{"id":719067,"date":"2026-01-25T05:09:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T05:09:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/719067\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T05:09:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T05:09:15","slug":"cruel-female-hair-loss-and-balding-is-rising-particularly-after-middle-age-now-experts-reveal-the-ultimate-plan-for-restoring-hair-simple-steps-to-take-and-the-over-the-counter-pills-that-can-he","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/719067\/","title":{"rendered":"Cruel female hair loss and balding is rising – particularly after middle-age. Now experts reveal the ultimate plan for restoring hair, simple steps to take – and the over-the-counter pills that can help"},"content":{"rendered":"

Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more<\/a><\/p>\n

It is a worrying trend which has had medics and patients alike frantically searching for answers: increasing numbers of women are reporting hair loss.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s receding patches on the temples, a receding hairline or handfuls of hair falling out in the shower, experts say there has been a steady rise in the numbers visiting their clinics with the problem.<\/p>\n

And all are desperate for a solution to a problem which causes significant emotional distress.<\/p>\n

It is estimated about eight million women in the UK experience some form of hair loss, particularly as they age. By the time they are post-menopausal, half will have some degree of female pattern hair loss, according to the Institute of Trichologists.<\/p>\n

But the trend is not confined to older women, with those in their 20s and 30s now approaching specialist clinics for help. Online searches for \u2018hair loss\u2019 and \u2018hair thinning\u2019 in women have more than doubled since 2021. There are also 4.7million posts on Instagram about #hairloss and hundreds have viewed videos on TikTok<\/a>. One user, in her 20s, described \u2018crying in the shower\u2019 and being left \u2018completely distraught\u2019 after handfuls of her hair started falling out every day.<\/p>\n

And a mother in her 30s told how she had lost \u2018half of the hair on my head\u2019 in just a few months.<\/p>\n

Why women are losing their hair<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a pattern, which many experts are unanimous about, but the causes are complex to unpick. While both men and women experience hair loss, it\u2019s generally more straightforward to diagnose and treat in men.<\/p>\n

Male pattern baldness, which causes the vast majority of cases, is driven by a combination of genetics and hormones and has several effective treatment options, including prescription drugs and topical treatments.<\/p>\n

\"Tight <\/p>\n

Tight hairstyles, like this one worn by\u00a0Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, may contribute to hair loss in women<\/p>\n

\"Ponytails <\/p>\n

Ponytails can strain hair follicles if they’re pulled very tightly, like this one on Bella Hadid<\/p>\n

But in women there are many other factors which can contribute to the problem. And while some of those are only just emerging, others which are already recognised are becoming far more common, experts explain.<\/p>\n

Dermatologist and hair expert Dr Aamna Adel says: \u2018There are lots of reasons for this rise in women experiencing hair loss \u2013 from weight-loss jabs, stress, Covid and flu to hormones, vitamin deficiencies and even tight ponytails.<\/p>\n

\u2018But the conversation has also changed. Previously it was something women felt embarrassed talking about, and they saw it as a cosmetic issue and wouldn\u2019t go to see their GP. There are lots of medical problems which can trigger hair loss. And the earlier you get a diagnosis, the better the outcomes are going to be.\u2019<\/p>\n

Confusion over three-month delay<\/p>\n

Doctors need to be \u2018a bit of a detective\u2019, Dr Adel says, and take a detailed medical history in a bid to pinpoint possible causes.<\/p>\n

The previous six months are particularly important because of the hair\u2019s normal growing cycle.<\/p>\n

About 90 per cent of hair is actively growing at any one time, while the remaining 10 per cent is in a resting phase, where it dies off and sheds naturally.<\/p>\n

But additional stress on the body can push more of the hair into this resting and shedding phase. And as it takes hair three months from dying off to being shed, it means people can experience sudden hair loss three months after a stressful event.<\/p>\n

This is known as telogen effluvium and might occur after a bereavement, a traumatic experience or even from stress at work, explains Dr Adel.<\/p>\n

\"There <\/p>\n

There are some prescription treatments women can use, but they\u2019re only licensed for men, so will have to be given off-label, says Anabel Kingsley, lead trichologist at Philip Kingsley<\/p>\n

But it can also happen as a result of an infection such as Covid, common colds or flu. This is because the body recognises viruses as a threat and diverts its resources to essential organs, ultimately neglecting the hair to prioritise survival.<\/p>\n

The roll of illness and weight-loss jabs<\/p>\n

Hair restoration specialist Dr Amy Vowler, who runs the Hair GP clinic in London, says: \u2018There\u2019s lots of evidence that illnesses can affect hair and cause telogen effluvium.<\/p>\n

\u2018We saw lots of it during Covid because so many people were ill, and people getting flu this season, which is a mutated strain that few have any immunity to, may also experience it.\u2019<\/p>\n

Dr Vowler adds: \u2018I had a bad respiratory infection a year ago and my hair started shedding three months later. The delay means the cause isn\u2019t always obvious.<\/p>\n

\u2018The good news is that once the infection clears, it should get better within a couple of months and shouldn\u2019t last beyond six months.\u2019<\/p>\n

There is also growing evidence that weight-loss jabs are linked with hair loss in a similar way.<\/p>\n

\"Dr <\/p>\n

Dr Vowler says weight-loss jabs send the body into starvation mode and it prioritises internal organs over hair<\/p>\n

Some of this was picked up in clinical trials. For Wegovy, also known as semaglutide, about three per cent of people reported hair loss while using the jabs, while for Mounjaro, or tirzepatide, this increased up to 5.7 per cent.<\/p>\n

Social media sites are filled with women describing their hair loss after using the jabs. \u2018In the last six months we\u2019ve seen many more women with hair loss who are on these drugs,\u2019 Dr Vowler says.<\/p>\n

\u2018They are thought to upset the hair in two ways. First, when the body panics a bit and thinks you\u2019re in starvation mode, it prioritises the internal organs over the hair, and you get this rapid shedding \u2013 this telogen effluvium.<\/p>\n

\u2018This also happens with any rapid weight loss, regardless of how you lose the weight.<\/p>\n

\u2018But because they reduce the appetite, people on these drugs often don\u2019t eat a healthy, balanced diet and end up deficient in vitamins and minerals the hair needs.\u2019<\/p>\n

Nutrition your hormones can cause it<\/p>\n

Experts say eating plenty of protein, fruit and vegetables, and using vitamin supplements if necessary, can mitigate against hair loss.<\/p>\n

Sheree Phelps, 35, came off Mounjaro jabs after four months because she lost \u201850 per cent\u2019 of her hair.<\/p>\n

The former Commonwealth Games athlete, who now runs sports massage clinic Podium Therapies in Cardiff, describes her experience as \u2018heartbreaking\u2019. \u2018About a month after taking Mounjaro, I noticed thinning patches on my temples and then started to find clumps of hair in my hands when I brushed it after taking a shower,\u2019 she says. \u2018It broke me to see it.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sheree went to see Dr Vowler and discovered she was deficient in iron. She now takes an iron supplement, eats a nutrient-rich diet. \u2018[My hair] is coming back now, but it\u2019ll take time,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

Experts say that many women they see are deficient in key minerals which are important for healthy hair, namely iron and vitamin D, but also zinc, folic acid and vitamin B12. Dr Vowler says levels of ferritin \u2013 the protein used to store iron \u2013 should be over 70 micrograms per litre, while vitamin D should be over 50 nanomoles per litre. She adds that many people are deficient in vitamin D, which is produced in the body following exposure to sunlight, because they apply sunscreen year-round to protect against UV damage.<\/p>\n

\u2018Vitamin D helps to create new hair follicles and supports hair in its growth phase,\u2019 she says, adding that topping up any vitamin deficiencies with supplements will help to restore hair loss, but it will take time and the supplements should be taken consistently.<\/p>\n

Dr Adel adds: \u2018Sometimes it\u2019s your nutritional status, but it also might be your hormones.\u2019<\/p>\n

Women commonly experience hair thinning as they age. This is because as oestrogen levels fall, it tips hair into having a shorter growth phase and more shedding.<\/p>\n

Some forms of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) \u2013 topical oestrogen and micronised progesterone \u2013 can help if women also have typical menopause symptoms. But a healthy diet containing protein, vitamins and minerals can also help to stave it off.<\/p>\n

There are some prescription treatments women can use, but they\u2019re only licensed for men, so will have to be given off-label, says Anabel Kingsley, lead trichologist at Philip Kingsley. \u2018Minoxidil works for both sexes, and a medication called finasteride can be used in post-menopausal women, sometimes with good benefit.\u2019<\/p>\n

Another hormonal condition which triggers hair loss is an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism. The thyroid, a butterfly-\u00adshaped gland in the neck, produces thyroid hormone which regulates the body\u2019s metabolism, heart rate and body temperature, and having too little of this can cause symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, low mood, brain fog and hair loss.<\/p>\n

When treated with levothyroxine, a synthetic form of thyroid hormone, hair can regrow.<\/p>\n

Hairstyles and habits that make it worse<\/p>\n

Other forms of hair loss \u2013 which can be permanent \u2013 are related to vaping and certain hairstyles.<\/p>\n

While there is no evidence linking vapes with hair loss, it has long been known that nicotine from cigarettes triggers hair loss by constricting blood vessels and preventing oxygen and nutrients reaching the hair follicles.<\/p>\n

Dr Vowler says: \u2018Nicotine is inflammatory and contains free radicals which damage DNA and disrupt hormones. So there are lots of mechanisms, but essentially smoking or vaping is really bad for hair.\u2019<\/p>\n

Experts also warn against trendy hairstyles which scrape back the hair into a tight ponytail, popularised by models Bella Hadid and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.<\/p>\n

\u2018Anything which is tightly pulled back and puts tension on the hair follicle, from ponytails to braids, or even tightly fitting hats and headscarves, can cause something called traction alopecia,\u2019 Dr Vowler says.<\/p>\n

\u2018Once you\u2019ve killed the hair follicle it won\u2019t come back \u2013 it\u2019s a scarring form of hair loss which is irreversible.\u2019<\/p>\n

Experts recommend switching to looser hairstyles to prevent damage. For some women, minoxidil can help to stimulate regrowth, says Anabel Kingsley. \u2018This can help in the early stages, but if you leave it too late, the damage is often permanent,\u2019 she adds.<\/p>\n

How to protect your hair<\/p>\n

Experts say keeping your hair and scalp clean is the most important way to preserve your locks.<\/p>\n

Dr Adel says: \u2018Everyone can benefit from washing their hair more often because your scalp has lots of sebaceous glands and produces oils. If these are left on the scalp, they can lead to inflammation and higher levels of the hormone DHT, which can itself trigger hair loss.<\/p>\n

\u2018Blow dry your hair on a low setting rather than leave it wet, because a damp scalp can cause yeast to overgrow. And use a good heat protector and bond repair cream.\u2019<\/p>\n

Heat protectors are available as sprays or creams which help to shield hair from damage caused by hot styling tools. Bond repair products \u2013 often creams or leave-in treatments \u2013 work by strengthening the internal protein bonds within each hair strand that are damaged by heat, colouring and styling, helping to reduce breakage and improve resilience.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":719068,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[2373,32714,214755,92,17776,105,459,257,449,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-719067","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-affiliated","9":"tag-commercebeauty","10":"tag-commercehair","11":"tag-dailymail","12":"tag-editorial-impulse","13":"tag-health","14":"tag-instagram","15":"tag-london","16":"tag-tiktok","17":"tag-uk","18":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115954015671549046","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/719067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=719067"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/719067\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/719068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=719067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=719067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=719067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}