Are you one of the unlucky women to experience drastic changes in your hair after you turned 50? Is your hair thin, lank, lacklustre, frizzy, or worse still, balding?
Millions of women all over the world suffer with hair loss or unwanted changes in the health of their hair once they hit their fifties. The devastation it causes can be far reaching and leave many women stripped of their confidence and left feeling less than feminine.
The causes of hair loss in women vary, and the loss can either be temporary or in some cases, permanent. Rectification depends on the cause so understanding the reasons why it is happening is the first step in knowing how to treat the condition.
When Should I Be Concerned About Hair Loss?
It is absolutely normal for women to shed around 50 -100 hairs daily without any cause for concern. With an average of 100,000 hairs on our head, for the most part, typical shedding is not noticeable.
However, if you start to lose a substantial amount daily and you can see a difference e.g. patches of baldness or a receding hairline, then this is something that likely requires your attention.
Causes of Hair Loss In Women Over 50
There are a plethora of different reasons why changes occur within the health of your hair midlife which may affect the hair growth cycle, thickness, condition, growth rate and strength.
Here we list some of the major causes of hair loss in women over 50.
Telogen Effluvium
This is a temporary cause of hair loss due to the excessive shedding of telogen hair. The telogen phase is the resting phase of the hair follicle and usually lasts 3 months. Around 10-15% of your hair is in this phase, when hair doesn’t really grow, or fall out either. Telogen hair is lost due to some kind of shock to the system, stress, dietary imbalance or deficiencies. New hair (anagen hair) continues to grow back when balance is restored.
Hormones
Hormones play a huge part in affecting the hair growth cycle and there is never a more challenging time than midlife for your hormones to go haywire.
Estrogen (the female hormone) is ‘hair friendly’ and helps to maintain hair during its healthy growth phase. Alternatively, androgens (male hormones) are less ‘hair friendly’ and reduce the hair growth cycle.
Menopause: During menopause, estrogen levels decline and it these hormonal changes that may cause female hair loss. Moreover, the reduction in the production of estrogen is accompanied with an increase in the levels of testosterone. Coupled together, these two hormones cause thinning of the hair on the head whilst generating coarse, prickly hair on the face. Joy of joys! Bald with a beard is not a good look! Speak with your doctor about the best way to balance your hormones.
Stress: Stress also produces testosterone (the male hormone) which affects the hair follicle, weakening it, losing the hair and causing it to fall out and result in baldness. Try ways to reduce stress levels (and a spike in the unwanted male hormone) like yoga or meditation which could go a long way in helping to keep your beautiful locks.
Collagen Depletion
Collagen affects the health of your hair (skin, nails and bones also) in a variety of ways.
Collagen helps support and increase hair proteins which stimulates growth and strengthens the skin that holds the root. Hair is mainly made up of keratin, a type of protein which is responsible for promoting healthy hair growth. It may also work to combat damage from free radicals and maintain the integrity of the hair as well as being responsible for the thickness and shine also.
As we age, collagen levels deplete so adding a daily supplement is essential to ensure collagen levels are maintained.
Alopecia
Alopecia is when there is “partial or complete absence of hair from areas of the body where it normally grows or total baldness”. There are different types of alopecia.
Androgenetic Alopecia
Women who suffer from Androgenetic Alopecia are genetically predisposed to being affected with this condition. Hair loss, balding or thinning happens because the hair follicles shrink during the growth phase. The texture and pigment is also affected and it is common that this condition affects other family members also.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia Areata is an auto-immune condition in which the body goes to war on its own hair follicles because it does not recognise that they are part of the body. Inflammation occurs resulting in unhealthy hair follicles being unable to hold the hair shaft in place and subsequently, they fall out. Obvious signs that you may be affected by this form of alopecia are bald, circular patches with thicker hair growth surrounding them.
Traction Alopecia
Traction Alopecia is caused by certain activities that impact the quality of your hair such as wearing tight hair bands, over brushing, a variety of hair treatments such as perms/straightening procedures or heating tools. Abusing your hair in this way maybe once upon time in your younger years, had little impact however, after 50, hair is less forgiving.
Vitamin or Mineral Deficiencies
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies have been closely linked with hair loss, specifically baldness and alopecia.
- Vitamin D: Low levels of Vitamin D have been found in people suffering from alopecia. Vitamins D stimulates hair follicles, so if levels are low, hair may stop growing, start to thin as well as shed.
- Iron: Iron is essential for producing hair cell protein, without it, hair will weaken and cause it to fall out.
- Zinc: Similarly, Zinc deficiencies have been linked to certain types of alopecia. It is thought Zinc helps block the creation of DHT (a derivative of testosterone) which is well known as the foe of hair follicles.
Is It Really Hair Loss or Hair Damage?
These are 2 very different things and it is good to know the difference.
Hair loss can usually be confirmed by checking-in with your hairline. If it is receding, chances are that your hair is thinning and hair loss is the cause.
Alternatively, if the ends of your hair are thin, divide into two, are wispy and you find many broken pieces in your clothing, chances are your hair is in poor condition and it is breaking off.
Hair Breakage
The fallout of aging are the many biological changes that occur within the body and of course your hair is no exception. The oil (sebum) that helps nourish our hair decline with age resulting in weaker hair that is more susceptible to breaking. It is essential to nourish and protect your hair by implementing a healthy hair care regimen. In addition you should:
- Regularly trim damaged split ends to encourage growth and limit breakage.
- Use a top quality moisturizing shampoo, conditioner, and hair repair serum to help preserve the hair shaft and follicle.
- Use hair masks on a regular basis to nourish and restore lost oils.
- Cut down on the straightening and blow drying as we age.
- Sleep on a silk pillow to stop hair tangling in the night.
Solutions To Overcome Hair Loss
If you have established that you are losing your hair versus hair damage, here are some things you can consider to help.
Topical Solutions
There are many liquids, foams and serums out there to help reverse hair loss – some better than others. These products contain different active ingredients to improve blood flow, strengthen hair follicles, extend the growth phase of the hair and nourish your scalp to keep it hydrated and healthy.
Your hairdresser will be able to recommend appropriate products to support healthy growth. Alternatively, reading the reviews to products that you are interested in buying can help you find out more about the results you are likely to experience and whether that product is for you.
Balanced Diet
A balanced diet going into our golden years is essential to maintain a healthy body, mind and soul. Hair loss can be positively affected by eating a more balanced diet as well as taking daily vitamin and mineral supplements can reverse the effects and stop hair loss.
Add a Daily Hair Supplement
Two top additions to add to your daily include Biotin and Collagen both affecting the growth of hair skin and nails.
Biotin: Part of the vitamin B family is Biotin (B7) which has shown promise in the fight against hair loss. Biotin deficiencies have been linked to thinning hair so make sure your Biotin levels stay healthy. A great way of introducing Biotin into your daily diet are gummies. Check out iherb for the best in Biotin gummies.
Collagen is also a must. There are some great options out there so find the right one. Marine collagen absorbs 1.5 times faster than any other type of collagen so choosing a quality marine collagen could get you great results.
Hormone Treatment
If hair loss is due to changes in hormones, specifically a drop in estrogen during menopause, speak to your doctor about hormone replacement therapy. Declining levels of estrogen can be replaced by taking HRT, although it doesn’t come without its health risks also.
Medical Intervention
Sometimes the soft approach is just not enough and something a little more hardcore is required. Liaison with a medical professional is a must for such options which include – hair transplants, hair grafts, and even Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) to help strengthen your delicate locks. Research is key as there are many fly by night companies offering grand promises when in fact all you will be left with is an empty purse and a broken promise.
The Take Home
Age-related hair changes are par for the course as we head into our fabulous fifties and beyond. It is inevitable that the many biological changes will impact your hair in ways that you don’t want. Don’t be dismayed! There are many things you can do that can have a significant positive impact. Just a few small tweaks in your hair care regime, diet and lifestyle can often be the difference of keeping those valuable strands of luscious locks in tip-top condition.
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