Female Hair Loss: Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

I’ve always had trouble with my hair. You see, this is the kind of hair that is neither straight nor beautifully thick and voluminous, bouncy, curly, but somewhere in between the two – thin, frizzy, frizzy and requiring a LOT of attention.

When I was little, even my mother didn’t know what to do with it and so my hairstyles ranged from messy with bangs, to ‘let’s just cut the whole thing short’ like a boy, and then ending up with by far the worst haircut you’ve ever seen…. a mixture of the two. Yes, Mom gave me a mullet – curly and short on top and a long wavy curtain of hair reaching down my back…. a classic 80s kid.

Today I still struggle with it, but thanks to the invention of GHD hair straighteners, hair oil and my fantastic hairdresser who also has a bit of a love-hate relationship with my hair, I have been able to find peace with it. I accept that I will never be one of those women who wakes up in the morning with the just-got-out-of-bed look (I look like I’ve dragged myself through a hedge, then rubbed my hair against a balloon and then stood in a wind tunnel), that in reality there is literally one day of the year when the weather suits hair like mine (even the slightest amount of moisture in the air and I’m screwed, too hot and it gets sweaty, which leads to more moisture problems), and that there is only one hairstyle that really suits me), so I just have to stick to it.

.u9c52fb58b1addd655277827db81ac03a { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; text-decoration:none; } .u9c52fb58b1addd655277827db81ac03a:active, .u9c52fb58b1addd655277827db81ac03a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u9c52fb58b1addd655277827db81ac03a { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u9c52fb58b1addd655277827db81ac03a .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:#464646; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u9c52fb58b1addd655277827db81ac03a .postTitle { color:#9B59B6; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u9c52fb58b1addd655277827db81ac03a:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } See also4 reasons why this South American country is perfect for solo female travellers

However, one thing that really bothers me is the fact that my hair is wavy yet thin. And what annoys me even more is the amount of hair that falls out when I wash it. I mean seriously, I can’t afford to lose a thank you! I can literally pull it out as I’m rinsing the shampoo from my hair, feel it tangle between my fingers and then watch as it lands in a tangle on the shower tray before clogging the drain with a giant matted hairball.

I remember when I first had my kids, I went from possibly having the best hair I’ve ever had (thick, shiny, manageable) to suddenly having bald spots on the crown of my head that I had to strategically cover and comb. And the hair in the shower… well let’s just say my husband must have wondered if I secretly got a dog without telling him, it wasThatbad! Luckily it sorted itself out after a few months and grew back extra fluffy like a little baby duckling, but every now and then I still get a little worried about the amount of hair I’m losing and whether it’s actually normal to lose the amount of hair I’m losing.

Female pattern baldness is the most common form of baldness hair loss in women and it is thought to be inherited. So if your father or mother has become a little thin, it is likely that you will also have problems in the future. However, other factors such as age and hormones also play a role, meaning hair loss is usually more noticeable during puberty, pregnancy and menopause.

.uea21bbad22c831ff469fdb0604a94de1 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; text-decoration:none; } .uea21bbad22c831ff469fdb0604a94de1:active, .uea21bbad22c831ff469fdb0604a94de1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .uea21bbad22c831ff469fdb0604a94de1 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .uea21bbad22c831ff469fdb0604a94de1 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:#464646; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .uea21bbad22c831ff469fdb0604a94de1 .postTitle { color:#9B59B6; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .uea21bbad22c831ff469fdb0604a94de1:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } See alsoKat Graham Fell In Love with Her Natural Hair While Filming Vogue's Beauty Secrets

But what is a normal amount of hair loss and when should you worry?

The The average woman loses between 60 and 100 hairs per daywhich is actually quite a lot and if you have long, very dark hair like me, it will obviously look a lot more than someone with short blonde hair. But this is completely normal and part of the hair growth cycle.

There are 4 phases in hair growth:

1. Anagen – (Growing) cells divide rapidly, resulting in new hair growth.
2. Catagen – (Menopause) Hair stops growing and cuts itself off from the blood supply.
3. Telogen – (rest) The hair needs some time to grow the hair underneath
4. Exogen – (hair loss) Hair falls out.

And then the cycle starts all over again.

During pregnancy, a larger number of hairs enter the resting phase, making it appear as if a woman’s hair has become thicker. However, once the woman gives birth, the hair stops resting and enters the shedding phase. Since there are more and more hairs at rest, it goes without saying that more hair needs to be shed. That’s exactly what happened to me.

For most women, hair loss is just part of our daily natural body cycle, but there are of course cases where it is hair loss becomes a bigger problem and is much more noticeable than a few loose strands in the shower.

Hair loss can be the result of many different things, including stress, illness, extreme and rapid weight loss, anemia, cancer treatment, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). If you experience regular hair loss that results in patchy baldness, a receding hairline or thinning of the scalp, you should consult your doctor or speak to a hair loss specialist.

.ue2734553d366295007589560dda0616e { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; text-decoration:none; } .ue2734553d366295007589560dda0616e:active, .ue2734553d366295007589560dda0616e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .ue2734553d366295007589560dda0616e { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .ue2734553d366295007589560dda0616e .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:#464646; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .ue2734553d366295007589560dda0616e .postTitle { color:#9B59B6; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .ue2734553d366295007589560dda0616e:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } See alsoChoosing the right surgeon for crown hair transplants

There are many different options available to treat or disguise hair loss. So you don’t have to suffer in silence or be ashamed of what is happening to you. In most cases, hair returns to its normal growth pattern, but during that vulnerable and often distressing time when hair loss is at its most extreme, it’s important to realize you have options.

I feel very fortunate that my hair loss has been very minor and that despite what I may think about my hair, it is in fact completely normal.

I still feel a little damaged by that photo of me as a child, you know!

*collaboration message