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Potential Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Potential Causes of Hair Loss in Women

by | Jan 31, 2023 | All Topics, Hair Loss, Microneedling

Hair is a significant part of our physical appearance, and hair loss in women can cause significant distress to some people. If you are losing more than 125 hairs per day, then you are likely to be experiencing hair loss. Hair loss is medically known as alopecia and can be temporary or permanent. The causes are numerous, and hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause in women.

Here are some of the potential causes of hair loss in women:

Genetics

Both men and women are affected by hereditary hair loss. We’re typically more aware of the first sign of hereditary hair loss in men, which is a receding hairline or bald spot at the top of the head. The first visible sign of genetic hair loss in women though is usually overall thinning or a widening part. A hair specialist or a doctor can advise you on the treatments to slow or minimize hair loss and make the hair appear fuller.

 

Nutritional Deficiency

Not getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet can lead to several health problems, including thinning hair. The most common vitamin deficiencies that cause hair loss include iron, biotin, vitamin B12, and zinc. Biotin deficiency can also cause hair loss by disrupting normal cell growth in the body. Biotin is necessary to produce keratin, which helps your body maintain healthy skin and hair follicles. If you don't have enough biotin your body will be unable to keep up with demand which may result in thinning or breaking off at its roots.

 

Pregnancy

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can lead to temporary hair loss. This is because of the estrogen your body produces at a higher rate than usual. It's normal for this to happen, and it will go away once you give birth, but if you notice that the amount of hair you're losing is excessive or has been going on for longer than four months after giving birth, then it might be worth speaking with your hair specialist or doctor about other possible causes.

 

Stress

When you're going through a stressful, traumatic, or life-altering event, such as a divorce, a death in the family, a significant job change, or a big move, your body can temporarily halt hair growth as your body devotes its resources to getting you through the big event. Similarly, physical stress like an operation, anemia, or losing a lot of weight can also cause temporary hair loss.

 

Regularly Wearing Tight Hairstyles

Hair loss can occur when people wear tight braids or tight ponytails and is called traction alopecia. It can cause progressive thinning of the hairline and sometimes permanent hair loss too.

There are many other reasons, like hormonal imbalance, autoimmune diseases, and scalp infections that can cause hair loss in women. When you can see scalp skin through hair, have thinner ponytails, see your hair breaking more than ever, or notice anything abnormal, you should consult a hair professional like Argyle Hair Solutions. Our hair restoration specialists will use their expertise to come up with the right solution to suit your needs, style, and budget. Book a consultation today and make every day a good hair day!

What Is Microneedling and How Does It Help Hair Growth?

What Is Microneedling and How Does It Help Hair Growth?

by | Oct 21, 2022 | All Topics, Hair Loss, Microneedling | 0 comments

Hair loss and balding are problems affecting nearly 80 million people in the US. If you have suffered from hair fall or thinning, you’ve probably tried a few things already. And if you’ve done your research, you’ve most likely heard about microneedling.

Microneedling for skin is a common method used to treat scars by stimulating collagen production and encouraging new cell growth. Microneedling is increasingly becoming popular to treat hair loss, androgenic alopecia, and male pattern baldness, too, and has proven to be highly effective when used along with a topical corticosteroid.

What Is Microneedling and How Does It Work?

Microneedling is the process of injecting your hair follicles with a derma roller or microneedling device. The idea behind microneedling is that by stimulating your scalp and applying different compounds to it, you can encourage healthy hair growth. Microneedling works best for those with thinning hair who want fuller, thicker locks. It’s important to consider other factors before undergoing microneedling treatment, such as your age, health conditions, and lifestyle habits that could affect your results.

During the procedure, the doctor will use a derma roller or microneedling device to puncture holes in your scalp, which essentially causes trauma to the area and triggers an inflammatory response. This stimulates blood flow and encourages new cells to grow in those areas. It also helps break down scar tissue from previous injuries or surgeries (like alopecia) so that new follicles can form. Microneedling also aids the absorption of hair loss treatment products like minoxidil and topical steroids. The time taken for the treatment depends on the size of the treatment area, but it usually takes around ten minutes.

 

Can Microneedling Be Done at Home?

Many microneedling devices available on the market can be used at home, but experts recommend that a licensed professional perform the treatment. When done in the clinic by an experienced professional, they will ensure minimal side effects and prevent infections. Also, you can be sure of effective treatment with the correct depth and the right equipment. As this process involves puncturing the skin with hundreds of tiny holes, the tools and the environment must be super sterile, which is possible only at a hair studio or clinic. Moreover, most of the microneedling pens available on the market for at-home use do not provide the required depth.

If you are interested in learning more about microneedling or any other hair loss treatments, contact Argyle Hair Solutions. With leading technology and high-quality products, we guarantee customer satisfaction. Get real results with Argyle Hair Solutions and have a happy tomorrow.

Schedule an appointment today!

Iron Deficiency and Hair Loss

Iron Deficiency and Hair Loss

by | Apr 12, 2022 | Hair Loss Nutrition | 0 comments

Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiency is the most common mineral deficiency worldwide and the one most frequently linked to hair loss. Unlike other vitamin and nutrient deficiencies that are only common in countries with substandard dietary intake, iron deficiency is a problem that affects people from all social and economic classes.  Let’s get into the how and why.

Why is iron so important?

Iron is an essential element for blood production. Around 70% of your body’s iron is found in hemoglobin (red blood cells that transport oxygen from the lungs to other tissues like the hair follicle) and myoglobin (muscle cells that accept, store, transport, and release oxygen). Hemoglobin comprises 96% of the dry weight of red blood cells, and iron is a core component of its function.

Function of vital organs will be prioritized over hair and nail production when the body is deciding how to distribute nutrients that are too low to meet all needs. When iron is low enough to affect the production and efficiency of hemoglobin, hair production is one of the first things to suffer.

What causes low iron?

Our bodies cannot produce iron, and thus it must be sourced from the food we eat. If you are in a state of anemia, you are either not getting enough in your diet, or your body is unable to absorb the iron in your food. So, what are some of the more common causes?

  • Vegetarianism – The best source of dietary iron is meat, as the heme iron in meat is much more easily absorbed than the nonheme iron found in plants. Thus, vegetarians can be particularly susceptible to anemia if their diets do not include fruits and dark leafy greens with sufficient iron content.
  • Blood loss – Any time there is sufficient blood loss, iron deficiency can become a problem. Surgery, injury, frequent blood donation, and even heavy menstrual bleeding can cause iron deficiency anemia. Also, slow internal blood loss such as a peptic ulcer, hiatal hernia, or gastral intestinal bleeding.
  • Pregnancy – Boosted iron levels are needed to serve the increased blood volume of the mother and also produce hemoglobin for the growing fetus
  • Inability to absorb iron – This is something most people overlook. Iron makes its way into the bloodstream via the small intestine. The inability of your gut to absorb iron can be caused by a wide range of conditions.
    • Intestinal disorders like celiac
    • Having part of the intestine removed surgically
    • Bariatric surgery
    • Medications that cause a deficiency in vitamins needed for iron processing or suppress acid needed in the gut for absorption.
    • Medical conditions that impact nutrient absorption

How do I know if I have low iron?

I could catalog a lengthy list of symptoms (hair loss, brittle nails, headache, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, etc), however, the only real way to know if you are suffering from low iron is to have a blood test.

Testing should include an Iron Panel (also known as Fe Blood Test, Iron Indices Blood Test, or Iron Status Blood Test) – A full iron panel should include several different measurements.

  • Ferritin – This is the primary protein used for iron storage in the body.
  • Transferrin – This is the protein that binds and transports iron in blood serum.
  • Serum Iron Test – This will measure the actual amount of iron in the blood. More specifically, the dissolved levels of Fe2+ in blood plasma.
  • Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) – This is the capacity of the blood to transport iron throughout the body.
  • Unsaturated Iron-Binding Capacity (UIBC) – Tests the percentage of transferrin that is not attached to iron
  • Transferrin Saturation – Tests the percentage of transferrin that is attached to iron

What does this all mean?

These tests will help your doctor determine the root of your iron deficiency. For example, low ferritin and transferrin saturation but elevated serum transferrin could indicate low iron stores and the need to include more iron rich foods in your diet.

Sometimes increasing the amount of iron in your diet is enough to fix the problem. Other times you will need to address and ancillary health concern or nutrient deficiency before your body will have the tools to begin absorbing and using iron again.

Working with your doctor to interpret test results will help you understand what steps need to be taken to correct a deficiency.

Can I have too much iron?

YES!!! And it can be a BIG problem. Excess iron in the body can have more immediate and harmful effects than iron anemia.

To be fair, iron absorption in the gut is tightly regulated by the hormone hepcidin and, absent a failure of this mechanism, iron toxicity from regular food is unlikely.

Iron toxicity is most likely to occur from an overconsumption of iron supplements. For this reason, supplementation should only be done under the care of a doctor.

Conclusion

  • Dietary iron is an essential mineral for overall health and particularly important to healthy hair.
  • Iron levels can be impacted by a wide range of conditions. A blood test followed up by medical consultation should be done to address concerns.
  • Supplementation should only be done under the care of a physician.
The Process of Genetic Hair Loss

The Process of Genetic Hair Loss

by | Apr 6, 2022 | All Topics, Featured, Hair Loss | 0 comments

The progression of genetic hair loss is a miniaturization process that plays out in each separate hair follicle, but in a pattern predetermined by inherited traits. 

For most of us, at around age 20 the amount of hair we have on our head begins to decrease. That is in terms of hair count not weight. For some, this is a subtle process they may not notice for decades. Women benefit from the buffering effect of estrogen and progesterone that increases hair quality in their 20s and 30s. This is why many women don’t begin to notice the effects of hair loss until they are pre-menopausal and undergo a change in their hormone profile. 

For men, this process is generally noticeable much earlier, as they lack the assistance of hair volume increasing hormones and can be subject to more aggressive patterns of balding via androgen sensitivity.    

What governs the process of genetic hair loss?

  1. You need to have the gene for hair loss which gives you a genetic sensitivity to certain androgens. Androgens are any steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics. 
  2. Testosterone is converted into DHT (dihydrotestosterone) by the enzyme 5a-R. The amount of 5a-R varies from person to person and even follicle to follicle which is why specific patterns of balding are so different.
  3. DHT kicks off the process of miniaturization.
  4. Each time the hair goes through a growth cycle (5-7yrs) it grows back smaller and smaller.

What does the miniaturization process look like as your hair cycles through growth phases?

  • The diameter of the hair shaft decreases. Each hair gets thinner
  • The thinner the hair gets the less color it has. The follicle imbeds less melanin into the hair shaft.
  • The hair gets shorter. The growth phase time shrinks and there are not as many active stem cells in each follicle.
  • The follicle and hair shaft shrink. Once the hair shrinks to around 50% of its original size the chances it will respond positively to treatment is vastly reduced. This is the key reason why it is so important to start treatment as early as possible.

This is a very quick breakdown of a complicated process but one that can be managed if treatment is started early. To be clear, there is no cure for genetic hair loss, but there are a wide variety of treatment options that can yield positive results.