Female Pattern Baldness and Alopecia – The 411 for Naturals

• Author
• Recent Posts

Follow me!

Pamela

Follow me!

Latest posts by Pamela (see all)

• How To Reclaim Your Forgotten Black Girl Magic - December 3, 2016
• The Advice My Natural Hair Stylist Gave Me Every Naturalista Should Know - February 29, 2016
• ‘You Down Wit’ B-O-B? Black Owned Brands - January 11, 2016

Men aren’t the only people who suffer from hair loss. In fact, 50% of women suffer from this form of balding by the time that they reach 50 according to the North American Research Society.

Although, thank goodness, women of color often have highly textured hair that looks thick and full, we are not immune to bald spots. And as some may know, no amount of hat wearing, or stylish scarves can eliminate the feeling of loss and sometimes embarrassment that we suffer because of those noticeable bald spots. As an alopecia victim I know this embarrassment first hand.

Here’s the 411 on thinning hair along with a few helpful tips.

The Most Common Form of Female Hair Loss

One of the most common forms of hair loss for black women is traction alopecia which is caused by wearing hair styles that pull at the root of the hair or handling the hair too roughly or tightly while using rollers, curling irons braiding and more. Traction alopecia is how I was affected.

Then there is Female Pattern Baldness

Female pattern baldness is said to be inherited from the mother or the father and has been known to happen as early as a girl’s late teens. It is also rumored that the earlier this starts, the more severe the hair loss will become. Most women who are losing their natural hair to this form of baldness do not get the bald spot or the receding hairline as men do. Instead, they start having a visible thinning across the crown of their head.

How can You Treat Female Hair Loss?

There are many different ways that you can treat female pattern baldness including natural remedies such as essential oils. Of course, you will want to check first with your doctor, to be sure that there is no underlying cause for your hair loss problem.

Preventing Natural Hair Loss

No matter how tempting, don’t pull and tug at your hair. Avoid tight braids and ponytails. If your scalp feels sore or you start to see small bumps around the root of the hair follicle, it’s a warning that you are damaging your hair root.

It might also be helpful to visit a Trichologist, a specialist in scalp health, to get direction on how not to cause any further damage and maintain a healthy scalp.

There are remedies out there, you just have to be able to find the right one for you and your needs.

Author: Pamela

“Changing attitudes about natural hair” is what we do at Natural Haircare News. Through informative articles, podcasts and videos, we go beyond just sharing the latest advice and tips on kinky, curly, wavy haircare – We shake things up and focus on the realities of wearing our hair natural.