In my opinion, the most significant causes of hair loss in younger women are:
- a medical condition such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS);
- hormonal changes due to pregnancy;
- stress and anxiety, which depletes crucial hair growth nutrients and affects hormonal balance;
- changes in hormonal balance due to diet changes such as switching to soy products;
- long-term use of medication;
- nutrient deficiency – the most common being iron
What can you do to minimize risk of hair loss in younger women?
Firstly ask yourself these questions:
Could your medication being causing your hair loss?
Do you have a medical condition? Do you take medication regularly, including contraceptive? If so, the next step is to ask your doctor if one of the possible side-effects of your condition or your medication is hair loss. And if so, what can you do about it. That’s the first, easiest and most important thing you can do to get actionable answers.
Next, ask yourself these questions:
Could stress be causing your hair loss?
Do you suffer from significant stress or anxiety? If this has been going on for a long time it could have had an impact on your physical health. Stress affects hormones, causing surges in hormone levels, which can affect your body in several ways. Long-term stress also affects your body’s store of nutrients – particularly nutrients that keep your skin and hair looking healthy. You probably notice when someone has been very stressed for several weeks, when they get bags under their eyes and their hair looks weak and brittle.
This article is well worth reading for some proactive steps you can take to reduce the impact of stress on your body: Stop Stress Related Hair Loss by Changing the Way You Deal with Stress
Finally, analyze your diet:
Could a nutrient deficiency be causing your hair loss?
One of the more common causes of hair loss in women is iron deficiency. Do you eat at least five portions of vegetables every day? Particularly, do you eat dark green leafy vegetables every day? These are good sources of iron. If you know your diet is very poor, changing it would be a good place to start in order to get your hair and skin looking as healthy as possible.
Two excellent whole food supplements for improving your intake of a wide range of extremely healthy nutrients are:
Those are two natural whole food supplements I highly recommend for improving your health.
Other Possible Causes of Hair Loss in Young Women
The hormone DHT
In some cases the hormone DHT can also cause hair loss in women. Although DHT is the primary cause of male pattern baldness, the hormone is also present in women. Some women may have elevated testosterone or DHT levels or high scalp sensitivity to DHT.
Although it is rare in younger women, it;s possible that hyperthyroidism may be a cause of the hair loss. Hyperthyroidism is the name given to an overactive thyroid gland, symptoms of which include:
- Weight loss
- Fast heart beat
View more symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
It’s also possible, but rare, that a scalp condition such as an infection or skin condition may cause mild or even severe hair loss in very rare cases. If you have an itchy or irritated scalp or noticeable changes in your scalps appearance, it is advisable to visit your doctor who will refer you to a dermatologist who will be able to examine your scalp.
In very rare cases hair dye can cause hair loss. It is extremely rare but I have had one visitor who has reported (after many years of visiting many different doctors) that she experienced hair loss due to a chemical in her hair dye getting into her hair follicles and killing the hairs. Read more in “Does Hair Dye Cause Hair Loss?“