What should you know about hair loss in older women?

A widening part or thinning over the crown can occur with female pattern hair loss. A sudden increase in shedding may follow an illness, emotional strain, weight change, or medication change and can fit telogen effluvium. Smooth patches suggest alopecia areata, while scale and broken hairs can occur with scalp ringworm. Long-term tight hairstyles may cause traction alopecia around areas under repeated tension. Thyroid disease, low iron, dietary shortfalls, and other health conditions can also affect hair, so age alone does not identify the cause.

Bring a list of medicines and supplements, and mention recent illness, surgery, dietary change, or new hair practices. Take photographs of the part and hairline over time rather than judging one day's shedding. Use gentle washing, avoid tight pulling and frequent high heat, and choose enough nourishing food for your needs. A clinician may examine the scalp and request targeted tests. Finasteride treatment may be discussed in selected situations, but it requires individual medical advice and is not appropriate for everyone.

Book an assessment if thinning is progressing, shedding is persistent, or the scalp is itchy, painful, red, scaly, or tender. Seek prompt care for a rapidly enlarging patch, pus, bleeding, or loss of eyebrows or eyelashes. Also mention fatigue, temperature intolerance, unexplained weight change, or other new symptoms because they may help identify a wider health issue.

What pattern do you see on examination? Could a medicine, thyroid problem, iron level, or nutritional issue be contributing? Which tests are useful for my history? Would treatment help, and what risks or interactions should we consider?