‘Thyroid causes hair loss in women’
Trichologist Dr Shahid Shamsher talks about patterned baldness in women.
Does thyroid and PCOD trigger hair loss problems in women?
These disorders can cause two types of hair loss in women— one’s a short term hair loss known as telogen effluvium in which the hair loss primarily occurs even as the disease is not under control. But it becomes alright once the condition is treated. The other is a long-term hair loss, known as patterned baldness in which the hair loss starts with the onset of the disease but continues even after the disease condition has been treated.
What is patterned baldness?
In this type of hair loss there is a pattern when one starts balding. Typically, the hair loss starts first with the receding of the hair line and thinning on the sides of the head. As the condition progresses, there is hair loss from the top and back of the head. This resembles hair loss pattern seen in most men where the top of the head goes bald.
What causes this kind of hair loss?
Apart from the two hormonal causes, hereditary or genetical factors also play a major role. Most people think that hereditary hair loss is inherited only in men; but that’s not true. Both men and women inherit 50 per cent of the genes from each parent and therefore, a woman is as much at risk of developing this condition as a man.
When does a woman start showing signs of patterned baldness?
In women, patterned baldness often starts with some trigger factor. These include peri-menopause, after delivery — where it becomes quite evident by the time the child is 2-3 years and during menarche — the onset of periods. This is why many young girls develop this condition by the time they reach 20.
Dr Shahid Shamsher is India’s leading Trichologist certified from UK, Australia and India. He can be contacted at Indiranagar on 25201175 to 78, at Jayanagar on 26639935 to 38 and at Malleswaram on 23568290 to 93.
