Female hair loss can be very difficult for a woman to cope with and the treatment options are not as varying as they are for men. The first step when a woman begins to notice hair thinning or hair loss is to determine what is causing the condition. Read below for five causes of female hair loss that you may have not considered:

1. Stress – An over abundance of stress can have physical implications on the body, especially for women. Although short term everyday stress will not cause hair loss, according to Paradi Mirmirani, MD, a dermatologist with the Permanente Medical Group in Vallejo, California in a Web MD article, the stress that causes you to lose sleep or lose your appetite can cause hair loss for some people.

2. Hormone Changes (such as from pregnancy) – Changes in hormone for women can affect all parts of the body for women, and some women experience hair loss during pregnancy.

3. Nutrition – Nutritional deficiencies can affect the health of your hair. The right amount of proper vitamins and minerals, and protein, for example, are crucial for healthy scalp.

4. Genetics – Genetic female hair loss affects millions of women and is caused by an over abundance of the hormone dihydrotestosterone in the body that attacks the hair follicles.

5. Other diseases or illnesses – Conditions such as a thyroid condition or problem can cause hair loss and sometimes the symptoms are indications of a more serious condition.