What you need to know about Female Hair Loss?

Female hair loss has NOT received the attention it deserves. Mistakenly thought to be a strictly male disease, women actually make up 40% of American hair loss sufferers. Hair loss in women can be absolutely devastating for the sufferer’s self-image and emotional well-being. Though there are some similarities, female and male hair loss are distinct entities with different patterns of hair loss.

Unlike hair loss in men, female scalp hair loss follows its own course. Classically, “female-pattern alopecia” presents as a diffuse thinning over the top of the scalp. For most women though, hair loss is more variable. Female hair loss may begin at any age, may not have any obvious hereditary association, and may not occur in a recognizable pattern. A woman who notices the beginning of hair loss may not be sure if the loss is going to be temporary or permanent. For example, if there has been a recent event such as pregnancy or illness that may be associated with temporary hair shedding, the condition may improve with time and a non-surgical treatment. Identifying the correct cause and type of hair loss in women is essential to optimizing treatment and outcome.

Forms of female hair loss:

• Androgenic alopecia – The most common form of hair loss in women, androgenic alopecia is likely causes by an inherited sensitivity to the effects of androgens (male hormones like Testosterone or DHT) on scalp hair follicles. However, women with hair loss due to this cause usually do not develop true baldness in the patterns that occur in men—for example, women rarely develop the “cue-ball” appearance often seen in male-pattern androgenetic alopecia.
• Alopecia areata— a possibly autoimmune disorder that causes patchy hair loss that can range from diffuse thinning to extensive areas of baldness
• Trichotillomania— compulsive hair pulling.
• Triangular alopecia— loss of hair in the temporal areas that sometimes begins inchildhood. Hair loss may be complete, or a few fine, thin-diameter hairs may remain.
• Scarring alopecia— hair loss due to scarring of the scalp area. Scarring alopecia typically involves the top of the scalp and occurs predominantly in women. The condition frequently occurs in African-American women and is believed to be associated with persistent tight braiding or “corn-rowing” of scalp hair.
• Telogen effluvium— a common type of hair loss caused when a large percentage of scalp hairs are shifted into “shedding” phase. The causes of telogen effluvium may be hormonal, nutritional, drug-associated, or stress-associated.
• Underlying medical etiology – Anemia (low blood count), Hypothyroid (low thyroid), Vitamin deficiency (biotin, vitamin C or A), testosterone imbalance, and medication side effect are among some of the possible underlying medical causes of hair loss.

Treatment:

Important breakthrough therapies now provide many favorable options to treat female hair loss. After a diagnosis is confirmed, you and your physician will decide on the best treatment plan. Treatments are individualizes, and ultimately, a synergistic combination of treatments achieves maximal results.

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