A third of women will experience some form of hair loss in their lifetime, yet it remains a complex and underdiagnosed diagnosis that leaves many women in psychological distress.
Every day, most of us will lose between 50 and 100 hairs without realising, according to the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
When hair loss becomes more severe, it is usually diagnosed as one of three main conditions, each with different triggers and treatment options.
The most common is androgenic alopecia, which is characterized by gradual thinning along the crown of the hair.
"Hormonal changes, such as those seen in menopause or thyroid disorders, can also contribute significantly. There is often a genetic component.
Telogen effluvium is a temporary form of hair loss, caused by a stressful event such as illness, rapid weight loss or pregnancy that results in excessive hair loss entering the telogen or resting phase of the hair growth cycle .
Once the cause of the stress is resolved, the hair grows back.
The third condition is alopecia areata which is an autoimmune disease. It is where the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles, leading to sudden loss of hair in small, round patches on the scalp or other parts of the body.
While it depends on the type of hair loss, the main treatment for female androgenetic alopecia is topical Minoxidil, a blood pressure medication that was found to stimulate hair growth as a side effect.