Around half of sufferers are aged between 45 and 64 and it is probable that up to 50% of women over 65 have some sort of female pattern baldness. But it can also occur in much younger women and children.

For most women their hair is one of the defining outward signs of their femininity and losing it can be a crushing blow. They can feel unattractive and different although, according to The Daily Telegraph, more than a fifth of the women surveyed aged over 25 in the UK say they suffer from the condition. Around half of sufferers are aged between 45 and 64 and it is probable that up to 50% of women over 65 have some sort of female pattern baldness. But it can also occur in much younger women and children.

Many Conditions are Treatable

Women lose their hair from a variety of causes. However as many of the conditions are treatable, once the alopecia (the general term for hair loss) is noticed, the first step is to consult a GP who will investigate why this is happening and whether there are any clinical ways of treating the hair loss. At Joseph’s Wigs, our Amore Wigs and Ellen Wille Wigs boost confidence to help you continue feeling attractive while your hair regrows.

Alopecia

Alopecia, comes in many forms and appears to be triggered by such diverse factors as stress, hormones, hair dye, over-styling, depression and diet. It can also be hereditary, Alopecia areata, which causes patchy hair loss is one of the more common forms and is thought to be an auto immune condition. If you are genetically predisposed to it, a trigger, such as stress, can make your body recognise hair follicles as foreign and attack them. Scottish TV presenter Gail Porter had an advanced form of this, alopecia totalis, which resulted in her losing all the hair on her scalp and she campaigned fiercely for awareness of the condition. Her hair has now grown back but there is always a chance she could lose it again.

Androgenetic Alopecia

Androgenetic alopecia, the most common type of progressive hair loss is also known as male or female pattern baldness and is a general thinning of the hair. It is more prevalent after the menopause, when oestrogen levels fall. This is still a taboo subject for most women although with celebrities like Cheryl Baker and Maureen Nolan discussing their menopausal hair loss on TV, barriers are being broken down.

Traction Alopecia

A common cause of hair loss in younger women is traction alopecia caused by excessive pulling or tension on hair shafts which can result from tight hairstyles or the overuse of weaves. Celebrities, who are constantly changing their hairstyles or Afro Caribbean women who have had their hair tightly braided for a long time may be particularly prone to this.

There are many other causes of hair loss in women, not least that caused by chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer. The important thing to remember is that in very many cases the hair will grow back.

And meanwhile – well, you always have that stylish wig to fall back on.