A Guide to Hair Loss in Women: Causes and Treatment for Thinning Hair

Most people lose about 50 to 100 strands of hair every day — and that’s totally normal. But if you notice hair thinning that goes beyond this, know that you aren’t alone.

Hair loss in women is common and can happen at any age. By age 50, about 4 in 10 women have noticeable hair loss. While it can be stressful, it’s often treatable. The first step is to find out what’s causing it. 

Let’s take a look at the most common causes of hair loss.

Aging

Hair aging begins in your 60s and is just as real as skin aging. Individual hairs, now gray or white, become thinner and fewer. It also takes longer for new hairs to grow back after old ones fall out. Unlike the wider part or receding hairline seen with hereditary hair loss, age-related hair loss happens all over your scalp.

Sun damage can speed up hair aging. Just like the pigment in your skin, the pigment in your hair helps protect it. Hairs that have turned gray or white are more vulnerable to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Wearing hats and using hair products with sunscreen can help prevent this damage.

Genetics

Genetics is the most common reason for hair loss in both men and women. You can inherit the genes for hair loss from one or both of your parents. 

Female-pattern hair loss (also called androgenetic alopecia) usually starts after age 40. Roughly 40% of women have noticeable hair loss by age 50. And less than half of all women get through life with a full head of hair. 

Hereditary hair loss looks a little different in women than it does in men. You might find that your part is getting wider or that your hairline is farther back than it used to be. In most women, hair thinning slowly increases over the years. Without treatment, it might affect your whole scalp. 

Women tend to lose less hair than men do. But hair loss tends to have a bigger impact on a woman’s life than a man’s. Fortunately, early treatment can stop and even reverse the process in most cases. 

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Hair styling

Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by too much stress or pulling on the hair.

Relaxers and hot combs can cause inflammation. Braids, weaves, and tight ponytails put pressure on your hair roots. These styling practices can damage hair follicles and may lead to scarring and permanent hair loss. The first signs of styling-related damage might be thinning at your hairline or hair loss at the top of your scalp. 

You might not see these effects until you’re in your 40s or 50s, even if you haven’t used this type of styling in years. But styling-related hair loss can also start as early as your 20s and 30s. 

Stress

Stressful events are a leading cause of hair thinning in women of all ages. Illness, job loss, relationship breakups, and childbirth are just a few of the causes of stress-induced hair loss. Stressful events can cause your body to enter “survival mode,” where it rations fuel and energy to support its most vital functions.

When this happens, your body pushes hairs out of the growth phase and into the resting phase, causing them to eventually fall out. This type of hair loss is called telogen effluvium. 

With telogen effluvium, you might see your hair start shedding about 3 months after a very stressful event, and it can last for 3 to 6 months. Although this hair loss may feel sudden, you won’t go bald from stress-induced hair loss. Once the stress passes, most people see regrowth 3 to 6 months later. Depending on how long your hair is, it can take 12 to 18 months to see full regrowth. 

Menopause

With menopause comes a dramatic drop in estrogen levels. This causes hair to become thinner (especially at the top and sides of your scalp) and to grow more slowly. Some women will also notice more facial hair. If you’re prone to hereditary hair loss, menopause can make it worse. 

Another possible reason for hair loss after menopause is a condition called postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia. In this type of hair loss, inflammation destroys hair follicles and leaves scarring, which affects the hairline and the eyebrows. The sooner it’s diagnosed and treated, the better. Once scarring develops, hair can’t grow back. 

Weight loss

Rapid weight loss can lead to hair thinning and hair loss. Your body perceives rapid weight loss as a form of stress, which can trigger telogen effluvium. Some people also experience telogen effluvium when they take glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, like Ozempic or Wegovy.

If your weight loss is related to changes in your diet, you may not be getting the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to grow healthy hair. 

Hair loss from rapid weight loss usually corrects itself over time. But if weight loss continues or you have a protein or vitamin deficiency, it could limit your hair’s ability to grow back. 

Birth control

Hormonal changes can affect hair growth. Specifically, higher estrogen levels make your hair thicker and fuller. When estrogen levels drop, hair falls out. But hair loss should stop once your body adjusts to your new estrogen levels. 

While estrogen helps hair, progesterone can cause or worsen hair loss. Some popular progesterone-based birth control medications linked to hair loss include:

• Implants like Nexplanon

• Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone), the birth control shot

• Birth control patches, like Xulane (norelgestromin / ethinyl estradiol)

• NuvaRing (etonogestrel / ethinyl estradiol), the birth control vaginal ring

If your hair loss is from a progesterone-based birth control, it should resolve when you stop using it. If the issue is a hormone imbalance, identifying and correcting the imbalance is necessary for regrowth. 

Pregnancy

Your body goes through many different hormonal changes during and after pregnancy. And these changes can affect how much hair you shed. Many women have thicker, fuller hair during pregnancy because a boost in estrogen keeps more hairs in their growth phase.

After delivery, estrogen levels drop. This drop may cause more hair to shed than usual. Increased hair shedding usually peaks 3 to 4 months after childbirth. But postpartum hair loss is temporary. Most women will get back their normal hair fullness within 1 year. 

Autoimmune conditions

Female hair thinning or loss can be caused by an autoimmune condition. This means your body’s immune system attacks your hair, causing it to fall out. 

Autoimmune conditions that can affect hair growth in women include:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus): Lupus can cause hair to thin all over and create bald patches that scar. Early treatment is key to prevent irreversible damage.

• Alopecia areata: This occurs when your body’s immune system reacts against hair follicles. Most often, alopecia areata appears as a bald patch in a perfect circle. It can come up anywhere on your body, but it’s most noticeable on your scalp. Sometimes it gets better on its own. But the bald patches can come back randomly.

Medical conditions

Other medical conditions can cause or contribute to hair loss, including hypothyroidism and anemia. These conditions can develop at any age but become more common as you get older. 

Some medical conditions can also cause hormone imbalances that worsen hair loss. This includes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Medical conditions usually cause other symptoms. It’s uncommon for hair loss or thinning to be the only symptom people experience. 

Your healthcare team may test you for these medical conditions if you’re experiencing hair loss or thinning along with other symptoms. 

Medications

Several medications can cause hair loss as a side effect. If you think a medication is causing hair loss, talk with your healthcare team. They can figure out if an alternative is right for you. 

Some common medications that could cause hair loss include:

• Antidepressants: bupropion (Wellbutrin) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft)

• Blood thinners: heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and apixaban (Eliquis)

• Beta blockers (blood pressure medications): propranolol (Inderal), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), and atenolol (Tenormin)

• Seizure medications: valproic acid (Depakote), pregabalin (Lyrica), and levetiracetam (Keppra)

Cancer and cancer treatments can also cause hair loss. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can damage hair follicles. This causes a type of hair loss called anagen effluvium. Most people will recover lost hair about 1 year after treatment is complete, though it’s common for hair to be grayer or whiter afterward.

Hair growth cycle

It’s helpful to understand how your hair grows so that you know what to expect from hair loss treatment. Hair goes through different cycles, which explains why it’s normal to lose some hair every day. 

These are the three stages of the hair follicle cycle:

• Anagen (growth): This is when your hair is actively growing. Most of your hairs are in this stage at any given time, and it can last for years.

• Catagen (transition): In this transitional phase, your hair stops growing. It lasts a few weeks.

• Telogen (resting): This resting phase ends once your hair falls out. But it can take a few months for this to happen.

Not all your hairs follow the same timeline. That’s why, with normal hair shedding, you’ll lose around 50 to 100 strands a day. If you notice more hair loss than this, like clumps coming out, it’s best to look into what’s going on. 

Women’s hair loss treatments

There are many ways to support hair regrowth. From hair care and supplements to medications and cosmetic procedures, we’ve got you covered with hair loss treatment tips. 

Lifestyle habits for healthy hair

Hair is an extension of your body, so living a healthy lifestyle is key to regrowing hair. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Eat a well-balanced diet.

• Take steps to manage your stress.

• Limit hair treatments, heat styling, and the number of hair products you use.

• Protect your hair and scalp from the sun.

• Get enough sleep.

• See your primary care provider regularly for preventive medical care.

Supplements that may help hair loss

Currently, there are no FDA-approved supplements for hair loss. But vitamin and mineral deficiencies likely contribute to hair loss. Talk with your healthcare team about whether you should be tested for vitamin deficiencies.

Research has linked low levels of iron, vitamin D, and zinc to increased shedding and hair loss. If you’re too low in a particular vitamin or mineral, your healthcare team will prescribe the appropriate supplements to correct your levels. 

Keep in mind that there are some risks to taking supplements. For example:

• Biotin can lower the levels of cardiac enzymes (substances that your heart releases when it’s injured) in your blood. This can hide signs of a heart attack. It can also affect the results of your thyroid function tests, making them appear higher than what they really are. 

• Too much vitamin D can damage your kidneys. 

• High levels of vitamin A can actually make you lose hair. 

Medications to treat hair loss

For hair loss that doesn’t get better on its own, there are medications that may help:

• Minoxidil (Rogaine): Topical minoxidil (a solution or foam) is the first-choice medication for many types of hair loss. 

• Spironolactone (Aldactone): Research shows that spironolactone can help with many conditions, including female-pattern hair loss. This is an off-label use and you’ll need a prescription.

• Finasteride (Proscar, Propecia): Finasteride isn’t FDA-approved for use in women and may cause birth defects. But dermatologists may recommend off-label oral finasteride after menopause.

• Triamcinolone steroid injections: A dermatologist can inject triamcinolone into the scalp to help promote hair regrowth in certain types of hair loss. 

And researchers continue to look for new treatments for alopecia areata. 

Other forms of hair loss treatment

Other treatment options include cosmetic and surgical procedures at a dermatologist’s office. Some of these treatments are still experimental but they show promise: 

• Microneedling: This is a newer skin treatment that increases collagen production, which helps keep skin strong and healthy. Microneedling also stimulates stem cells in the hair follicle and promotes growth. 

• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): This in-office procedure injects PRP (a component of your blood) into your scalp to stimulate hair growth. 

• Hair transplants: There are two main types of hair transplants, and both can be effective at reversing hair loss. 

You can also cover areas of thinning hair with head coverings, scalp tattoos, or wigs. 

With so many options, it’s best to speak with a dermatologist to find out the hair loss treatment that’s right for you.

When to seek care for hair loss

It’s best to seek care as soon as possible for hair loss or hair thinning. Treatments tend to work better if you start them early. Early treatment can also help you avoid more hair loss.

Your healthcare team can also help you find the right support. Hair loss can take a toll on your emotional health. It can be helpful to speak with a mental health professional or find a support group. 

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Written by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Reviewed by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

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