Living with
a hair disorder can be hard, especially in a culture that views hair as a
feature of beauty. To cope, try to value yourself for who you are—not by how
you look. Also, play up your best features, which can boost self-esteem. Many
women with hair disorders also find that talking to others with the same
problem is helpful.
Hair
loss
It’s normal
to shed about 100 hairs each day as old hairs are replaced by new ones But some
women have hair loss—called alopecia . Hair loss can happen for many reasons:
Female-pattern
baldness causes hair to thin, but rarely leads to total baldness. It tends to
run in families.
Alopecia aerate
is an autoimmune disease that causes patchy hair loss on the scalp, face, or other
areas of your body.
Hormone changes during and after pregnancy.
Underlying health problems, such as poly cystic ovary syndrome or thyroid disease.
Certain medicines, such
as birth control pills or those to treat cancer, ar arthritis, depression, or
heart problems.
Extreme stress, such as
from a major illness.
Hairstyles that twist or pull hair.
Whether or not hair
will grow back depends on the cause of hair loss. Some medicines can help speed
up the growth of new hair. If hair loss is permanent, you can try hair weaving
or changing your hairstyle. Or talk with your doctor about other options, such
as a hair transplant.
Hirsutism
When dark,
thick hair grows on a woman’s face, chest, belly, or back, the condition is
called hirsute. Health problems and family genes can cause high levels of male
hormones, which can result in hirsute. If you are overweight, try losing
weight, which reduces male hormone levels. Consider methods for removal of
unwanted hair. (See page 312 for more information.) Also, ask your doctor about
medicines to slow or reduce hair growth.
Trichotillomania
People with trigonometrical have a strong urge to pull out their hair, which leads to
visible hair loss. Some people with this hair-pulling disorder also pluck their
eyebrows, eyelashes, and body hair. Hair pulling gives people with this disorder
a sense of relief or pleasure. But it also is a source of distress and shame.
Behavioral therapy and medicines can help a person stop hair pulling.
