Hair loss for women is a huge iceberg of an issue, many are aware of it but there is little discussion and consequently even less understanding. As a new sufferer, Antonia Hoyle, highly regarded freelance writer and journalist, is well-positioned to take on the challenge.
In a column for today’s Daily Telegraph, read the original here, Antonia Hoyle does a fantastic job of sharing her personal account of womens hair loss. From her initial reaction and those of her nearest and dearest, to the research and solutions she is using to combat the problem.
Discovery
Antonia tells us she first noticed her own hair loss in a photograph. In fact, what she noticed was a tiny change to her hairline. An inch long section at the front and centre of her hairline had receded a couple of millimetres. A couple of weeks later she lifted her fringe to see that “not only were the roots surrounded by patches of white scalp, but a strip of hair the width of a ruler had visibly thinned”. As you can imagine her reaction was one of horror, that moment of discovery can be a devastating emotional experience. As Antonia so vividly describes it “I was so shocked I actually curled into a ball and cried – terror at the prospect of losing the long thick hair I loved only compounded by shame that something so trivial could upset me this much”.
Dealing With It
Antonia, like most women, immediately set about finding a solution. Some internet reading saw her rubbing in castor oil and stocking up on recommended supplements. Crucially though, she did not rely on these homeopathic treatments and found her way to a consultant trichologist of some forty years standing – where blood tests cleared the possibility of any other potential causes and left female pattern hair loss as the only culprit. By far the most common cause it affects a third of women by the age of 50.
Minoxidil, sold as Rogaine, is the only FDA approved remedy on the market. Even then it is only available in topical form, which can take months before any improvement is noticeable… but it works for around 50% of women. Antonia’s trichologist recommended other drugs too, one was Spironolactone which is usually prescribed to people who have suffered from heart failure and has recognised side effects
Hair Loss Facts
Two thirds of women, as many as men, will experience hair loss at some stage. For women there are a few more triggers than for men… childbirth for example can cause a temporary thinning. There are treatable causes, iron deficiency is common in young women and can be a cause. Shocks, emotional and physical, are often the cause of some of the more rare hair loss events. Being overweight and stress are also common triggers. Addressing the problem can often ease the symptoms and even return the sufferer to a full head of hair. Some time with a trichogist will quickly establish whether your hair loss is due to female pattern hair loss or some underlying issue.
HIS Hair Clinic
A visit to the womens section, see it here, of the HIS site will quickly inform you of the wide range of solutions and treatments available. A free consultation with one of our experts will help you establish the correct course of treatment. Click here to find your nearest clinic.
