Female Pattern Baldness: Causes, Treatment Options and Solutions

Hair is an important part of a person’s overall appearance. Though thick and strong hair is desired both by men and women, it is women pay serious attention to hair care. That is why hair loss is a critical problem for all women. Around 35% of all women experience hair loss or hair thinning, particularly women who are 50 years or above. Female pattern baldness can be distressing and it has a negative impact on the confidence and self-esteem of women.

While hair loss in women is a common problem, there are also various cures, strategies and solutions to deal with it.

Female Hair Loss

Medically known as androgenetic alopecia, female pattern hair loss (FPHL) affects a lot of women and worsens with the advancement in age. This hair loss is common and it can occur in women aged 40, 50 or 60. It is a hereditary scalp complexity, which means it is passed on from one or both parents.

Female pattern hair loss is so named because it follows a pattern. When a woman gets this kind of hair loss, she starts to lose hair in the middle part of the scalp at first. Then, the hair thinning moves outward. Affected females find that their parting line is widening while the frontal hairline doesn’t change.

This type of hair thinning in women can either happen all of a sudden or develop slowly over time. It resembles male pattern baldness with the only exception of the pattern in which the hair falls out. It is very rare to see a woman with FPHL lose all of their hair.

Female pattern hair loss is a scalp complexity that requires immediate attention. If the condition gets detected at an early stage and the right treatment is received, hair loss or baldness can be prevented.

Hair Loss: What is Normal and What is Not

All men and women lose hair. If you see a couple of your hair strands in the comb or the hairbrush, you have nothing to worry. The average person loses 5-100 strands of hair in a single day. This is absolutely normal. Hair has a growth cycle, and so every time hair completes the phase, it falls out.

Therefore, losing hair in a couple strands now and then is not actually a scalp condition or hair loss problem. The actual problem begins when you start to lose hair in clumps during bath or combing.

If you are experiencing excessive hair loss, you should instantly take notice of the same. In the case of female pattern hair loss, you’ll be able to see large areas of your scalp. This means you are losing a lot of hair, and so you should reach out to a dermatologist or doctor for clinical advice and treatment.

Early diagnosis plays a crucial role in determining the severity of the hair loss or thinning and getting the treatment to prevent further hair loss.

Causes of Hair Loss and Baldness in Women

Genetics plays a key role in the development of baldness in females in the 40-50 age group. If either of your parents has a history of female pattern baldness, you are also at the risk of getting it.

Though this kind of hair loss or hair thinning can also affect young girls, it mostly affects women when they reach midlife. The causes of baldness vary from one woman or girl to another. Apart from genetics, there are several other medical conditions or causes that can induce hair thinning in women. If you are suffering from a condition which affects how the androgen hormone is produced, you may develop female pattern baldness and experience excessive hair loss.

Some medical causes for female hair loss include:

Thyroid Problem

Hair loss in girls and women may develop due to an imbalance in the secretion of the thyroid hormone. Whether the thyroid gland releases too much or too less hormone, both of these conditions are considered thyroid problems and may cause hair thinning in women.

This hormone problem can be detected through a blood test which measures TSH levels.

Alopecia Areata

One of the major reasons for women to experience hair loss or hair thinning is a condition called alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune disorder that affects many people during their lifetime.

In most cases, hair begins to fall in small patches. In some people, alopecia areata takes up a severe form and can lead to a full loss of hair. Women of any age can develop this scalp complexity and experience patchy baldness.

This hair loss condition runs in the family. Early diagnosis and cure is essential to recover from this condition.

Illness

Women can begin to lose their hair after a serious illness. For example, if you have a severe infection or high fever, you may develop a scalp complexity and lose hair as a result of the illness.

Medication

Hair loss can be medication-related too. Medications such as those used to treat cancer, antidepressants and anticoagulants are related to hair loss in females of various ages.

There are around 10-12 drugs which are known to be the culprit for hair loss in people. If you are losing hair, partially or completely, you should definitely take a look at what medications you are taking.

PCOS

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a major cause for hair loss which occurs due to hormonal imbalance. The body of a woman who is suffering from this condition releases more androgens.

When the level of the hormone is beyond normal, it affects the growth of hair and often results in hair thinning. There are multiple symptoms or signs of this syndrome such as acne, ovulation issues, depression, etc. However, the most obvious of all symptoms is hair thinning.

Extreme Stress

In some cases, high levels of stress are linked to hair loss. Some people who experience severe psychological or emotional stress may end up losing hair, the condition referred to as telogen effluvium.

Having a bad day at the office does not qualify for extreme stress. If the stress level is severe and it extends over a long period, it may lead to hair loss.

If you are experiencing female baldness or hair thinning, you should seek the expert consultation of a dermatologist or medical professional. To find the right treatment for your hair loss problem, it is extremely important to first get diagnosed and determine the actual cause of the problem.

Treatment Options for Female Hair Thinning

Doctors use different methods to treat female pattern baldness. Which type of treatment will suit a woman best depends on a number of factors such as the severity of the hair loss problem, age and the underlying cause.

The right treatment will prevent further hair loss and help regrow some of the hair. However, the treatment will need to continue for the long term for the best results.

There are different types of treatment available to treat female hair loss. Apart from topical and oral medications, you can also go for laser treatments to cure baldness and hair loss.

However, it is only your doctor who can tell which treatment will be most ideal for your specific problem. If you are experiencing female pattern baldness, you should seek the consultation of a dermatologist or a doctor who has expertise in curing various kinds of hair loss issues.

Once the nature of your problem has been determined and the doctor has found that you have FPHL, they can advise you on the best and the most effective treatment options.

How to Manage Your Female Pattern Hair Loss

Apart from medications and therapies, there are other solutions to deal with or cover your pattern baldness. Depending on the specificity of your case, you may want to opt for other options available out there.

Hair Transplant

For many women, getting a hair transplant is an ideal option to cover their hair thinning. In female pattern baldness, not all areas of the scalp are affected. That is why the doctor takes some hair from healthy scalp areas and then transplants the hair to areas where there is no hair.

A hair transplant takes several hours and is performed on a person while he or she is awake. If you want to add more hair to those areas of your scalp where hair is missing, you may want to consider getting a transplant by an experienced medical professional.

Wigs

An effective way to cover your baldness is to use wigs. A lot of women experience hair loss issues. But you deserve to live your life exactly how you did before your hair loss. You don’t need to stop living a joyful life while you are waiting to see results from your hair loss treatments.

Thanks to hair wigs, they help you regain your self-esteem. Wigs made from real human hair look incredibly natural and fit very snuggly without any fear of slippage. At the Newport Hair Loss Center, we offer custom human hair wigs for men, women and kids.

We provide meticulously crafted wigs, made from 100% unprocessed European human hair. For custom design, we invite you to sit with our professionals and discuss your specific needs.

Hair Extensions

If your hair loss has taken away the length and volume of your own hair, you would want to wear hair extensions. In addition to providing the much-needed head coverage, hair extensions and hair pieces will help you restore the charm of your appearance.

Wearing extensions is very simple; you just need to attach them below a top layer of hair and you’re done. The Newport Hair Loss Center brings you two high quality extensions including One Clip Hair Volumina and Length Volumina.

For more information on hair wigs and extensions, contact any of our offices located in Los Angeles, Newport Beach and San Diego.

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