Bald Spots In Women
How To Deal With Bald Spots In Women
One of the most devastating concerns is bald spots in women. A woman's hair is often the most important part of her appearance so losing more than a simple strand here or there can be a frightening and a serious blow to her self-esteem.
Some may say that reacting so strongly to such a minor health concern is being far too vain but really it's not. Your hair, skin and nails are the first areas to produce signs of poor nutrition, illness or hormonal imbalances. When you understand exactly how your hair regenerates and you learn to pay close attention to changes in the appearance or growth pattern of it, you can take care of yourself better.
A small amount of hair loss is completely normal; however, excessive loss that results in bald spots in women is not. Unfortunately, many doctors simply disregard it as a sign of aging and treat it with dangerous chemicals like Rogaine. This leads women, primarily those who are menopausal to believe that they cannot stop their hair loss however, it can be resolved with a holistic approach.
Causes
Bald spots are just as much a mystery as why women will all of a sudden begin growing darker, thicker hair elsewhere on their body. Some women can live to be 95 with minimal gray strands present while others are covering up their silver streaks with dye at the age of 30. It hardly seems fair, right? Below are common causes of bald spots in women:
- Stress (physical and emotional)
- Scarring
- Surgery
- Disease
- Life-threatening issues
- Certain prescription medications
- Blood loss
- Radiation/chemotherapy
- Dental treatment
- Cosmetics
- Nutritional deficiencies (vitamin A and D, protein and iron)
- Liquid protein or other crash diets that cause extreme or rapid weight loss
- Thyroid disorders
- Yeast overgrowth or fungi
- Immune system irregularities
- Genetics
- Birth control
- Hormonal imbalances
Many women experience hair loss or growth seasonally or even at various points of their menstruation cycle. You should know that testing proves that hair is quite adaptive. It seems to be able to turn itself off and on and experts believe a cure is close.
Testing For Severe Hair Loss
Most mild and moderate cases will benefit from simple diet and lifestyle changes. However, when bald spots in women are severe, they warrant a closer look. Testing the thyroid, testosterone levels, metabolic dysfunctions and insulin resistance will often point to a trigger. Common tests performed are:
- Allergy testing
- Thyroid testing
- Hormonal panel
- Fasting insulin
- Metabolic panel (for liver and kidney failure)
- Iron deficiency testing
- CBC with differential
Natural Solutions
Rogaine or other conventional topical solutions thicken and enhance the existing hair however, they do not generate any new growth. If you only have one small patch this may be useful but what you really need to be focusing on is restoring metabolic function or natural hormonal balance. Essentially, you want to address what is actually causing the balding and fix it, not cover it up.
- Eliminate Dietary Causes – Eating a well-balanced diet that is comprised of organic fruits, vegetables and whole grains is crucial. Avoid or at least limit simple carbohydrates and refined sugar to ameliorate insulin resistance.
- Balance Hormones – If you are noticing hormonal changes or are beginning menopause, consider herbal solutions to balance your hormones naturally.
- Address Vitamin Deficiencies – Vitamins B,C,D and E are essential as well as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc. Most of these are received in a healthy diet. If you feel you aren't getting enough vitamins, consider a natural supplement.
- Examine Emotional Health – If you happen to be under severe psychological stress, hair loss will often improve when the stress is relieved. Bald spots in women can often be reversed with medication and yoga practices.