For many people — especially women — hair isn’t just hair. It serves as a source of confidence and self-expression. So, when unexpected hair loss occurs, it can be incredibly frustrating and alarming. We sat down with Kimberly Vaughn, a board-certified clinical Trichologist and founder/president of HPIHair Partners in Nashville, TN, to better understand some of the root causes of hair loss and, more importantly, how to address them.
Why Hair Loss is More Complicated for Women
Before exploring some of the most common causes of hair loss, it’s important to understand the significance of trichology — which is the study of hair and scalp health. This means hair loss — particularly for women — is an extremely complex issue. Kimberly emphasizes that there are actually 15 documented reasons for hair loss in most medical journals.
“Women’s hair loss is more complex than men’s. It becomes more complex for women because out of the 33% of women who experience hair loss, over half of women in that 33% are experiencing hair loss due to more than one reason,” explains Kimberly. “Women spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on products offering false claims and hope of a cure in a bottle, so they need to identify a provider who is a hair loss specialist with care and compassion for their specific hair and scalp condition.”
Because hair loss can often be traced back to more than one issue, it’s helpful to consult experts to better understand why you may be experiencing hair loss. Here, we’ll be focusing on the three most common culprits.
Reason #1: Genetics
One of the most common causes of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, which is the medical term for genetic hair loss. Women experiencing androgenetic alopecia often see a loss of hair around the frontal hairline and part area
While women as young as 20 or 30 can certainly experience hereditary hair loss, androgenetic alopecia often becomes more noticeable as women age — particularly around perimenopause (or premenopause) when hormone levels experience significant change. Which leads us to our next common cause …
Reason #2: Hormone Imbalances
You may begin to notice hair loss any time your hormone levels become imbalanced — especially when it comes to testosterone. While this is an essential hormone for both men and women, when you have too much or not enough testosterone, issues can arise.
“Hormone levels should be optimally balanced, meaning if estrogen, progesterone, and/or testosterone levels are too high or low, hair loss and shedding can occur,” explains Kimberly. “Additionally, if you notice increased hair shed, you may also experience fatigue and lack of clarity.”
An over- or under-reactive thyroid can also lead to hormone imbalances, slowing down hair growth and leading to excessive shedding. For women, you may start to notice hair thinning in your eyebrows — which is often a significant sign of a thyroid problem.
Reason #3: Acute Stress
While medical journals often identify stress as a cause of acute hair loss — which is defined as hair loss that typically occurs after a stressful event — Kimberly says this is actually a misnomer. While you may be stressed today because of a chaotic event happening in your life, you may not actually experience hair loss for another three to nine months.
Kimberly frequently uses the example of Long COVID to explain acute stress and hair loss to clients. “A high number of individuals with severe COVID cases have lost a tremendous amount of hair,” she explains. “The reason they’ve lost hair is because COVID is compromising the immune system. The hair is made of cells, and when cells are being torn down, they’re used to support the body rather than grow more hair.”
How the Experts Can Help
While these reasons may seem daunting at first, the good news is that hair loss is treatable. When you understand its root causes, you can begin to take steps toward mitigating and even reversing it. Luckily, HPIHair Partners specializes in identifying the unique causes behind each client’s hair loss and offers personalized treatment plans tailored to your specific needs.
“At HPIHair Partners, our main focus is trichology,” explains Kimberly. “We spend six days a week treating men, women, and children with all forms of hair loss. We begin with a comprehensive consultation and intake process to truly understand what is going on and what has caused the hair loss. We don’t just look at the short-term; we encompass the entire history of when the hair loss began — whether it was two months ago or 20 years ago.”
SB Tip: HPIHair Partners also offers video consultations, which means their expert Trichologists help patients across the U.S.!
By studying genetic, hormonal, and stress-related factors contributing to hair loss, HPIHair Partners provides expert care and education that empowers individuals to regain their confidence. Whether you’ve dealt with hair loss your entire life or are just starting to notice symptoms, HPIHair Partners is ready to help.
HPIHair Partners is located at 5409 Maryland Way #119, Brentwood, TN 37027. To learn more, visit hpihairpartners.com or call (615) 662-8722.
