Women loss of hair is not uncommon but often times unexpected. Surprisingly, the one part of our body that we pamper the most to make sure it looks its best is perhaps the one that we know the least about. Did you know that sweat glands produce the oily secretion that gives hair it's sheen and helps repel water? Did you know that hair actually does stand on end when faced with certain emotions? But what about women loss of hair? What causes this unwanted visitor. To answer this question we must first learn a tiny bit about how hair grows.

Once a hair springs to life on the scalp it will likely stay around for only 2 to 5 years, and then retreat into a resting stage in which the bulb shrinks back from the root and hair once again begins to travel toward the surface. When a hair falls out, a new hair grows behind it with scalp hair growing at a dizzying pace of one half inch per month. The old saying, "It's about as fast as watching paint dry" should be changed to its as slow as watching hair grow!

So when women loss of hair becomes apparent, even if the causes is one that is temporary, such as chemotherapy drugs, stress (mental or physical), pregnancy, or certain temporary illnesses the recovery time is a slow and perhaps arduous process requiring a wig or three, or other appearance enhancing aid, at least until a few months of healthy growth has begin to restore your lost locks back to their past beauty.

But are there conditions that stop the hair replacement and re-growth cycle altogether? The answer is yes, and while women loss of hair that is temporary may hurt a person's self confidence it will pass. On the other hand, conditions that cause permanent and/or progressive balding are not only bad for a woman's self confidence but difficult to effectively treat as well.

The most common examples of permanent women loss of hair conditions are hormone related. The two examples that come to mind are those occurring due to menopause, and a hereditary androgen hormone driven condition known as female pattern baldness.

The culprit behind hormone driven ongoing balding and/or thinning in women is generally the hair mediating hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone is a form of testosterone and is produced in the hair cell. The damage occurs when it accumulates deep within the hair follicle. Over a couple of hair cycles (perhaps 4 or more years) this hormone causes affected follicles to start to shrink, leading to a disruption in the natural hair replacement cycle. As more and more follicles become damaged the balding and thinning will begin to spread. Unless, something is done to interrupt this process it will continue until most, if not all, scalp hair is lost. I believe that you will agree with me in concluding that conditions that lead to permanent balding and/or thinning are truly the scary ones in the world of women loss of hair.

What can be done? There are currently a handful of hair re-growth remedies (specially formulated for both men and women) which have been proven effective both in blocking harmful hormones and bringing the all important dead hair follicles back to life. These specially formulated treatments can be used both as a preventative tool, starting before hair loss becomes severe, or after loss of hair has become noticeable. Whatever the level of balding or thinning you are experiencing these products could be just what is needed to overcome this latest life challenge.