandruff falls off in large clumps and is greasy to the touch.
2. If there is insufficient secretion, the skin dries out, the strands become weak and brittle. Against this background, dry flakes of dandruff appear.

Dandruff causes aesthetic discomfort and is accompanied by the following symptoms: increased itching, abundant separation of keratinized skin particles, rapid hair contamination, the appearance of bald spots. A trichologist should treat seborrhea and baldness. If you let the disease take its course, it will lead to serious problems, since the stronger the dandruff, the greater the loss of curls.

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Hair loss when washing hair in women

When combing and washing your head, the most hair will fall out. The first to fall out are the locks that have already separated from the follicle and should have fallen out on their own. Old strands cannot withstand the weight of water (the rods absorb up to 70% of the liquid) and fall out. If sudden baldness occurs, then most often it is associated with the following factors:

• Hormonal imbalance.
• Stress experienced.
• Taking/withdrawing hormonal medications.
• Disorders of the endocrine system.
• Thyroid diseases.
• Unbalanced diet (deficiency of protein and other nutrients in the body).
• Impaired blood circulation in the scalp.
• Infectious diseases.

Significant hair thinning also occurs in the postpartum period. To strengthen and preserve your locks, you should balance your diet and choose products with a natural, safe composition for hair care. If the problem is related to diseases and other internal factors, you should seek medical help and definitely see a trichologist.

Hair loss in clumps and patches in women

Every day a person loses about 100 hairs, but if their number increases, then this is a reason to seek medical help and determine the cause of the painful condition.

The main reasons for hair loss in clumps:

1. Unbalanced nutrition, strict diets. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals negatively affects the condition of hair, bones and skin. Thinning of the fat layer contributes to a decrease in the production of female sex hormones.
2. Hormonal changes in the body – may be associated with a recent pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, or taking hormonal contraceptives. The painful condition is one of the symptoms of pathological processes in the ovaries.
3. Damage to curls – frequent dyeing, curling, using hairspray and other chemicals negatively affects the condition of the hairstyle. Daily drying with a hairdryer also has a detrimental effect.

In addition to the above factors, hair loss in clumps can be caused by serious diseases of internal organs, age-related changes, or appear due to genetic predisposition. Severe stress and anxiety also contribute to significant hair thinning. Treatment is aimed at eliminating pathological factors and strengthening the body. Hair restoration occurs gradually.

Hair loss with hair follicle in women

An important component of the hair structure is its follicle from which the shaft grows. Normally, during the period of maturation and death of the shaft, the follicle remains in place. If hair loss occurs with the bulb, this may be due to the following reasons:

• Avitaminosis - a deficiency of vitamins and microelements, especially zinc and magnesium, has a detrimental effect on the condition of the curls.
• Increased production of dihydrotestosterone.
• Ischemic heart disease (baldness is a complication).
• Dermatological diseases (dermatitis, psoriasis).
• Stress and increased emotional stress.
• Negative impact of environmental factors.
• Improper care of curls and frequent injury.
• Fungal, viral and infectious diseases of the body, scalp.
• The use of certain medications.
• Recovery period after serious illnesses.
• Metabolic disorders.

The loss of the hair shaft with the follicle can be observed evenly throughout the head or occur only in a certain area. Very often, before this problem, the curls become noticeably thinner and lose their attractive appearance.

To prevent hair thinning, you should consult a dermatologist or trichologist. The doctor will prescribe a set of laboratory tests, usually a blood test for hormones, syphilis, HIV, testosterone levels and biochemical blood composition. Treatment depends on the results of the tests. To restore the thickness of the strands and prevent their loss, special shampoos, maxi and sprays are prescribed. It is also recommended to take vitamins that strengthen the hair roots - A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B8, B12, C.

Hair loss on the crown of the head in women

Androgenetic baldness, i.e. hair loss on the crown, is most often associated with the action of dihydrotestosterone. This hormone occurs during the transformation of testosterone and is one of the main causes of female alopecia. There are also other reasons for thinning hair in the crown area:

• Fungal diseases of the scalp.
• Thyroid dysfunction.
• Hormonal imbalances caused by problems with the adrenal glands or ovaries.
• Deficiency of female sex hormones (estrogens).
• Impact of external factors.
• Poor nutrition.
• Too tight hairstyles and improper care of curls.
• Stress and nervous experiences.
• Use of styling cosmetics with high chemical content.
• Intoxication with heavy metals and other substances.

Androgenetic alopecia in women develops gradually and has characteristic symptoms. First of all, the strands become thinner along their entire length, the curls look dull, dry and brittle. In the place where they fall out, vellus hair begins to grow.

To restore hair on the crown, it is necessary to balance the level of hormones in the body. The optimal ratio between female and male hormones will improve the condition of the hair and the body as a whole. It is also necessary to minimize or completely eliminate stress factors and experiences that lead to hormonal imbalance. If necessary, hormonal drugs with a corrective effect can be prescribed.

To prevent the loss of curls in the crown area, it is recommended to take vitamin and mineral complexes and eat well. You should also properly care for your curls and not skimp on hair care products.

Hair loss on temples in women

The appearance of bald spots on the temples is a rather unpleasant phenomenon, causing aesthetic discomfort, and in some cases, psychological problems. Thinning hair in the temporal region of the head in women occurs due to the following reasons:

• Vitamin deficiency in the body.
• Hormonal imbalance.
• Autoimmune diseases.
• Failure to comply with the rules for the use of hormonal contraceptives.
• Abuse of carbohydrates (overeating sweets).
• Diseases of the ovaries or their removal.
• Pathologies of the genitourinary system.
• Rapid weight loss.
• Unbalanced diet, strict diets.
• Psychological disorders.
• Drug therapy.
• Improper hair care.

To treat this type of baldness, you should consult a doctor and determine the exact cause of hair loss in women. All patients during and after therapy should adhere to a balanced diet rich in vitamins, minerals and microelements. Special shampoos, masks and sprays are prescribed for hair care. In particularly severe cases, medications and physiotherapy may be prescribed.

Hair loss on the back of the head in women

A pronounced symptom of focal (nesting) alopecia is hair loss on the back of the head. In women, this type of baldness occurs due to the following factors:

• Neurotic disorders and unstable emotional states.
• Circulatory disorders.
• Seborrhea and other dermatological diseases.
• Excessive sweating in the occipital region (sweat clogs the follicles, disrupting their normal growth).
• Viral, infectious or fungal diseases of the body.
• Unbalanced diet (deficiency of vitamins and microelements).

Another important reason for thinning of the back of the head in women is hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance can be caused by pregnancy, menopause, strict diets, nervous disorders.

Treatment of the pathological condition depends on the factors that provoked it and the results of the diagnostics. Therapy can be medicinal, hardware, and in particularly severe cases, radical (hair transplantation). Particular attention should be paid to preventive measures aimed at preserving curls. As a preventive measure, you should adhere to a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, and properly care for your hair.

Hair and eyebrow loss in women

Not only the scalp, but also the eyebrows are subject to baldness. Normally, eyebrows rarely fall out, being replaced by new ones. But if bald spots appear in their place, then you should seek medical help and determine the possible causes of the problem. Most often, the simultaneous loss of curls and eyebrows is associated with the following factors:

• Thyroid diseases.
• Hormonal disorders.
• Stress and emotional overstrain.
• Age-related changes.
• Poor nutrition and strict diets.
• Drug therapy.
• Complications of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation exposure.
• Infectious diseases.
• Iron deficiency anemia.
• Lichen.
• Demodex (follicle mite).
• Endocrine pathologies (diabetes).
• Lack of vitamins and minerals in the body.
• Autoimmune diseases.
• Complications of cosmetic procedures: tattooing, microblading (eyebrows), perms, coloring (strands).

If the symptoms of baldness have just made themselves known, then you should pay attention to the general condition of the body, review your diet, and the particularities of eyebrow and hair care. If the aesthetic problem is associated with serious diseases, then after their elimination, the hair will recover on its own.

During treatment, it is contraindicated to pluck eyebrows or expose them to any other trauma. It is also necessary to protect the vegetation from exposure to low temperatures and sunlight.

Hair loss in the frontal area in women

About 30% of women during menopause face the problem of androgenetic alopecia. Hair thinning in the frontal part of the head can also occur at a young age with regular emotional exhaustion or thyroid diseases. The curls become dry and brittle, acquire a shortened life cycle, and progressive dying of the bulbs is also observed.

Hair loss in the forehead area occurs gradually. Factors such as the postpartum period, heavy menstruation, medication, unbalanced diet and exacerbation of chronic diseases aggravate the problem of alopecia.

Elimination of a cosmetic problem begins with establishing the cause of its appearance. For treatment, drug therapy, a course of physiotherapy, special shampoos, masks and other means for strengthening curls and stimulating their growth may be prescribed.

Pubic hair loss in women

Medical statistics indicate that the thicker the hair in the intimate area, the higher the level of sex hormones in the body. If a woman begins to lose pubic hair, this may be due to the following factors:

• Physiological change of curls.
• Deficiency of protein, vitamins and minerals.
• Sudden weight loss.
• Strict diets.
• Pediculosis pubis.
• Ringworm.
• Endocrine diseases.
• Tumors of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus.
• Long-term elevated body temperature.
• Loss of blood.
• Heavy metal poisoning.
• Stress and depression.
• Deficiency of gonadotropic hormones.

In addition to the above reasons, pubic hair loss may be associated with hypopituitarism. This disease begins with a loss of interest in sex and the development of frigidity. Against this background, there is a violation of the menstrual cycle, hair loss in the armpits and pubis.

If the pathology arose due to a pituitary tumor, then headaches and deterioration of visual acuity are added to the above symptoms. When the hypothalamus is affected, thinning of the intimate zone is accompanied by increased drowsiness, failures in body thermoregulation, periodic psychoses, and loss of appetite.

With a deficiency of gonadotropic hormones, there is a decrease in sexual desire, irregularities in the regularity of the menstrual cycle, atrophy of the mammary glands, baldness of the pubis and armpits. The cosmetic problem may indicate venereal diseases, lichen, and also occur with frequent waxing. The problem is treated by a gynecologist and endocrinologist.

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Acne and hair loss causes in women

Many women face such a problem as the appearance of small inflammatory nodules with purulent contents on the scalp. The appearance of acne accompanied by increased hair loss occurs due to gram-positive anaerobic microorganisms.

The first symptom of acne is itching and burning. After a couple of days, pustules form on the head. When they are injured or resolve naturally, the hairs growing in the affected follicles fall out. Most often, rashes are localized on the back of the head, in the partings between the curls, on the temples and the upper part of the forehead. When deep acne appears, cicatricial changes remain on the skin, which also contribute to baldness.

The main causes of acne and alopecia in women include:

• Hormonal disorders (pregnancy, postpartum period, menstruation, menopause, puberty).
• Polycystic ovary syndrome.
• Hyperactivity of the sebaceous glands.
• Narrowing of the hair follicle channels.
• Diseases of the central nervous system.
• Disruption of the adrenal glands.
• Bacterial infections.

In addition to the above factors, the pathology may be associated with taking medications, poor nutrition, poor hygiene, bad habits, allergic reactions to cosmetics, bedding, comb material, etc.

Treatment of the disease requires a comprehensive approach. Patients are prescribed a strict diet and the rejection of bad habits. If the disorder is associated with chronic diseases or hormonal disorders, then their treatment and correction are carried out.

In case of progressive purulent rashes, antibiotics are prescribed. Antifungal drugs, detoxifiers and anti-inflammatory drugs can also be used. Particular attention is paid to the physiotherapeutic method: cryotherapy, ultraviolet irradiation, vacuum desincrustation.

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Hair loss on arms in women

Hair is present on the entire surface of the skin, including the hands. In this area, the hairs can be thin, soft and light, or, on the contrary, thick, hard and dark. Both options depend on the hormonal balance of the female body. Sudden hair loss on the hands is most often associated with the following factors:

• Diseases of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands.
• Follicular keratosis (inflammation of the follicles).
• Dermatitis.
• Allergic reactions.
• Long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
• Ringworm.
• Psoriasis.
• Eczema.
• Deficiency of vitamins and microelements in the body.

All of the above reasons require medical intervention. Baldness of the arms also occurs when the body is reorganized during the change of seasons, for example, in the autumn-spring period. In this case, it is enough to balance the diet and saturate the diet with vitamins so that the condition of the vegetation returns to normal.