The hair care industry is a billion dollar industry. "A perm, relaxer or color ranges in price from $65 to over $100 and most women get their hair retouched every 2-3 months. That's a lot of money spent per year!

The models that grace the pages of magazines and on television commercials shaking their heads to show off their fabulous locks is one of the major reasons that the industry is doing so well. Women want to look their best and will find any means to do so. Why wouldn't anyone want to look fabulous! We see our favorite celebrities do it so why not us.

However, there is one area of the hair industry that is not publicized as much, and that is hair loss in women, which has become very common in many women. This can be an incredibly devastating experience for many women. The loss of hair can lead to feelings of embarrassment and shame.

A three-year study of women suffering from loss of hair in the late 1990's had identified iron deficiency as the cause of hair loss in 72% of pre-menopausal women.

This loss of iron could lead to anemia. But women should not wait for their doctor to diagnose them with having anemia (defined as too little iron in the blood). They should focus on maintaining a healthy diet.

Here are some recommendations:

Try to get your recommended daily iron intake. Some women with iron deficiency have experienced many strands and sometimes handfuls of hair going down the drain when washing their hair and they were not pregnant (note: pregnancy can sometimes cause premature loss of hair).

So, your best bet is to avoid these nightmarish experiences and increase your iron intake on a daily basis. Make sure your diet contains enough meat, fish, eggs, cereals, peas and beans. Try eating more dried fruits, legumes and dark leafy greens, which are very high in iron content.

If you are experiencing hair loss, contact your doctor immediately. If you are taking any medications your doctor should be able to determine if this may be the cause. There are many factors which can cause hair loss ? iron deficiency is only one of them.

If you want to find out more information on women's hair loss, visit www.curlyhairsalon.com/hairloss.html

Janice Johnson is the founder of the http://www.CurlyHairSalon.com website. An online multi-ethnic curly hair magazine that offers information, tips and advice to care for curly hair.