While most women dislike the occasional bad hair' day which can ruin mood as well as appearance, there are millions of women - many of them young - who are suffering daily hair anguish.

They have hair loss, hair thinning, or bald patches conditions which can strike at their self-esteem and femininity and even lead to depression.

The distress it can cause has been highlighted recently in the ITV drama series, Where The Heart Is, where Jean (Jan Frances) is wearing a wig because she has lost her hair through alopecia.

Trichologist Jane Mayhead says: "Hair loss can be psychologically devastating and have a real impact on a woman's self-confidence.

"It does seem to affect increasing numbers of women, and also at a younger age.

"This may be because women are under greater stress through working harder and longer hours. This can affect health and hair."

A new study by Regaine backs this up, as it found that 50 per cent of the women surveyed with hair loss first noticed hair thinning between the ages of 15 to 35.

General research shows that up to two-thirds of women experience hair loss at some stage of their lives, most commonly post pregnancy or during the menopause.

The causes include hormonal changes, traumatic experiences or a period of extreme stress, or a hereditary link, Mayhead explains.

Encouragingly she points out that few women go bald and that if the cause is identified the majority can be helped.

"Women may not regain all the hair they have lost, but they may be able to improve hair growth and slow down the loss."

Former TV presenter Elizabeth Steel is one sufferer whose hair returned but the devastating experience inspired her to set up a support organisation, Hairline International, www.hairlineinternational.com for other women.

She lost 90 per cent of her hair in her early twenties after suffering alopecia and had to wear a wig. Her hair re-grew after eight years.

"I felt so isolated. I thought I was the only woman this had happened to.

"I worried that I would lose both my job and even my husband as I lost total confidence in myself and my femininity. It was traumatic."

She reveals: "I have received many calls from women who are desperate to get help and often very depressed. I always tell women they are not alone.

"Also, once they can identify why hair loss is happening there are treatments and life changes they can make which may improve the situation."

FACTS AND FIGURES

Many causes of female hair loss are temporary - check your general health and be patient.

Check your family to discover if there's a history of female pattern baldness.

Take time to research what may help you, including improving nutrition and lifestyle and reducing stress.

A survey by Regaine, a hereditary hair loss treatment, found that 86% of women felt depressed due to hair loss.

Only half those questioned felt they were given useful advice by their GP. Over 25% would give up their sex life and just under 25% would give up their career to have their hair back.

CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS Jane Mayhead has two clinics in Kent and London and runs a support group (01634 352 425/020 7631 0156) highlights three of the key causes of hair loss.

OVERALL HAIR LOSS: The most common form of alopecia. One in three women will suffer from overall hair shedding. This occurs post pregnancy, post illness, after taking some types of medication, and also because of nutritional deficiencies such as lack of iron. Shock or stress can also play a part.

ANDROGENIC ALOPECIA: This is thinning "see-through hair". In general, genes play a large role here - hereditary hair loss or female pattern balding' accounts for 95 per cent of female hair loss.

ALOPECIA AREATA: This appears as round bare patches measuring about an inch across. It is believed to be triggered by the body's immune system wrongly recognising hair follicles as foreign and attacking them. It's an auto-immune disorder and most people will have only one experience of this and hair will regrow. In around 20 per cent of cases hair loss recurs and can become permanent.

Gabrielle Fagan