You Shouldn't Believe About Hair Loss in Women 10 Myths

You Shouldn't Believe About Hair Loss in Women 10 Myths

The truth about hair loss

by Rachel Swalin

If you start seeing globs of hair in the shower drain, it’s easy to get freaked out. After all, hair can be an important part of a woman’s identity, and hair loss is typically seen as a man’s problem. The truth is, women make up about 40% of the Americans suffering from unwanted shedding, and 50% of all women experience female pattern hair loss (yes, that exists) by age 50.

So it’s a big myth that hair loss is a man’s problem. Read on for 10 more truths about your tresses.

Women lose their hair the same way men do

With male pattern baldness, hairlines form an M shape as thehair recedes, and many men go on to lose all the hair on the tops of their heads, says Mary Gail Mercurio, MD, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York. Women, however, typically do not have receding hairlines. “They get diffuse thinning right on top of their heads,” says Dr. Mercurio. Clumps of hair coming out in the shower or while you’re styling your hair shouldn’t be cause for concern. Decreased density on top of your head or even a widening part are more common signs of hair loss in women. Female pattern hair loss is usually inherited from family members, but it’s also sparked by hormone changes or everyday aging.

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High testosterone makes hair fall out

Excess testosterone does not cause either sex to go bald—but testosterone does play a big role. The body converts testosterone intodihydrotestosterone (DHT), and this process causes damage to the hair follicle, explains Dr. Mercurio. So those who convert testosterone to DHT most efficiently lose more hair than those whose bodies are less efficient. In that case, your doctor might prescribe an anti-androgen medication to block the effect the hormones have on the hair follicle, says Melissa Piliang, MD, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Birth control pills cause hair loss

“A number of androgen (male) hormones can interact with the hair follicle to make it thinner and finer,” Dr. Piliang says. Some types of progesterone, a hormone commonly found in oral contraceptives, can act like androgens, Dr. Piliang says. Hair loss with the pill is more a problem, though, if you’re using an older version of birth control. “The newer ones developed have fewer of those side effects and are really more anti-androgen,” Dr. Piliang says. In fact, some doctors may prescribe birth control to help fight unwanted hair loss, Dr. Piliang says. Talk to your doctor to find the right version for you, especially if you have a family history of hair loss.