Coping with Female Hair Loss

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Merry

Female Hair Loss Statistics

While hair loss can be devastating for men, it can be even more devastating for women, with a woman’s appearance given added precedence in a culture obsessed with beauty and youth. Furthermore, about 30 million women in the United States suffer from hair loss, making up nearly 40% of all hair loss sufferers in the U.S.  Fortunately, there are many treatments available that can help women cope with their hair loss.

Coping with Hair Loss Stress and Anxiety

For instance, hair pieces, hair extensions, and wigs can serve as temporary solutions while waiting for a specialized treatment to take effect.  Something as simple as a well crafted and fitted wig can help restore a woman’s self-esteem and confidence as she goes about her daily routine. Talking to a counsellor or a trustworthy loved one can also help cope with hair loss. Known as catharsis, venting, or letting out one’s frustrations is generally preferable to repressing negative thoughts and emotions, allowing them to build up until an inevitable breakdown ensues. Suffering in silence and alienating oneself from one’s community will only exacerbate an already harrowing and melancholy situation. Keeping busy is also highly recommended. By performing various activities, preferably those that involve others, a woman suffering from hair loss can not only distract herself from her hair loss worries and anxieties but also help self-actualize and help reduce the hold, or clout, that her aesthetic appeal has on her self-worth.

Hair Loss Causes and Possible Coping Mechanisms

Another mean’s of coping is a support group, where you are only surrounded by those who can truly empathize with your hair loss. While hair loss can be brought on by genetic factors, stress, surgery, certain medications, dietary changes, and various diseases and conditions, including cancer, lupus, menopause, anaemia, and hypothyroidism can also lead to hair loss. Being around those who have suffered hair loss due to the exact same condition can help you build rapport with your support group partners, and brainstorm solutions that can mutually benefit all those involved. However, if all of the aforementioned suggestions fail, medications are available to help deal with anxiety, stress, and/or depression that can be brought on by hair loss in women, Please note, however, that antidepressants will not eliminate the source of ennui, and most have side effects.

Natural Hair Loss Treatments

Fortunately, there are many natural remedies to deal with anxiety and stress that are brought on by hair loss. For instance, you can take chamomile tea, which actually contains compounds that bind to the same brain receptors as certain mood elevating drugs, such as valium. Studies have also shown that green tea that contains L-thenanine can not only reduce high blood pressure but also reduce anxiety. In addition, if you are having trouble sleeping, hops have organic sedative properties that can help women fall asleep. Please note, that we are not referring to the hops found in beer, but the hops oils that are found in tinctures and extracts. Valerian is yet another natural supplement that can help people suffering from insomnia, as well as lemon balm extracts. However, women who do not wish to take any medications and/or natural supplements to help cope with their hair loss can turn to exercise to get a bona fide, all-natural energy and self-esteem boost. In fact, study after study have shown that people who regularly exercise report feeling happier, more energized, and less anxious.  In addition, most people only require about 20 minutes of daily exercise to enjoy the natural mood elevation that exercise helps bolster.

Alternative Hair Loss Treatments

Evidently, there are alternative treatments currently available to women who suffer from hair loss or female pattern baldness, including hair restoration surgery, hair loss shampoo and various drug treatments such as Propecia and Rogaine. Women who suffer from hair loss are advised to talk to their doctor to see if they are a fit candidate for hair replacement surgery or various topical and oral hair loss treatments. In the mean time, an anti sebolytic scalp cleanser can help with hair loss. A scalp massager can be used daily to apply the scalp cleanser, and there are also shampoos available on the market that are specifically designed to treat thinning hair. While the aforementioned shampoos are not miracle cures, they can help promote follicular health, which can subsequently stimulate hair growth in some women. In addition, if hair thinning is noticeable at the crown but sufficient hair is available in the front, a woman suffering from hair loss can try to grow her hair longer in the front and simply sweep it back or from the sides. Mini-clips, bows, wraps, and/or headbands can also be used to cover problem areas or arrange hair

Hair Styling and Accessories

What’s more, women feeling bold and adventurous may wish to speak to their hair dresser and hair stylist to discuss hair dyeing, spiking, and shaving solutions.  By doing so, thinning hair can be concealed in some cases, and an outlandish hairdo can help distract people from the core hair loss problem. Some women with thinning hair may also benefit from shake-on hair building fibres or hair powders that can be applied on the scalp. These products can help reduce the shine of the scalp, making hair loss less noticeable to others. Something as simple as wearing a women’s beanie, sun hat, floppy hat, or fedora can also conceal hair loss while out on the town.

Hair Loss Resources

In sum, hair loss is something that affects women of all ages, ethnicities, and walks of life. We encourage women who suffer from hair loss to take a look at some of the hair loss resources below to help better understand, cope, and treat their hair loss condition or predicament.

http://www.regrowth.com/female-hair-loss/

https://www.womenshairlossproject.com/resources/

http://www.americanhairloss.org/

https://www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/conditions/hair-loss

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/resources/hair-loss-links.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8CydqnNUmE

Hair Loss Shampoos for Female Hair Loss