Hair Loss Basics

Many women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), also called polycystic ovaries, either suffer from hirsutism - excess hair growth - or male pattern baldness.

For most PCOS sufferers, hair in the mustache and beard areas becomes heavier and darker. Masculine hair on the arms and legs is also possible, as well as hair on the abdomen, chest or back, together with extra growth in the pubic area. High levels of male hormones (androgens) cause this condition.

Just as heavier hair growth is possible, so is the type of hair thinning that many men experience (male pattern baldness). The high levels of excess insulin seen with PCOS can stimulate the ovaries to produce large amounts of the male hormone testosterone, preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg each month and causing infertility. Another side effect of high testosterone levels in women is the excessive hair growth or loss outlined above.

Excess insulin is caused by Insulin Resistance. This condition lies at the center of PCOS by preventing the efficient conversion of food into energy because of a vastly reduced number of insulin receptor sites on the surface of each cell. Too few receptor sites cause glucose and insulin levels in the blood stream to become severely unbalanced, leading to an increase in free-floating glucose which is sent to the liver and converted to excess body fat. This can result in weight gain and obesity, which, in turn, may lead not only to PCOS but also to other serious health conditions like Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes.

Source: http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-and-Hair-Growth-or-Loss.php

You might not be aware about it but 1 out of 4 American women have female hair loss. Although not as prominent as they are in men, women who have Female Pattern Baldness or FBP experience the same thing men do in terms of hair getting thinner until no hair eventually grows from the scalp.

FBP in women can be caused by:

• Heredity
• High levels of male sex hormones known as androgens
• Age
• Hormones gone awry because of menopause, birth control pills or even pregnancy
• Iron deficiency
• Exposure to toxins (smoking, chemotherapy, certain medicinal compounds)

Some say women are luckier than men when it comes to hair loss. Women do not generally experience total hair loss on all parts of their head as the frontal hairline is usually still intact. Sometimes, not all parts of the scalp experience thinning and instead grow thicker. This just leads to hair that is less dense but with no signs of hair loss.

However, women are unluckier than men when it comes to hair loss. Men do not have to deal with the societal consequences of hair that is not attractively dense and lush. Hair loss in men is usually pretty obvious and occurs early on with telltale signs in the shape of their crowns. Women would normally detect it in their late 20’s to early 40’s.

Stress that causes hair loss and thinning is not FBP. Known as telogen effluvium, it is the body’s way of diverting energy during the resting phase. Hair lost in sleep is easily replaced by new hair and less stress.

Although women do not normally experience total hair loss, it can happen. This would most likely be caused by other factors. Since baldness is caused by the sebaceous glands producing more male hormones that lead to hair thinning and loss, it is advisable for women to have themselves checked in cases of extreme hair loss. Preventing hair loss in women, especially in today’s world cannot be more important.

Treatment for baldness or receding hair is different for men and women. Finasteride (Propecia) is good for men but women and children would find this medication too strong. Minoxidil (Rogaine) can be practical for both men and women but with baldness being rarer in women and with hair loss likely to become more of a symptom rather than the actual disease in women, proper examinations and diagnoses should be made before getting treated.