One of the most common questions women ask London Drugs pharmacists is, “What can I do to stop my hair falling out?” Here, we address hair loss in women and how to keep your “crowning glory,” whatever your age. For many women, finding a surplus of hair on their hair brush is more than a cosmetic issue. It’s an emotional one as well. In fact, more women fear thinning hair as a sign of aging, than women who fear wrinkles.
Hair loss is not always associated with the passing of years. Many women maintain a thick head of hair throughout their lives. Much of the hair loss experienced by women is due to hormonal influences, which can affect the hair’s growing cycle at any age. Fluctuations in hormone levels - such as those experienced following the birth of a baby - can result in significant hair loss.
Hair Growth and Loss
All hair goes through a growth cycle. This can last anywhere from two to six years. Close to 90 percent of the hair on a person's scalp is growing at any one time, and the remaining 10 percent is in a resting phase. This phase lasts two to three months, after which a new hair pushes the resting hair out.
Most hair shedding is due to the natural growth cycle and is nothing to be concerned about. Losing between 50 and 100 hairs a day is perfectly normal.
As we grow older, hair growth begins to slow down. The follicles begin to produce hairs that are thinner and weaker, and eventually produce only fine, downlike hairs.
Hereditary thinning or balding (androgenetic alopecia) is the most common cause of hair loss. This trait may be passed down from either the mother’s or father’s side of the family. Women who have inherited this tendency develop thinning hair, but do not become completely bald in the way that men do. Rather, they experience moderate hair loss all over the scalp. The condition is not always associated with aging and may start in the teens, twenties, or thirties.
Hormonal Influences
Hormonal problems are a common cause of hair loss. If your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, you may experience excessive loss of hair. Since thyroid activity can slow down at menopause, many women experience hair loss at this time. This type of hair loss can usually be helped by treating the thyroid problem. Hair loss may also be caused by the imbalance of hormones associated with menopause. Many women have reported that, once the imbalance has been corrected, their hair grows thicker again.
A number of women notice hair loss three months or so after giving birth. This loss is also related to hormones. During pregnancy, high hormone levels cause the body to retain hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, the retained hair sheds and the normal cycle of growth and loss resumes.
Treating Hair Loss with Minoxidil
Minoxidil (available in Canada without a prescription as Rogaine®, or as London Drugs Hair Regrowth Treatment), is a topical treatment for hair loss.
A two percent solution of minoxidil is applied to the scalp twice a day. The treatment works by stimulating the hair follicles that have been adversely affected by hormonal activity and/or heredity. In effect, the actual growth cycle is prolonged, allowing more hairs to be in the growth phase at one time.
Family doctors and dermatologists frequently prescribe topical minoxidil for women experiencing hair loss. Studies show that close to half the women who have used minoxidil experience a slow-down of hair loss. Results are not apparent until three to four months have passed and, once the new hair growth has come in, the treatment must be continued in order to sustain it.
If you have any questions about minoxidil and how you might benefit from its use, please consult your doctor, dermatologist, or London Drugs pharmacist.
Your Pharmacist Says
If you are experiencing sudden hair loss, you should check with your family doctor as this may signal a health condition that needs medical attention.
You should not use minoxidil topical hair regrowth treatment if you are pregnant or nursing, or under 18 years of age. It is also important that the solution not be applied to a sunburned scalp, or if you have scalp irritation or broken skin. In rare instances, minoxidil may cause rapid heart beat or chest pain. If you experience these symptoms, you should stop using the product and call your doctor for advice.