Hair Loss in Women: Causes and Assessment

Heredity, hormonal factors, certain diseases, certain medications and hairstyling habits can contribute to hair loss. When it starts and how it is distributed provide clues, but appearance alone is not enough to establish the cause.

Hair That Becomes Finer Over Time

In androgenetic alopecia in women, the follicles gradually produce finer hairs. The part widens and the hair on top of the head becomes sparser, without dramatic shedding when you wash your hair. The hereditary factor can come from either parent, and hormones may also play a role: this hair loss is more common after menopause, but it often begins in a woman's forties or fifties, and sometimes earlier. This type of thinning does not necessarily mean that you have an excess of hormones.

Childbirth, an illness, surgery or major stress can cause more hairs to enter the resting phase. The shedding does not happen right away: it starts about three months after the trigger, spread over the whole scalp, and it reduces volume and thickness rather than forming patches. This is the mechanism behind hair loss after childbirth, as well as hair loss that follows an illness or stress. A follicle that enters the shedding phase stops growing and rests for two to four months, then a new hair grows and pushes the old one out: shedding can slow down well before the volume returns, because the new hairs still have to grow.

Scaling, inflammation and an area with no hair can be caused by a scalp infection, sometimes with intense itching, burning and tenderness where the hair is being lost. Some types of inflammation destroy the follicles, and a destroyed follicle no longer produces hair: this is a reason not to wait. Cosmetic skin care is no substitute for medical management of these conditions, and when the scalp is affected, CARE MD directs you to a doctor.

Insufficient intake of iron or certain other nutrients can contribute to hair loss, as can a thyroid disorder, which is sometimes accompanied by thinning. Severe fatigue is one of the possible symptoms of a thyroid hormone deficiency, but it does not prove that there is a deficiency, since fatigue can have other causes. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also accompany gradual hair loss: acne, increased hair growth on the face, chest, abdomen or thighs, and irregular periods should be mentioned, although none of these signs confirms PCOS on its own. Finally, in alopecia areata, the immune system attacks the follicles and causes hair loss. These causes require a medical assessment: no single aesthetic treatment can address every type of hair loss.

Certain Medications

Certain medications can cause hair loss. If you suspect a medication you are taking, do not change how you take it or stop taking it without consulting your prescriber. Your prescriber will help you determine whether the medication is responsible.

Hair loss does not, on its own, mean that a serious disease is present. What matters is the overall picture of signs and how they change, not a one-off count of the hairs you lose.

In Sainte-Thérèse, CARE MD offers Global Aesthetic consultations to women who are concerned about their hair. The purpose of this consultation is to understand what is happening and to guide you. Booking does not mean that a treatment is right for you: the assessment may also show that no treatment is needed. For this appointment, you can book an assessment.

What the Assessment Includes

The doctor asks how long your hair has been falling out, how quickly, whether the hair loss affects the whole scalp or one area, and whether density is gradually changing. The doctor also asks about recent events (childbirth, illness, surgery, stress), your medical history, your medications and supplements, and your hairstyling habits. Examining the scalp provides essential clues, and gently pulling on the hair gives information about its growth and fragility. Depending on the findings, the doctor may direct you to appropriate care.

No. The decision depends on your history and the examination, for example when the doctor suspects a deficiency, a thyroid disorder, a hormonal imbalance or an infection. For diffuse shedding, it can be used to rule out a thyroid disorder or iron deficiency. It does not replace examining the scalp and is not enough to identify every cause: no single set of tests applies to all women.

Note the approximate date when it started, the areas affected, your symptoms and what happened in the preceding months. Bring a list of your medications and supplements. If you have them, older personal photos can help show how things have changed; they are used for the assessment only. Also say what you are hoping for: understanding the hair loss, preserving density or discussing an option you have already been offered.

The hair assessment is for women. A scalp condition requires medical advice.

To find out who will see you at CARE MD in Sainte-Thérèse, learn about the roles and backgrounds of our professionals.

The right goal depends on the cause: letting temporary shedding resolve, removing a source of traction, correcting an identified cause, managing a disease or slowing gradual hair loss. Stabilizing hair loss, regaining volume and seeing an improvement are three different results, and no option guarantees that you will regain your previous density. Sometimes no treatment is needed. The assessment is used to choose among these options based on the cause of your hair loss; booking a consultation at CARE MD does not mean booking one of these treatments.

Temporary Shedding: Monitoring

Once the trigger has gone, shedding can decrease on its own. This delayed shedding, called telogen effluvium, usually does not require medication; taking medication does not speed up recovery. Follow-up is used to check that the shedding is slowing down; if it continues, the assessment includes looking for a possible underlying cause. Volume takes many months to return after the shedding phase.

If a deficiency is identified, the doctor may advise correcting it. A thyroid disorder or a scalp disease requires treating the cause. An infection or painful inflammation may require treatment with medication. Supplements, however, should not be taken indiscriminately: when levels are normal, extra intake can even be harmful. Before looking for a natural treatment for hair loss, have your levels checked to find out whether a deficiency is involved: taking more supplements when levels are normal can cause harm. Without a proven deficiency, no supplement is a universal solution.

For female pattern thinning, treatments prescribed during a consultation may be considered. This type of hair loss can progress very slowly and has no guaranteed cure. Some treatments must be continued to maintain the effect. Side effects are possible: the doctor explains those of the option being considered. Pregnancy, plans to become pregnant or breastfeeding can rule out certain options. Mention them before choosing, and bring a list of your medications and supplements. These treatments must not be started on your own.

What to Ask Before You Start

Whatever the treatment, ask what realistic goal it is intended to achieve, when the doctor will reassess it, which side effects to watch for and what happens when you stop. The timing of reassessment, how consistently the treatment must be used, whether it needs to be continued and the precautions to take depend on the option chosen. The doctor goes over them with you once the cause has been identified.