Female Hair Loss: Root Causes and Natural Support

Female Hair Loss: Root Causes and Natural Support

For most individuals, especially females, hair plays a key part in their identity. Hair loss in women produces greater psychological distress than in men.¹ Whether you choose to color your hair, style it with curls, braids, or waves, or choose to keep it natural, many people take tremendous pride in their hair. However, sometimes the misfortune occurs to females, and they start to experience hair loss. Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) or female androgenetic alopecia is the main cause of hair loss in adult women.² Hair loss can occur from nutrition to genetics to medications and everything in between.

Normal Hair Growth

To understand hair loss, we must first understand how hair grows. Hair growth occurs in a continuous process characterized by four phases: anagen, growth; catagen, regression; telogen, rest; and exogen, shedding.³ Most people have around 100,000 hairs on their head, with a shedding rate of about 50-100 hairs a day. Abnormal hair loss is typically over 100 hairs a day. 

The longest hair growth phase is anagen, which can last 2-8 years for each specific hair. However, whenever there is an imbalance between the anagen and telogen phase, hair loss occurs.  

Why Could Hair Loss Be Occurring

One reason that you may experience hair loss as a female is hormones and aging. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a primary cause of hair loss. DHT binds to hair follicles and causes them to shrink. DHT can be increased due to hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, stress, and obesity. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) also inhibits hair shaft production and prematurely stunts hair growth in the catagen phase.  CRH can be increased due to chronic stress, poor sleep, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and underlying medical conditions like anxiety, depression, or autoimmune diseases. Also, estrogens are hypothesized to influence FPHL because temporary postpartum hair loss is caused by decreased circulating levels of estrogen.⁵ Women going through menopause could see a significant shift in hair loss from lower levels of estrogen circulating, which is a normal occurrence. If you feel as though hormones could be causing your hair loss, ask your medical doctor to check your hormone levels. There are hormonal replacement therapies that could be added to your health plan. 

Another reason that hair loss can occur is what an individual puts into their body, whether that be diet, lifestyle, or even medications. Antidepressants, hormone medications, and chemotherapy are just a few of the medications that can cause hair loss. For example, lithium is a medication used to treat bipolar disorder. Lithium causes hair loss in 12–19% of long-term users.⁴. In terms of lifestyle, individuals who live in a constant state of stress are more likely to suffer from hair loss. In the same sense, an unhealthy diet has just as much of an effect on hair loss as other causes. 

 Ways to Combat Hair Loss

The good news is, FPHL can be slowed down with a few changes, and a strong mindset. There is no “quick fix” to combating hair loss, however. A diet that is rich in protein, vitamins, and healthy fats can show positive improvement to hair loss. Also, avoiding tight hairstyles and making sure to protect your hair follicles is impactful in avoiding excess hair loss. Lastly, an herbal based substance like Nutrafol can also naturally decrease hair loss, by using anti-inflammatory and DHT inhibiting properties.⁴  

Contrary to popular belief, hair growth supplements are not as effective for healthy individuals with hair loss without an underlying health reason. I know from my own research, the two that pop up the most are collagen and biotin. However, there is not sufficient evidence to determine how much it would help you. Biotin has no proven efficacy in hair and nail growth of healthy individuals.⁶ Biotin may be helpful for those with an underlying illness that causes hair loss, like alopecia, though. The same can be said for traditionally derived collagen. There are certain collagen peptides (CPs) that are extracted from the scales of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) that reportedly promote hair and skin health.⁷ There could be potentially a new product on the shelves soon using fish derived collagen peptides coming soon. 

Nutritionally, there are a few things you can add into your diet to combat hair loss. Ginseng has long been used in medicine throughout the world. The promotion of hair growth and prevention of hair loss by ginseng and its metabolites are associated with the induction of anagen and delaying of catagen phases.⁸ You can add ginseng to your diet through drinking a ginseng tea, eating it raw, and taking tablet or capsule forms. You could also add pea sprouts into your diet as well. Food supplements and topical solutions containing the pea sprout extract may help reduce hair loss and promote hair growth in individuals experiencing hair shedding.⁹ 

Conclusion

Overall, female hair loss can be detrimental to the mental well-being of those who fall victim to it. However, there are ways that it can be combated. With the proper knowledge and willpower, an individual can see hope of inhibiting hair loss. Whether they reduce stress, adopt a healthier lifestyle, or take herbal supplements, there are many ways to inhibit hair loss. It is hard to speak about hair loss, as many are so negatively impacted by it, but I think that the more we make it a conversation piece, the more people will feel comfortable speaking out.  If you’re interested in digging into the root cause of your hair loss, please schedule a free 15 minute discovery call with a member of our team!

Written by Macie Giannini, PharmD.
Edited by Lindsey Dalton, PharmD.

References

1. Dinh, Q. Q., & Sinclair, R. (2007). Female pattern hair loss: Current treatment concepts. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2(2), 189-199. https://doi.org/10.2147/ciia.S12159900 
2. Ramos PM, Miot HA. Female Pattern Hair Loss: a clinical and pathophysiological review. An Bras Dermatol. 2015;90(4):529-543. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20153370 
3. Natarelli N, Gahoonia N, Sivamani RK. Integrative and Mechanistic Approach to the Hair Growth Cycle and Hair Loss. J Clin Med. 2023;12(3):893. Published 2023 Jan 23. doi:10.3390/jcm12030893 
4. Mercke, Y., Sheng, H., Khan, T. et al. Hair Loss in Psychopharmacology. Ann Clin Psychiatry 12, 35–42 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009074926921 
5. Bertoli, M. J., Sadoughifar, R., Schwartz, R. A., Lotti, T. M., & Janniger, C. K. (2020). Female pattern hair loss: A comprehensive review. Dermatologic therapy, 33(6), e14055. https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.14055
6. Patel, D. P., Swink, S. M., & Castelo-Soccio, L. (2017). A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss. Skin appendage disorders, 3(3), 166-169. https://doi.org/10.1159/000462981
7. Choi B. Y. (2018). Hair-Growth Potential of Ginseng and Its Major Metabolites: A Review on Its Molecular Mechanisms. International journal of molecular sciences, 19(9), 2703. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19092703
8. Grothe, T., Wandrey, F., & Schuerch, C. (2020). Short communication: Clinical evaluation of pea sprout extract in the treatment of hair loss. Phytotherapy research : PTR, 34(2), 428-431. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6528