Hair loss in men is pretty much expected as they age, it can even be said to add character. However, hair loss in women is a completely different story. For a woman, losing hair can be absolutely devastating. There are multiple reasons to blame for a woman losing her hair, age, disease and nutrition are just a few. What most women want to know is how to recover from this loss, either by being able to re-grow the hair or at least cover up the loss.

1- When you first notice that you are beginning to lose hair, it is important to rule out any explainable reasons such as pregnancy (up to 50% of women lose hair after giving birth), age or nutrition (not getting enough protein, vitamins or calories could cause hair loss).

2- If these issues to not seem to be factors in your hair loss, you need to seek the professional opinion of your physician. The doctor will run tests to rule out any thyroid or alopecia issues.

3- The most common treatment option for hair loss in women is the use of an over-the-counter drug, Minoxilil, commonly known as Rogain. This treatment has been shown to work to prevent further hair loss in women and men. It is recommended that women use a two percent solution only and to never use the five percent which may also be available (this dosage can cause birth defects), but hasn't been shown to be more effective. Minoxilil is applied two times per day when the hair is dry. However, be advised that if this treatment is stopped, hair loss will resume.

4- Another drug-Propecia is only available with a prescription, but has been found to be successful in women. Propecia works in much the same way as Minoxilil, in that it needs to be applied to the scalp everyday. If the use of Procpecia is halted, so are the results and the hair loss will continue.

5- If none of the non-surgical treatments seem to work in your situation, and you are losing you hair due to age, you might be interested in hair replacement surgery. Hair loss in women can be treated using this method because it utilizes hair from your own scalp that is not "programmed" by nature to fall out. In short, the doctor removes hair from the back of your head and transplants the individual follicles into the hairline at the front of your scalp. This process may need to be completed several times over the course of a couple of years as hair progressively falls out. It can also take up to a year to see any real new growth from this procedure. Your physician will be able to answer any specific questions that you may have in regards to this option.

6- Many women want to cover up the fact that they are losing hair, even if they are trying to reverse the situation. Women have many more options available to them than men do. For example, a woman can wear a variety of pretty hats or scarves, have a weave or hairpiece placed into the remaining hair or a wig to cover it all up.

7- If you do not want anyone to know that you are losing hair, for whatever reason, a wig might be the right choice. Wigs have made tremendous strides in the recent past; they look natural and can be styled just like natural hair. It is important however, to find a hair stylist that is accustomed to working with wigs. A wig may even be covered under your medical insurance as a cranial hair prosthesis; your doctor can help you determine if this is your case.