The Devastating Emotional Impact of Female Hair Loss

No woman would willingly choose to lose her hair. Women do shave their hair off for charity, but this is a badge of honour and you know your precious locks will begin to grow back in a few days, weeks and months. In other words, your hair loss is temporary. The same goes for chemo. Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy. An unpleasant one, but in the grand scheme of things, losing your hair is probably the least of your worries. The worst type of hair loss is the one with no obvious cause, because if you don’t know why your hair is falling out, how can you fix it?

It’s Not Just Men

Many people associate hair loss with men, but the truth is, hair loss is just as likely to affect women. Research carried out by the American Academy of Dermatology found that 40% of women had noticeable hair loss by the time they were 40. Despite this, many doctors don’t take the problem seriously. Patients are routinely told their hair loss is not a problem and they should just deal with it. What these heartless doctors don’t take into account is the fact that female hair loss can have a devastating impact on a woman’s self-esteem and emotional wellbeing.

Hair Loss as a Side Effect

Hair loss can be caused by a number of different factors. As we have already mentioned, hair loss is a common side effect of medical treatments. Many women also experience hair thinning during menopause, when hormone levels fall. Having an underactive thyroid can also trigger hair loss. If the problem is physical, supplements such as Nourkrin Women can help slow down or stop the hair loss, but if the underlying cause is stress, or even unknown, hair loss or alopecia as it is called in medical-speak, is very difficult to deal with.

Hard to Deal With

Whilst hair loss is more common in late middle age because of the physical changes all women go through when they enter the menopause, it can happen at any age. However, the younger you are, the harder alopecia is to deal with.

For many women, their looks are inextricably tied up in their self-esteem. If they are not happy about the way they look, they lose confidence and feel ‘ugly’. The world we live in places a high importance on physical perfection. We are bombarded with images of perfect women with perfect hair. No mortal woman can live up to the airbrushed images in the media, yet we can’t help but try.

Not Sexy or Feminine

Once your hair starts to thin and fall out, you no longer feel feminine or sexy. The loss cuts so deep you wonder if you will ever be normal again. Some women wear wigs or hats to disguise their hair loss, but others prefer to hold their head up high and be strong; in public that is.

If hair loss is affecting your self-esteem, visit your doctor to discuss the problem and don’t be fobbed off with excuses. It may not be serious to them, but it is affecting your health and you deserve some empathy.