Hair thinning at back of head female is quite common and mostly triggered due to chronic or excessive hair loss. Understanding more about the causes, triggers, risk factors and possible remedies or treatment can give us an insight on what’s going on. Let’s delve further, shall we?
Causes of Hair Thinning at the Back of the Head
The most common cause of thinning hair is female pattern baldness, a hereditary hair loss condition that affects many women. In fact, it’s one of the leading causes of hair thinning and hair loss in women. However, there are other causes too. Let’s take a look at them.
Stress
If there’s one cause that battles for top position with hormones or genetics, it’s stress. Stress wreaks havoc on our health and mind, not just our hair. Not only does it cause excessive hair loss, it also curbs growth.
Did you know stress has a hand in androgenetic alopecia? It causes shrinking of hair follicles and pushes hair out of the growth cycle prematurely, disrupting the growth cycle. Excessive loss of hair and stunted hair growth can result in the thinning of hair.
Genetics
Have you ever heard the term “good genes” before? Yes, it’s because a lot of aspects of our life are determined by our genetics starting from how we look!
Hair loss isn’t any different! Androgenetic Alopecia or pattern hair loss as it’s commonly called, is a genetic hair loss condition. It’s also the leading cause of hair loss in women and in men. How many have you seen affected with male pattern baldness? Or women for that matter?
Hormones
Can we talk about us women and not talk about hormones? They play a key role in our lives and health, isn’t it?
Apparently, hormonal imbalance is another key cause of hair loss in women. Pregnancy, menopause, PCOS, perimenopause, even thyroid disease are all thanks to hormonal upheavals.
There are so many scenarios where our hormones can trigger hair loss. Excessive stress can also throw our hormones into overdrive. Progesterone and estrogen are two hormones that not only contribute to hair loss, but also thinning of hair, especially at the back of the head.
Hair Styling Techniques
What about styling techniques? Tight ponytails anyone? How about pulled up hair? Rollers? What about weaves and styles like cornrows?
Traction alopecia is a type of hair loss that’s due to damaging or tight hairstyles. How about using the hair dryer? Heat to dry hair or for styling?
What about hair coloring? Bleaching anyone? Especially extreme changes like bleaching hair every other day, or heat treatments can be really damaging and cause hair loss. But that might end up being one of your lesser problems if styling is an everyday thing!
Today everything is about styling when it comes to hair. There are styling products too and are often loaded with harsh chemicals. Lot of products can leave residue, block your follicles and also result in stunted growth and hair loss. Think about what’s related to you and see how to work around these.
Medications, Treatments & Health Conditions
Nutrition is closely linked to hair. Our body diverts nutrition to the important organs and organ systems of the body first. This means, hair isn’t the first priority and gets the nutrients at the end right?
Taking adequate nutrients keeps the hair healthy. Only when we’re healthy, hair is. So the health and vitality of the hair and hair follicles depends on what we eat – is that food nutritious and well-balanced? isn’t that why we recommend our Hair Growth Vitamins at Vitamins Revive?
Thinning hair and hair loss is often due to lack of certain nutrients. Did you know deficiencies are the major cause of hair loss? Additionally, they can further hair loss if you’re combating the problem already. If you thought lack of essential nutrients don’t affect you or cause you to lose hair, this is a wakeup call for you!
Did you know health conditions can trigger hair loss? Many health conditions including thyroid disease, can cause you to lose hair. Not just healthy, certain medications like birth control pills and treatments like radiation or chemotherapy can damage the hair follicle resulting in partial or complete hair fall. Good thing though, it’s usually temporary and reversed once the treatment runs its course.
What’s Female Pattern Hair Loss?
As noted earlier, androgenetic alopecia or female pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in women. It’s a hereditary condition though can be triggered or aggravated due to extreme stress or hormonal upheavals.
Did you know a major surgery or a loss of a loved one or other stressful scenarios can contribute to female pattern baldness? It usually starts with thinning hair at the back of the scalp in most women.
However, unlike male pattern hair loss, female pattern hair loss is different and not very obvious or sudden. It usually happens like diffused thinning of hair and reduction in volume and not patchy or complete loss of hair.
Now there are remedial measures and treatment options for female pattern hair loss that women can consider including low level laser therapy.
Hair Growth Cycle
Understanding the basics of the growth cycle helps when you lose hair. Hair growth happens in three phases – anagen (growth phase), catagen (transitional phase) and telogen (resting phase).
During the anagen phase, your hair grows rapidly. This phase lasts for 3 – 5 years. Makes us think we want to keep our hair in the growth phase longer, right?
Catagen is when growth dips and is short at only 1 – 2 weeks. During this phase our hair follicles shrink and lose their blood supply.
Last but not the least, it’s the resting phase and it’s when the hair is released from the hair follicle and falls off.
This gives an idea of the role hair follicles play with our hair health. Isn’t it? They produce our hair and keep them healthy, though the health of hair follicles can be affected by nutritional or hormonal imbalances, stress and even certain health conditions.
Natural Remedies
There are few natural remedies when you want to combat androgenic alopecia.
Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto has shown tremendous results in treating androgenic alopecia. Many studies have been done on it and the results are attributed to the DHT blocking property of this wonderful herb.
DIY Saw Palmetto Mask
Take a few drops of Saw Palmetto Extract, Aloe Vera Gel and Fenugreek Powder. Apply the mask to your scalp and wait for 25 minutes before washing off.
Alternatively, you can combine it with essential oils and coconut oil for a relaxing scalp massage that helps reverse female pattern baldness.
Ginseng
The ginsenosides in Ginseng are proven to help stimulate hair follicles and improve blood circulation. In other words, it can stimulate hair growth. It has been used to improve hair volume and can be taken as supplements or applied topically.
Scalp Massage
A stimulating massage with a warm oil or blend of oils can really help combat hair loss and thinning. Additionally, it combats scalp inflammation and build-up. We all know inflammation destroys hair follicles. Don’t we?
Using herb infused oils works great. I warm up the oil slightly before the massage. I usually use a combination of coconut oil and castor oil – the coconut oil is usually infused with herbs.
Alternative Medicine Methods
Did you know alternative medical treatments like acupuncture, reflexology, flower medicine and even TCM and Ayurveda have been used to combat hair loss? Depending on the type of hair loss, some women even get back lost hair.
Treatment Options Women Have
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often recommended to treat female pattern baldness. This is done when hormonal changes trigger or aggravate female pattern baldness.
Platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP) and low level laser therapy (LLLT) is also used to treat hair loss in women.
Topical medications like finasteride and minoxidil are used to stimulate growth and curb hair loss.
Hair transplant is often the last resort and a surgical option that’s suggested.
Hair Tips That Help
Consume a well-balanced and wholesome meal that includes all essential nutrients and can improve hair and scalp health.
Try using a scalp massager or hair serum that can help nourish your hair and scalp. This can help improve growth and combat hair loss.
Have you tried stress management techniques? They help us manage our stress better.
Have a hair routine that works for you – a routine really helps care for hair the right and consistent way.
Keep styling and heat or chemical treatments to bare minimum.
Switch to air drying your hair.
Use mild and gentle natural products for your hair, if you haven’t gone DIY route for your hair care recipes.
Trim your hair regularly to keep split ends at bay.
Did you know you can detangle with your fingers gently? Yes, when you don’t have your detangle comb handy try it!
Conclusion
All hair loss is not male pattern hair loss or female pattern hair loss. This is why it’s important to assess the causative factor.
Hair loss is no longer a problem that can’t be resolved. With increased awareness, hair loss can be effectively curbed with the right remedial measures.
Remember, there are ways to combat hair loss and you just have to try out and see what works for you. Let your body guide you and we can beat female pattern baldness together!
FAQs
Do hair supplements help?
Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, Biotin and even Zinc or Iron have all shown to help with improving growth and curbing hair loss. However, if you’re not deficient they don’t do any drastic changes. Even so, it’s important to consult a specialist before consuming any supplements.
When to consult a specialist?
Notice hair thinning or loss? Do you experience patchy hair loss or excessive loss of hair all over? Do you suspect any underlying cause? Don’t know the root cause? Is your hair loss persisting irrespective of your efforts? It’s time to see a specialist in any other of these scenarios.
What are some natural remedies?
Essential oils, herbs like aloe vera, false daisy, horsetail extract, stinging nettle, water hyssop, onion juice, ginkgo biloba, and certain essential oils are all used to combat hair loss and thinning in women.
Can everyone take supplements to combat hair loss?
While hair supplements are gaining popularity and many resort to them, it’s important to know that overdosing on nutrients is harmful too. So if you’re not deficient they can harm you! consult a specialist to figure out if or not supplements are the way to go for you and the right dosage.
What carrier oils are better for hair?
Depending on your scalp and hair type, requirements and other factors the right oil might vary for everyone. Sweet almond oil is especially good for moisturizing and promoting growth. Another option is argan oil that’s also repairing and rejuvenating. Coconut oil is versatile and also affordable. It’s a good idea to check what’s available and go with that.
