Ladies, Are You Suffering From Hair Loss? A Useful Guide
When we talk about hair loss, the thought of balding, middle-aged men immediately comes to mind. However, do you know that many ladies suffer from hair loss too?
Research reveals that 1 out of 3 women will be affected by hair loss or hair thinning at some point in their life.
Everyone loses 50 to 100 strands of hair every day – and while this is completely normal, it might be wise to schedule a visit to a doctor if you suspect that you are losing way more. Determining the cause of your hair loss and discussing the available treatments is the first step to a more confident and carefree you.
Some possible causes of hair loss include:
- Genetics
Did you know that it is possible to be genetically predisposed to hair thinning? The trait is passed down through the family ancestral tree, i.e., hair follicles are more sensitive to male hormones – causing it to gradually shrink and produce slightly thinner and shorter hairs.
- Health-related issues
One of the most common causes of hair loss in women is iron deficiency – due to it being a key mineral for producing hair cell protein.
With Insufficient iron levels in the body, this leads to the ineffective production of haemoglobin in the blood. Since haemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body, including the cells that promote hair growth – it comes as no surprise that this brings about hair loss issues.
In addition, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can cause dry, brittle hair or hair thinning on the scalp and body due the thyroids role in affecting hair growth. The good news is, hair loss caused by thyroid conditions is usually temporary. As long as thyroid levels are kept under control with medication, it is still possible for hair to grow.
- Lifestyle
A stressful lifestyle can often trigger scalp problems, such as dandruff and hair loss.
There are 3 types of hair loss that is most closely related to a high pressure lifestyle:
- Telogen effluvium:
This is where a high-stress lifestyle causes a large number of hair follicles to enter into a resting phase – leading to the affected hairs falling out when washing or combing your hair.
- Trichotillomania:
Trichotillomania is a hair-pulling disorder that can be triggered by negative feelings such as stress, boredom or frustration – causing the person to have an irresistable impulse to pull hair out from the scalp, eyebrows or other areas of the body.
- Alopecia areata:
There is no one cause that defines alopecia areata; severe stress being one of them. With alopecia areata, the body’s immune system attacks its own hair follicles — creating unpredictable hair loss, typically in round patches.
- Diet
Seeing that hair is mainly made out of protein, it comes as no surprise that having sufficient protein in your diet is crucial to healthy hair growth. A diet lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, as well as high salt intakes can also lead to hair loss or insufficient hair growth.
- Postpartum hair loss
It is entirely normal to experience postpartum hair loss after giving birth. During pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone levels tends to spike – causing hair to remain in an ongoing stage of growth that results in thicker and healthier hair.
After childbirth however, the hormones begins to level out, remaining in the “resting” stage for a few months before hair starts falling out. Having said that, postpartum hair loss is often temporary – the body will resume its usual hair growth cycle between 6 to 12 months after birth.
While we may not be able to directly alter our genes, we are still able to slow down, stop, or reverse the hair loss process through medications and treatments.
Treatments for female hair loss
Regenera Activa is a very safe and effective treatment that slows down and combats the hair loss process.
Certified by international regulatory authorities, you can see results lasting anywhere between 1 to 3 years in a single session. The doctor first extracts regenerative cells from your scalp and mixes it with a solution suspension – later injecting it into areas of your scalp that is losing hair in order to stimulate growth.
This way, previously inactive hair follicles will be activated by Regenera Activa, resulting in stronger and more voluminous hair.
1927 Thulium Laser Hair Treatment
Laser hair treatment with Fractionated Thulium Laser is suitable for people of all ages. You can undergo this laser treatment to strengthen your hair follicles, even if are not currently facing hair loss as a form of prevention.
What happens is that hair follicles are induced to enter the anagen (growth) phase after stimulating the scalp. Hair that grows out after the laser treatment is thicker and stronger – with absolutely zero downtime.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Hair Transplant
Ladies can undergo hair transplant for various reason, i.e., making the hairline at the top of the scalp tighter or bringing down the hairline for a smaller face look.
There are two different types of hair transplants offered at The Clifford Clinic:
- Traditional FUE Hair Transplant where doctors will manually remove and harvest individual hair follicular units
- ARTAS Robotic Hair Transplant where hair grafts are extracted by a highly precise instruments (The Clifford Clinic is the first clinic Singapore to own an ARTAS Robot)
Since the hairs on the back of the scalp tend to be stronger and more resilient, FUE hair transplant shifts the hair follicle units from the back to the targeted area. FUE Hair transplants are typically performed on an outpatient basis – the duration of the procedure ultimately dependent on the number of hair grafts needed.
The good thing about ladies undergoing this type of hair transplant is that the donor site (where hair grafts are extracted) can be easily covered up if they have long hair.
The transplanted hair will then fall off within a month, due to it being traumatised by the relocation – not to worry, new, healthy hair starts to grow after the fall off period.
Results may start to show anywhere between 3 – 4 months after the hair transplant, with full results seen in 12 months. FUE hair transplant results are permanent and very natural-looking – a win-win situation for all.
One very important thing to note is that your hair follicles are not infinite, and it is possible to run out of them. Hair follicles that do not survive the treatments will not regrow – so do your research and pick a reputable clinic with experienced doctors that will be able to assess your situation and make the best recommendations.