There are various treatment options for female hair loss, including topical medications, such as Rogaine. Other options include light therapy, hormone therapy, or in some cases, hair transplants. Eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also help keep hair healthy.
Thinning hair can grow back depending on what caused it to thin in the first place. People who experience thinning hair due to nutrient deficiencies, stress, pregnancy, and other nongenetic reasons could experience regrowth. If you're experiencing new hair loss or hair thinning, it's best to consult your doctor.
The only medicine approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat female pattern baldness is minoxidil: It is applied to the scalp. For women, the 2% solution or 5% foam is recommended. Minoxidil may help hair grow in about 1 in 4 or 5 of women.
A variety of conditions can cause permanent or temporary hair loss, including hormonal changes due to pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and thyroid problems.
Here's the truth: You can't change the size of your hair follicles. If you were born with fine hair, it's genetics, and no product will completely alter that. Of course, there are ways to maintain your hair health, add volume, and keep it from getting any thinner.
"Sudden thinning hair can be a symptom of anemia (low red blood cell count), hormonal issues especially related to events like pregnancy, or a thyroid disorder, which are all very common in women," says Peredo. If any of these are the case, hair loss won't be the only symptom present.
Telogen hair, or 'resting' hair, comprises around 15% of the hair on a person's scalp. Periods of elevated stress can lead to this hair being temporarily lost, contributing to a visibly thinner scalp and hairline.
Effective treatments for some types of hair loss are available. You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.
As with male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness comes from hormone imbalances, specifically dihydrotestosterone imbalances, or DHT. This hormone is similar in structure to testosterone, but it is significantly more potent [3]. DHT can attach to receptors on the hair follicles, causing the follicles to shrink.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss.
Yes, stress and hair loss can be related. Three types of hair loss can be associated with high stress levels: Telogen effluvium. In telogen effluvium (TEL-o-jun uh-FLOO-vee-um), significant stress pushes large numbers of hair follicles into a resting phase.
Wearing your hair too long will make it look thinner
"Ironically, with thinning hair it's important to make sure you get your hair cut regularly," says Julie Hensman, from Hensmans in Northampton. "Thinning hair can get out of shape more quickly, making it look more obvious".
Certain styles—like bobs and blunt cuts—can actually create the illusion that your hair is thicker than it is. "Short hairstyles are best for thinning hair, because too much length can drag the hair down and create an unflattering, stringy appearance," says Alabama stylist Hope Russo.
If you are experiencing thinning or balding, our Bosley experts recommend washing no more than three times a week.
Sources of Biotin
Foods that contain the most biotin include organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables (such as sweet potatoes) [2,12].
Berries. Berries are loaded with beneficial compounds and vitamins that may support hair growth. This includes vitamin C, which has strong antioxidant properties. Antioxidants can help protect hair follicles against damage from harmful molecules called free radicals.