Stress is a common cause ofhair loss in women. The technical name for this problem is telogen effluvium. It gives a general thinning of the hair and can in itself be quite worrying when it occurs. This obviously can lead to more stress and greater hair loss. The condition itself is usually short lived and cures itself given a little time. However, for a small number of women the condition can get more long lived and Chronic. This is when it becomes a genuine problem.
The stress triggers can come in a number of forms from hormone imbalance to reactions to particular medicines, sickness and some kinds of dieting. Generally the effects don't emerge until later after the trigger has occurred. Itends in an over all thinning of the scalp hairs and other hairs of the body rather than a definite bald patch. There can be a case for women with the problem to be diagnosed as being anxious or neurotic instead of actually seeking a direct trigger.
Telogen effluvium involves the usual growth cycle of hair. Hair follicles have two phases within this cycle. The one stage relates to growth and the other resting. The growth stage lasts around three years, where as the resting phase is generally about 3 months. Telogen is the word used to refer to the stage of resting. Usually only about 15 percent of the hair is in the telogen stage. However, sudden stress can push the number up significantly. These hairs are lost and the follicles start resting. After around three months the hairs begin to grow again and the usual growth comes back. This means that after about six months the condition should begin to return to normal.
Even though the results of Telogen Effluvium are quite striking there is no real remedy for it, besides getting over the stressful happening and waiting for the hair to return. In the situation of the chronic persistent versions of this condition women should look more carefully at their life style. Usually it is a combination of problems that lead to the hair loss. High pressure jobs, trying to cope with work and family obligations, crash diets, vegetarian food, yo yo diets and low protein diets all add to the amount of hair loss in women. Some women try to redress the balance of dieting nutrient loss by taking tablets, but this should be avoided. A healthy well balanced diet should be the aim then.
Another chronic type of this condition version is having low levels of the iron complex Serum Ferritin in the blood. A doctor needs to do a blood test to establish if this is the cause of the hair loss. It has been found that up to thirty percent of female hair loss is caused by low iron levels. Once a diagnosis has been made iron supplements can be given and it will be quickly found that hair loss will decrease and the problem will improve.
Any kind of dieting will put the person under stress. This stress can modify women's hair loss. Hair loss women often have a number of stresses that come together to cause the condition. The best remedy is to find the conditions that cause the stress and get rid of them.
Hair loss in women may have a number of causes. It is important to find out what the cause is before embarking on any treatment. Only with all of the facts at hand can people be expected to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages without having to just accept sales hype. Further information on the alternatives for people looking into hair replacement and hair treatment can be found on T J Vincent�s web site
Hair Loss in Women
