What causes hair loss in women? 9 important factors to know

Hair loss can feel confusing, frustrating, and deeply personal.

One day your hair seems normal. Then suddenly you’re noticing more strands in the shower, more scalp showing in photos, or a widening part that wasn’t there before.

If you’ve been asking yourself, “Why is this happening?” you’re not alone.

The truth is that hair rarely falls out for no reason.

Your hair is often one of the first places your body signals that something needs attention. In many cases, hair loss is not the problem itself. Instead, it is a clue pointing toward something happening beneath the surface.

In this article, you’ll learn the 9 most important factors for hair loss in women and how to start identifying your own root cause using my DEEP ROOTS Framework.

Why hair loss happens

Hair growth depends on many systems working together.

Your body needs enough nutrients, balanced hormones, a healthy scalp, adequate energy intake, and the ability to manage physical and emotional stress.

When one or more of those systems becomes strained, your hair may respond.

Research shows that many forms of hair loss are associated with nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, illness, medications, stress, genetics, and certain medical conditions. Because so many factors can affect hair growth, finding the right solution starts with understanding the cause.

That is why simply buying another shampoo, supplement, or serum often does not solve the problem.

You need to understand what your body is trying to tell you.

The DEEP ROOTS Framework: 9 important factors for hair loss

Look at the bigger picture

There’s more to hair loss than hair.

DEEP ROOTS helps you look at nine areas that may hold clues about what’s happening with your hair.

You don’t have to sort through all of this by yourself.

Get My Hair Roadmap

Diet & Deficiencies

Endocrine Imbalances

Emotional & Mental Stress

Physical Stress & Illness

Reactions to Medications

Other Chronic Conditions

Overprocessing & Tension

Triggers in Your History

Shared Family Patterns

Through my training in nutrition and hair loss, I’ve found that most factors for hair loss fit into what I call the DEEP ROOTS Framework.

Let’s walk through each one.

D: Diet and deficiencies

One of the most overlooked factors for hair loss is inadequate nutrition.

As much as we would like it to be, hair is not essential for survival. So when your body does not have enough nutrients, it prioritizes more important functions first.

As a result, hair growth may slow down or shed prematurely.

Common nutritional contributors include:

• Low iron
• Low vitamin D
• Inadequate protein intake
• Low zinc
• Low vitamin B12
• Restrictive dieting
• Rapid weight loss
• Under-eating

Many women are surprised to learn that hair loss can occur months after a significant diet or period of inadequate intake.

What can you do about this?

Start by reviewing your overall eating pattern rather than focusing on a single supplement.

If you’re not sure where to begin, download my free guide on the 10 nutrients women with hair loss should know about. Enter your email address below and it will be emailed to you upon confirmation of your email.

E: Endocrine imbalances

Hormonal changes are a common factor in many types of hair loss. 

When hormone levels shift, hair follicles can become more sensitive, causing increased shedding or gradual thinning.

Hormonal imbalances can occur in a variety of conditions and life stages, including:

• PCOS
• Thyroid disorders
• Insulin resistance
• Pregnancy
• Postpartum changes
• Perimenopause
• Menopause

In many cases, hair loss may be one of the earliest signs that hormone balance needs attention.

E: Emotional and mental stress

Stress affects more than your mood and is a significant factor of hair loss.

High levels of emotional stress can disrupt the hair growth cycle and push more hairs into the shedding phase.

Examples include:

• Anxiety
• Burnout
• Chronic stress
• Depression
• Major life transitions

For some women, stress may also contribute to hair-pulling behaviors known as trichotillomania.

The important thing to remember is that stress-related hair loss often appears several weeks or months after the stressful event itself.

P: Physical stress or illness

Events that place significant demands on the body can also temporarily disrupt hair growth.

Examples include:

• Surgery (especially ones that result in significant blood loss)
• High fever
• COVID-19 or other viral and bacterial infections
• Hospitalization
• Autoimmune conditions
• Scalp infections

A common pattern of hair loss is telogen effluvium, where increased shedding occurs roughly 6 to 16 weeks after a major physical stressor.

R: Reactions to medications

Some medications can affect hair growth directly.

Others may influence hormones, nutrient absorption, or the hair growth cycle.

Examples include:

• Chemotherapy
• Certain antidepressants
• Birth control medications
• Certain blood pressure medications
• Weight loss medications
• Anesthesia related to surgery
• Certain autoimmune drugs
• Anti-viral drugs
• Other drugs used to treat cancers 

Sometimes the medication contributes to the hair loss.

Other times, the underlying condition being treated may be playing a role.

This is why it is important to review your full medical history when investigating hair loss.

O: Other chronic health conditions

Certain long-term health conditions can influence hair growth over time.

These conditions may affect inflammation, blood flow, nutrient status, immune function, or hormone balance.

Examples include:

• Diabetes
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• HIV
• Chronic kidney disease
• Gastrointestinal disorders

Hair loss is not always the primary symptom, but it can be one of the clues that your body is under ongoing stress.

O: Over-processing and tension

Sometimes the issue is not happening inside the body.

It may be happening directly to the hair and scalp.

Examples include:

• Tight hairstyles
• Extensions
• Frequent bleaching
• Relaxers
• Excessive heat styling
• Chemical treatments

Over time, these practices can damage the hair shaft and, in some cases, the follicle itself.

This is particularly important because some forms of traction-related hair loss can become permanent if not addressed early.

T: Triggers in your history

Hair loss often has a story.

Sometimes the event that triggered it happened months or even years before you noticed changes.

Important clues can include:

• Childbirth
• Major illness
• College or graduate school
• Divorce
• Loss of a loved one
• Significant weight changes
• Major career stress

Looking at your timeline can help connect dots that might otherwise be missed.

S: Shared family patterns

Many women wonder if their hair loss is simply genetic.

Genetics can absolutely influence hair growth patterns, but they rarely tell the entire story.

Family history may affect:

• Hair density
• Follicle sensitivity to hormones
• Risk for certain forms of alopecia
• How hair changes with age

Age can also influence hormone levels, scalp health, and hair growth rates.

However, genetics are often part of the picture rather than the whole picture.

Even when family history plays a role, addressing other factors for hair loss may still help support healthier hair growth.

How to start identifying your root cause

If you’re experiencing hair loss, start with these simple steps:

1. Create a timeline

Write down when you first noticed changes and any major events that happened in the months before.

2. Review your nutrition

Consider whether you’ve experienced weight loss, dietary changes, or periods of under-eating.

3. Look for hormonal clues

Think about symptoms such as irregular periods, acne, thyroid concerns, or menopausal changes.

4. Review medications and health conditions

Make a list of current and recent medications, diagnoses, and major illnesses.

5. Use the DEEP ROOTS Navigator

Not sure what deserves your attention?

Take the free DEEP ROOTS Navigator to look at your bigger picture and get personalized next steps.

Get My Hair Roadmap

6. Work with qualified professionals

Hair loss is often multifactorial. A comprehensive evaluation by a dermatologist and/or trichologist can help identify contributing factors and guide next steps.

Putting it all together

As you can see, there are many factors for hair loss.

Because the causes are different, the solutions can be different too.

That is why understanding your root cause matters. Understanding the factors for hair loss affecting you personally is often the first step toward making meaningful progress.

When you identify what is contributing to your hair loss, you can make more informed decisions about nutrition, lifestyle, medical care, and hair practices.

The DEEP ROOTS Framework is designed to help you look beyond the surface and ask better questions about what your body may be trying to communicate.

Real healing starts beneath the surface.

When you support your body and your overall health, you give your hair the best possible environment to grow.

Key Takeaways

• Hair loss rarely happens for just one reason.
• Most factors for hair loss fit within the DEEP ROOTS Framework.
• Nutrition, hormones, stress, illness, medications, genetics, and hair practices can all play a role.
• Understanding your root cause helps guide more effective next steps.
• Age and genetics influence hair loss, but they are often only part of the picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next Steps

Start here · Free tool

DEEP ROOTS Navigator

Hair loss is complicated. Your next step doesn’t have to be. Look at nine areas that may hold clues about what’s happening with your hair, and get personalized next steps.

Get My Hair Roadmap

Free • 20 questions • Personalized results

You can also explore my Hair Growth Grocery Guide for practical meal and grocery ideas that make it easier to nourish your hair from the inside out.