My sink is Full of Hair

As women age, however, so does the hair and, depending upon heredity, lifestyle, diet and disease, hair becomes gray, brittle, and, in some cases much thinner. Fortunately, women today can do something about all of these conditions and maintain a more youthful appearance much longer.

Probably the most devastating hair problem for women is thinning and balding. The gray can be colored; conditioners can restore suppleness, but no easy fix is available for significant hair loss. It is important to first isolate the cause of hair loss before making the decision to do something. Causes can be determined by a physician and may include one or more of the following.

1. Heredity: From both parents, propensity for hair loss can be inherited and, unfortunately, is a permanent condition.

2. Stress and Anxiety:  Life-changing events, such as divorce or death, as well as career and financial difficulties can take their toll on hair growth. Fortunately, the condition is temporary and will dissipate as the cause does.

3. Disease: Certain diseases (e.g., Diabetes, Lupus) will cause hair loss. Again, once treatment has begun and the disease is under control, the hair loss can reverse itself. Drugs for diseases can cause hair loss as well, and, again, once the drug is stopped, hair usually returns.

4. Diet and Exercise: A bad diet, lack of exercise, and lack of hydration can cause hair loss to accelerate beyond the normal (normal being 100 or so strands a day). Again, this can be reversed with a better lifestyle.

5. Skin and Scalp Infections: With treatment, hair loss will reverse.

6. Menopause: Many women experience increased hair loss with the onset of menopause.