Hormones play a big part in the health of the body and mind. They are finally balanced to work with one another and when something upsets this balance the body will suffer. In a woman’s lifetime there can be occasions when hormones are upset through natural occurrences and this can result in a change of hair thickness and condition. This is not a permanent condition and healthy hair will be restored once the hormones are balanced again.
Female hair loss can happen for a number of reasons but whatever the reason it can be devastating. Hair is one of the first things to be seen on a person and in someway it is a statement of who we are. Stress and anxiety are very common causes of hair loss and is normally noticed when larger amounts of hair come out when washing and combing. Fortunately, it is not a permanent situation and once the cause of the stress or anxiety are found and treated the hair will start to grow again.
Illness and medication is another common cause of hair loss. Hair might be being lost for no apparent reason but there is always a reason and it is important to find out the cause. The skin, from which the hair grows, is the largest organ of the body but the least important. When the body is not getting sufficient nutrients, for whatever reason, then it will ‘feed’ the most important organs such as the liver and kidneys first. As the hair follicles are not receiving sufficient nutrients for healthy hair then it will start to look limp and lack lustre and may even start to fall out. This is not a permanent condition as when the body is right again the hair will be restored.
One important occasion when this can occur is during pregnancy and childbirth. As the baby is growing within the mother there are many hormonal changes that affect the body and the mind. The woman can become tired, restless, moody, forgetful, infact there are many variations depending on the person. As the body goes through its changes to ensure the baby is fed the three phases of the hair cycle can be disrupted.
The hair has a three stage cycle which it goes through continually. The anagen phase is the growing stage when the hair will grow approximately 1 cm a month and will stay in this active stage from 3 to 7 years. Next is the catagen phase bringing to the end the active stage and lasts for around 2-3weeks during which the hair forms into a club hair. When this is fully formed it will go into the telogen phase which is the final stage when the hair rests and can last for up to 3 months. As the club hair is finally dead it will fall out. During pregnancy the hair can stay in the resting phase for longer and it will appear as if the hair is thicker and healthier. It is often said that pregnant women have a wonderful shiny head of hair, much healthier looking than normal.
After childbirth it takes the body a few months to get back to normal and for the hormones to balance. The body has gone through a great deal, and although it is nature’s way, it still takes its toll on the mother. As the body is returning to normality the hair’s cycle is being restored and those that have been in the resting phase will start to shed. It may seem as if more hair than normal is being lost as it is also losing the stored hair. This is called postpartum hair loss and normally happens around 3 months after birth.
Menopause is another significant time for a woman when once again the hormones become unbalanced. As nature is bringing a woman to the end of her child bearing years there are many changes happening in the body. For some it goes by hardly noticeable, for others it can cause many disruptions include night sweats, mood swings, insomnia, forgetfulness and hair loss. As the body is disrupted the vitamins and minerals it needs to function need to be increased as it is working harder. Often this does not happen and therefore less are received by the hair follicles and the hair will start to fall out.
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