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What Are the Causes of Alopecia in Woman?

Alopecia is the loss of hair from the head or the body. This is a condition that affects both men and women. Alopecia is especially hard for women to accept because women often view their hair as their crowning glory and part of what makes them beautiful. As such, hair loss is equated with losing femininity and beauty. There are several causes of alopecia.

  1. Andogenetic Alopecia

    • The hair usually grows at a rate of about one-half inch every month. Each hair has a growth phase of between two to six years, after which the hair will "rest" for a while before falling out. When the hair falls out, a new strand will start growing from the follicle from which it fell. In some people, a group of hormones known as andogens interrupts this process. The androgen hormones include androsteinedione, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, which are produced by women in small amounts, and large amounts by men. In the susceptible people, when testosterone comes into contact with the enzymes in the hair cell, it is converted into androgen DHT, which binds with receptors in the hair follicles. As time goes on, an excess build-up of DHT in the follicles will cause it to start shrinking, disrupting the natural growing and resting phases of the hair. Some of the hair follicle will eventually die, leading to hair loss. This condition is known as androgenic alopecia.

    Alopecia Areata

    • Alopecia areata is a type of patchy hair loss that occurs in spots, leading to small bare spots on the scalp. Areata is caused by a breakdown in the immune system, which causes the body's own immune system to start attacking its hair follicles. This condition is known as autoimmunity and it causes the body to attack various tissues of the body for no apparent reason.

    Telogen Effluvium

    • When the body goes through something that causes extreme stress, a lot of the hair in the growing phase will shift to the shedding phase. This condition may not begin till about three months after the stressful event has occurred. Full-blown shedding may lead to clumps or fistfuls of hair falling out at once. Some stressful events which could lead to shedding, including child birth, major surgery, malnutrition or severe infection.

    Anagem Effluvium and Traction Alopecia

    • Anagem effluvium occurs when something impairs with the mitotic or metabolic activities of the hair. This type of hair loss is typically associated with chemotherapy because the chemotherapy is aimed at the rapidly dividing cancer cells and will affect the other rapidly dividing cells in the body like the hair follicles. Traction alopecia is due to localized trauma from tight hair styles, such as pony tails or cornrows, which pull on the hair follicles, or the use of harsh chemical relaxers or dyes.

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