There is an unfortunate societal stigma against women losing their hair. People wonder, do women go bald? This is probably because a woman’s hair is often considered a symbol of beauty and pride. Also, going bald is considered to be something that only happens to men. However, this is far from the truth, and the statistics bear this out. It is long past time that we start to acknowledge that women can also go bald and do what we can to fight against the stigma.
What the Statistics Say
It is estimated that roughly half of all women will experience hair loss at some point in their life. The most common reason is something known as female pattern hair loss. This affects roughly 30 million women in the United States alone. It troubles many women because of the societal stigma that we have put on this condition. However, when you consider the fact that this happens to nearly one in every two women, it is something that we should all rethink and help find solutions.
Are Some Women More Likely To Experience Hair Loss?
Women’s hair loss does not hit all women equally. Certain groups are more likely to be hit by female pattern hair loss than others. Some of these groups include:
- Women over the age of 40
- Women who have recently given birth
- Women with hairstyles that pull on the hair
- Women who are undergoing treatment for cancer
Some women lose their hair as a result of cancer treatments or basic aging. These are things beyond the control of any human being, and it’s a sad state of affairs that we put so much pressure on women to maintain their hair when they don’t have control over the situation.
Hair Loss Myths
We need to contend with certain myths about hair loss right away. These were things that have been passed around from person to person and generation to generation. However, none of the following are actually true. One thing that people say causes women to lose their hair is an excessive amount of stress. While stress could potentially cause temporary hair loss in certain situations, this is not the root cause of permanent hair loss in women.
Interestingly, there are myths about the opposite situation as well. Some people think that stroking your hair 100 times with a hairbrush will help to keep the hair stronger. This is also not the case. Much of hair’s strength comes from genetic factors that are beyond our control. There are a very limited number of things that anyone can do to help keep their hair strong. A healthy diet and workout routine could help keep the body stronger and prevent some situations related to hair loss. Outside of that, there is little that anyone can do to keep their hair longer than it will naturally stay.