Why am I losing my hair?
"But for a woman, if her hair is abundant, it is a glory to her... " (1 Corinthians 11:15 KJV)
There
are many of women of color, this author included, experiencing issues
with thinning hair. My grandmothers, on both sides, as they aged
suffered from thinning hair. My mother experienced thinning hair. I
personally know women who are going bald and depend on wigs for her
"crowning glory".
It has been said that we lose an average of
fifty to one hundred hairs per day; that is part of the normal cycle of
hair. The up side to this is that the hair is supposed to grow back.
Hair loss can be a side effect of medication, for example,
antidepressants, beta blockers, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs. These medications can cause the hair to go into a resting phase
and then move quickly into the shedding phase. Check your medications'
side effects, it could be the reason. If that is the case, discuss
alternative dosages or medications with your health care provider.
As
in my case, the hair loss could be hereditary. I mentioned earlier that
my mother and both my grandmothers lost hair as they aged. This is the
type of hair loss that develops slowly and usually is noted behind the
bangs and along the hairline. This can spread to be diffuse across the
entire scalp. Because of her severe hair loss, my 'diva' paternal
grandmother had a collection of wigs that could have easily stocked a
store! As a young girl, I remember seeing all the wig heads side-by side
along a shelves in her closet: each had a beautiful hairstyle in
various colors, lengths, and styles. I am approaching that level with a
large collection of wigs, hairpieces, and weaving hair.
I
originally thought that relaxers (I call it the 'crack' cream: like the
drug, once you start it you can't stop it) was helping me lose my hair.
So I cut it all off and went natural. Then life happened: the dreaded
menopause hot flashes! Now because of them, I am unable to keep a
hairstyle for long. The sweat dampens my hair and causes it to shrink up
in tight coils all over my head. I have resorted to putting sew-in
weaves to just have a nice hairstyle that won't take me two hours to
create, and two minutes to lose.
Back to hair loss, the problem
could also be related to life events: major surgery, pregnancy, or
stress. During these times, hair loss occurs six weeks to three months
after a stressful event. If stress is the issue, do your best to reduce
your anxiety to try and ride out the cycle. Hopefully, the hair will
grow back. If you reach the age I have, you've experienced some major
life events. I'm sure this is another element in my thinning hair
experience.
What can we do to decrease or even prevent hair loss?
There are medications, such as minoxidil (Rogaine) to the scalp twice
per day. I've tried minoxidil, unfortunately without success. Other
products on the market include over the counter shampoos, conditioners,
oils, vitamins... the list is endless. I have also heard that taking
prenatal vitamins help keep your hair growing. It usually takes a few
months to see results. My hair has thickened slightly, my nails have
gotten the greatest benefit; they are absolutely gorgeous! I'm looking
for a way to keep the hair I have, and hopefully add to it!
By
LaVerne Washington
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