What Is Female Pattern Alopecia?

 

Many people believe that hair loss only affects men. After all, male pattern baldness is a term that makes many a man shudder.

Yet, studies show that more than 50% of women will experience noticeable hair loss in their lifetime. And the most significant cause of hair loss for women is female pattern alopecia.

In fact, female pattern alopecia affects about 30 million people in the United States alone.

Causes of Female Pattern Alopecia

It’s completely normal to lose some hair each day. The body has a balance in place where it sheds old hair to replace new hair. However, when that balance is interrupted and more hair falls out than grows in, it’s considered hair loss. And female pattern alopecia falls into this category.

Unlike with male pattern alopecia, the vast majority of women do not experience baldness or a receding hairline. Instead, they usually notice thinning of the hair along the hair part or the crown of the head. Their hair may also appear overall thinner or patchier.

With female pattern alopecia, the individual hair strands become thinner. They also have a shorter life cycle and don’t stay on the head for as long. And it doesn’t just happen to older women. According to 2018 research, some females may begin losing their hair in their late teens or early 20s. It’s far more common for women in their 40s and older, however.

The main cause of female pattern alopecia appears to be genetic and it often runs in families. Yet hormone imbalances (especially those that come with menopause) and certain inflammatory conditions to the scalp can also be contributors.

How Is Female Pattern Alopecia Treated?

There are a variety of treatments for women experiencing hair loss. If a blood test shows iron deficiency, the first line of defense may be to consume a more iron-rich diet.

In many cases, doctors will prescribe Minoxidil or other topical solutions that stimulate growth in each individual hair and increase its growth cycle. But topical solutions aren’t always effective.

For more challenging cases of female pattern alopecia, a general practitioner, dermatologist, or board-certified plastic surgeon may recommend the following:

Low-Level Laser or Light Therapy

Low-level laser or light therapy uses low-power red or infrared light to stimulate hair follicles, boost blood flow to the scalp, and push follicles into the active growth phase. It’s typically not sufficient treatment on its own but can amplify the effects of topical solutions.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections

PRP therapy is one of the more promising solutions to hair loss.

It’s believed that PRP injections not only trigger natural hair growth, but they maintain it by increasing blood supply to the hair follicle and increasing the thickness of the hair shaft.

The actual process of PRP hair restoration is exacting and meticulous and is performed in three steps.

First, your blood is drawn. This is simply a standard blood draw from your arm. Next, the tube of blood is placed into a centrifuge to isolate the plasma from the red blood cells. Finally, the plasma is carefully injected directly into your scalp at the level of the hair follicles. The injections are made approximately every half inch over the area where the hair is thinning.

Early research on PRP therapy is already showing that it reduces hair loss while increasing hair density and the diameter of each hair.

Hair Transplantation

In the most extreme cases where other methods aren’t working, a healthcare professional might recommend hair transplantation. In this procedure, small pieces of the scalp are taken from areas rich in hair and transplanted to the areas of thinning.

Are You Bothered by Thinning Hair?

If you’ve noticed thinning hair at the crown of your head or along the hair’s natural part, you may be struggling with female pattern alopecia.

You don’t have to accept this as a natural consequence of getting older.

Contact us today to set up a free consultation. And find out how we could help you get back a fuller and more youthful head of hair.