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Rising Rates of Hair Loss in Women spark Concern and Search for Solutions
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A worrying trend is prompting frantic searches for answers: increasing numbers of women are reporting hair loss. From receding patches at the temples to noticeable thinning or handfuls of hair falling out during a simple shower, experts report a steady rise in patients seeking help – and desperately seeking a solution to a problem that causes notable emotional distress.
An estimated eight million women in the UK experience some form of hair loss, particularly as thay age. According to the Institute of Trichologists, half of all post-menopausal women will experience some degree of female pattern hair loss. However, this issue is no longer confined to older demographics, wiht women in their 20s and 30s increasingly seeking specialist care. Online searches for “hair loss” and “hair thinning” in women have more than doubled as 2021, and social media platforms reflect this growing concern, with 4.7 million posts on Instagram using the hashtag #hairloss and numerous videos on TikTok documenting personal experiences. One woman in her 20s described the emotional toll, “crying in the shower” after losing handfuls of hair daily, while a mother in her 30s reported losing “half of the hair on my head” in just a few months.
Why Are Women losing Their Hair?
The causes of hair loss are complex, but experts are increasingly recognizing a pattern. While hair loss in men is frequently enough straightforward to diagnose and treat – typically driven by genetics and hormones with effective prescription and topical treatments available – the factors contributing to hair loss in women are far more diverse.
“There are lots of reasons for this rise in women experiencing hair loss – from weight-loss jabs, stress, Covid and flu to hormones, vitamin deficiencies and even tight ponytails,” explains a leading dermatologist and hair expert, dr.Aamna Adel. “But the conversation has also changed. Previously it was something women felt embarrassed talking about, and they saw it as a cosmetic issue and wouldn’t go to see their GP. There are lots of medical problems which can trigger hair loss. And the earlier you get a diagnosis, the better the outcomes are going to be.”
The Three-Month Delay and Diagnostic Challenges
Diagnosing the root cause of hair loss requires a detailed medical history,as doctors must act as “a bit of a detective,” according to Dr. Adel. The previous six months are particularly crucial, due to the hair’s natural growth cycle.Approximately 90% of hair is actively growing at any given time, while the remaining 10% is in a resting phase, eventually shedding naturally.
However, stress on the body can disrupt this cycle, pushing more hair into the resting and shedding phase.Because it takes roughly three months for hair to shed after entering this resting
