If you suddenly lose a lot of hair, or even eyebrow and body hair, you need to check for a medical condition. Photo = Clip Art Korea
Looking in the mirror, “Why is my parting so wide?” There are quite a few middle-aged women who are surprised. Recently, the proportion of women among patients visiting domestic dermatology and hair loss clinics has been steadily increasing. According to statistics from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, a significant number of female patients receive treatment for hair loss every year.
Especially among middle-aged women in their 40s to 60s, thinning hair on the top of the head and widening parting are common. Contrary to the perception that “baldness only occurs in men,” hair loss in women can also be viewed as a health problem caused by a combination of hormonal changes, lifestyle habits, and various diseases.
‘Hormonal changes’ before and after menopause are a watershed
The main cause of hair loss in women is hormonal changes before and after menopause. Estrogen, a female hormone, is involved in maintaining a stable hair growth cycle, and this level decreases rapidly as menopause approaches.
As the influence of male hormones increases, the hair on the top of the head becomes thinner and less dense, causing ‘female pattern hair loss’. Rather than the hairline being pushed back like men’s, the parting is characterized by a gradually widening pattern. In the beginning, it is easy to ignore it as a simple ‘thinning’, but it is important to manage it early before the hair follicles atrophy.
Diet and nutritional imbalance cause hair to starve
Extreme dieting is also a factor that promotes hair loss in women. When carbohydrate or protein intake is excessively restricted for short-term weight loss, the body tends to reduce secondary functions, such as hair growth, to conserve energy.
In particular, iron deficiency is one of the common causes of hair loss in women. If anemia occurs, the supply of oxygen to the scalp is reduced, causing hair to fall out easily. Protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D, etc. are nutrients directly related to hair health. Even if you lose weight, hair loss may accelerate if you do not maintain a balanced diet.
Stress and lack of sleep disrupt the growth cycle
Chronic stress is known to be a factor that causes hair to quickly transition into the telogen phase (the period when growth stops). If a sudden mental shock, overwork, or lack of sleep continues, ‘telogen effluvium’, in which hair falls out all at once, may occur several months later.
In particular, middle-aged women often bear the burden of multiple roles such as home, work, and caring for parents, making it difficult to manage stress. If sleep time is short or the quality of sleep is poor, growth hormone secretion decreases and hair recovery becomes slower. Checking your life rhythm is more important than simply changing your shampoo.
Thyroid disease and scalp inflammation should also be suspected.
If you suddenly lose a lot of hair, or even eyebrow and body hair, you need to check for a medical condition. Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can disrupt the hair growth cycle and cause hair loss. Additionally, if inflammation is repeated, such as seborrheic dermatitis, the hair follicle environment deteriorates and hair loss increases.
If your scalp is itchy and red, or dandruff has become worse, it may not be a simple cosmetic problem. If hair loss persists for more than 6 months or progresses rapidly, it is safe to check the exact cause through dermatology or internal medicine treatment.
Reporter Do Ok-ran (luka5@kormedi.com)
