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While losing hair as you age is fairly natural, for many women, it can be mortifying. What started out as a lack of volume can transform into thin, patchy areas that seem to appear overnight. These areas can quickly spread. Usually, hair loss in women will start near the natural part, though it also often happens near the temples.
On average, people lose between 50 to 100 hairs each day. But for some women, what starts out as a seasonal shed or a reaction to stress becomes constant hair loss. Because the hair all over the head tends to thin out, your hair loss might not be recognized until you’ve lost 50 percent of your hair.
Vitamins and Supplements
If hair loss is a result of a vitamin deficiency, that’s an easy fix. Healthy hair depends on the proper balance between vitamins A and D, biotin, and even zinc. Choose supplements that support hair and nail growth. You also need to eat foods that are rich in vitamin A, like sweet potatoes and spinach.
Root Cover
There are a variety of root and scalp covers that can also help disguise thinning hair. Toppik, for instance, comes as both sprays and fibers, which you apply to sparse areas. It can be used at the part, the crown, and even on the sides of your head to make your hair appear fuller.
Whether you choose the spray or hair-building fibers is completely up to you. However, you need to avoid getting caught in the rain because neither product is waterproof.
Medical Treatment
Many causes of female hair loss are temporary or can be treated medically. For example, it’s not uncommon for new moms to experience telogen effluvium after giving birth.
Directly related to hormonal shifts and stress, most cases of TE self-resolve. However, continual shedding can be treated with platelet-rich plasma injections (PRP), laser cap therapy, or even topical agents such as Minoxidil.
Hair Replacement Options
If medical treatment is ineffective, you do have other options. There are many ways to create the illusion of thicker hair, including cutting your hair or styling it differently. However, if you want to replace the hair you’ve lost, these days, you can choose from a variety of replacement options for thinning.
Hair extensions work well for those whose hair is thinning all over but still has thickness at the crown. There are also many types of hair extensions, including clip-in, tape-in, and sew-in extensions, so you can find a style that suits your hair and your daily routine best.
If you take the extensions with you to your hairdresser, they can help cut and color the extensions so they match your hair.
But for women who have thinning at the crown of their head as well, custom-made wigs might be the better choice. Most wigs are made from human hair and are designed to look as natural as possible.
For women with alopecia Universalis, some types of wigs can be secured with medical grade tape, which is changed every three to five days.
If you don’t have complete hair loss or if your hair loss is concentrated toward the top of your head, you might consider a hair topper, also known as a wiglet. These look like a small wig, and it only covers the top of your head. The hair in the wig is cut, colored, and styled to blend into your natural hair. This gives you a fuller look without hiding your own hair’s natural beauty.
If you experience sudden hair loss, you need proper diagnosis. Hair loss can point to serious health conditions that may need to be addressed.
Undiagnosed medical conditions, like hypothyroidism or polycystic ovarian disease could be causing your hair loss, which will not respond to at-home remedies.
However, with all of this, the most important thing is remembering that your hair doesn’t define you. You don’t need to hide thinning hair. When you’re comfortable and confident, you’re beautiful.
