When it comes to hair loss, women suffer too. Why does this happen, and what integrative healthcare tips can help?

Androgenetic Alopecia

The most common cause of hair loss in women is female pattern hair loss (FPHL), also known as androgenetic alopecia. This condition is caused when an overabundance of androgens (male hormones) causes hair follicles to shrink—a process called follicle miniaturization—and hair strands shorten, become thinner, weaker, and break more easily. Unlike male pattern hair loss, which usually appears as an M or U shape, with more hair loss at the temples and front hairline, women often notice their center part getting wider and may resemble a Christmas tree shape.

Also, as women age, their estrogen and progesterone levels drop. Because these hormones bind hair follicle receptors, the reduction of them can result in thinner hair that sheds easily. Post-menopausal women have the highest incidents of androgenetic alopecia, but younger women can also have this type of hair loss. Risk factors for younger women to develop FPHL include hormonal changes, pregnancy, menstrual irregularity or heavy menstrual periods, unmanaged stress, oral contraceptives, and other medications with a side effect of hair loss.

Excessive Hair Shedding

Typically, healthy women of childbearing age shed approximately 50-100 strands of hair a day. Excessive hair shedding or losing up to 300 strands a day is categorized as telogen effluvium (TE). This condition occurs when large numbers of follicles on the scalp enter the resting phase of the hair growth cycle, called telogen, but the next growth phase doesn’t begin. This causes hair to fall out all over the scalp without new hair growth.

TE is typically triggered by a medical event or condition. These triggers can include a thyroid imbalance, childbirth, surgery, or a fever. Additionally, TE may occur as a result of a vitamin or mineral deficiency or stopping birth control pills.

TE does not generally lead to complete baldness and may be temporary. For example, if you recover from the illness or stop taking the medication that caused the hair loss, your hair should grow back within approximately six months after the triggering incident. TE is considered chronic if hair loss lasts longer than six months.

The exact prevalence of TE is unknown, but it’s considered common. According to Dr. Michele Green, a dermatologist specializing in hair loss, about 40%-50% of women experience postpartum TE, and those who do can expect their hair to grow back within 6-15 months after giving birth. However, if it does not grow back in that timeframe, there may be a different cause for the hair loss, and a healthcare professional should be seen to help determine the cause.

Traction Alopecia

Women may sometimes lose their hair not because of hormones, genetics, or illness but because of chemical hair treatments or hair styling (such as tight braids). Supermodel Tyra Banks famously shed light on how decades of chemically relaxing and tightly braiding her hair caused her hair loss. The Hair Care Assessment Survey, performed by the Henry Ford Hospital Department of Dermatology Multicultural Dermatology Center in 2014, found that 50% of Black women surveyed experienced excessive hair loss. That is 10% higher than the national average for all women.

Treatment for Your Tresses

Depending on the cause of your hair loss, there are different ways to fight back. A recent Harvard Health article lists topical and oral minoxidil (Rogaine®), low-level laser therapy (LLLT), also called red light therapy (RLT), diet, stress reduction, nutritional supplements, and ceasing chemical hair treatments and/or severe styling as effective treatments for women’s hair loss.

Eat Your Way to Better Hair

One way to tackle hair loss or thinning is by ensuring you get enough protein, especially if you’re vegetarian or vegan. According to the Cleveland Clinic, women should aim to get 40-60 grams of protein a day. It is also recommended that women follow a Mediterranean diet, which provides essential nutrients and minerals that may help minimize hair loss. Additionally, a careful review of bloodwork is important to rule out any nutritional deficiencies. Not getting enough iron, vitamin D, biotin (vitamin B7), vitamin B12, or folate are known to disrupt hair follicle function.

A 2023 study published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology discusses many integrative therapeutic approaches for androgenetic alopecia. For example, the study found that supplementation of vitamins E and C increased hair density and thickness in women, and eating foods with high probiotic profiles, such as kimchi, may increase blood flow to hair follicles.

Integrative Help for Hair Loss

Dr. Michelle Green, a dermatologist specializing in treating hair loss, says there are many integrative ways to fight hair loss. One of her most exciting integrative treatments is platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

“PRP has been a game changer for many of my patients. It is a nonsurgical, holistic approach that uses the body to heal itself,” Dr. Green says.

PRP therapy for hair loss takes a patient’s own blood, isolates the platelet-rich plasma in that blood, and then injects it into areas of the scalp where hair is thinning or lost. PRP contains a high concentration of growth factors, which stimulate the proliferation phase of the hair follicle, promoting hair growth and increasing hair density in most patients.

LLLT for hair loss uses a specific wavelength of laser light to stimulate hair growth. The mechanism of action in LLLT is not fully known; however, the most widely accepted hypothesis is that it increases tissue oxygenation, which can lead to increased growth factors, thus activating hair growth. LLLT treatment for hair loss typically involves 10- to 20-minute sessions two to three times a week for several months. The cost can range between $200-$500 per session at a clinic or $500-$2,000 for an at-home device.

Supplementing Your Strands

Today’s market is filled with nutritional supplements that tout hair restoration. Many include ingredients such as saw palmetto, ashwagandha, curcumin, hydrolyzed marine collagen type I & III, tocotrienol/tocopherol complex, horsetail, amino acids, piperine, maca, astaxanthin, Japanese knotweed, hyaluronic acid, and biotin. These are thought to affect androgens (hormones that contribute to hair loss), lower cortisol levels, promote homeostasis, and maintain collagen stores, among other things, to help reduce hair loss/thinning and/or regrow hair.

A recent study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology reported that women aged 40-65, with self-perceived hair thinning, who took daily supplements, including many of those mentioned above, had a statistically significant increase in hair count and a decrease in hair shedding.

Because the causes of hair loss in women are varied, treatments and results of those treatments will be as well. As always, you should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before undergoing any treatment, making changes to your diet, or starting or stopping a supplement protocol.