Baldness in womens

Female Pattern Baldness (Androgenic Alopecia):

What is female pattern baldness?

Female pattern baldness, also called androgenic alopecia, is hair loss that affects women. It’s similar to male pattern baldness, except that women can lose their hair in a different pattern than men.

Hair loss in women is normal, especially as you age. Up to two thirds of women experience hair loss after menopause. Less than half of women will make it past age 65 with a full head of hair.

Female pattern baldness is hereditary. It’s more common after menopause, so hormones are likely responsible. If you notice that you’re losing hair, see your doctor or a dermatologist. They will be able to determine if you’re experiencing female pattern baldness or another type of hair loss.

The sooner you get treated, the faster you’ll be able to stop the loss — and possibly even regrow hair.

What does female pattern baldness look like?

In female pattern baldness, the hair’s growing phase slows down. It also takes longer for new hair to begin growing. Hair follicles shrink, leading the hair that does grow to be thinner and finer. This can result in hair that easily breaks.

It’s normal for women to lose 50 to 100 hairs each day, but those with female pattern baldness can lose many more.

In men, hair loss starts in the front of the head and recedes to the back until they go bald. Women lose hair from all over their head, starting at their part line. Hair at the temples may also recede.

Woman are less likely to go completely bald, but you may have a lot of thinning throughout your hair.

Doctors divide female pattern baldness into three types:

Type I is a small amount of thinning that starts around your part.Type II involves widening of the part, and increased thinning around it.Type III is thinning throughout, with a see-through area at the top of your scalp.

Can genetics cause female pattern baldness?

Hair loss is passed down from parents to their children, and many different genes are involved. You can inherit these genes from either parent. You’re more likely to have female pattern baldness if your mother, father, or other close relatives have experienced hair loss.

What else causes female pattern baldness?

Female pattern baldness is generally caused by an underlying endocrine condition or a hormone secreting tumor.

If you have other symptoms, such as an irregular period, severe acne, or an increase unwanted hair, consult your doctor. You may be experiencing a different type of hair loss.

Can women get female pattern baldness in their 20s?

Women are less likely to develop female pattern baldness before midlife. Like men, women are more likely to start losing hair once they get into their 40s, 50s, and beyond.

High levels of male sex hormones, called androgen, contribute to hair loss in men. It’s generally felt that androgen's are also at play in female pattern hair loss.

Smoking may also increase your risk for developing female pattern hair loss.

How is it diagnosed?

If you’ve noticed thinning hair on your scalp, see your doctor or a dermatologist. Your doctor will examine your scalp to see the pattern of hair loss. Testing generally isn’t needed to diagnose female pattern baldness.

If they suspect another type of hair loss, they may also perform a blood test to check your levels of thyroid hormone, androgen, iron, or other substances that can affect hair growth.

Treatment for female pattern baldness:

If you have female pattern baldness, you may be able to camouflage the hair loss at first by adopting a new hairstyle. Eventually, you might have too much thinning at the top of your scalp to hide.

Early diagnosis is encouraged, as it can enable you to get on a treatment plan and potentially minimize future hair loss. Your treatment plan will likely consist of one or more medications approved to treat hair loss.

Minoxidil

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is the only drug approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat female pattern baldness. It’s available in 2% or 5% formulas. If possible, opt for the 5% formula.

To use, apply minoxidil to your scalp every day. Though it won’t fully restore all the hair you’ve lost, minoxidil can grow back a significant amount of hair and give your hair an overall thicker appearance.

You probably won’t start to see results for 6 to 12 months. You’ll need to keep using minoxidil to maintain the effect, or it will stop working. If it stops working, your hair may return to its previous appearance.

The following side effects are possible:

redness,dryness,itching'hair growth on areas where you didn’t want it, such as your cheeks

Finasteride (Propecia) and dutasteride (Avodart) are FDA-approved to treat hair loss in men. They’re not approved for women, but some doctors do recommend them for female pattern baldness.

Studies are mixed as to whether these drugs work in women, but some research has shown that they do help regrow hair in female pattern baldness.

Side effects can include headaches, hot flashes, and a decreased sex drive, especially during the first year of use. Women shouldn’t get pregnant while on this drug, because it can increase the risk for birth defects.

Spironolactone (Aldactone): is a diuretic, which means it removes excess fluid from the body. It also blocks androgen production, and it may help regrow hair in women.

This drug can cause a number of side effects, including:

electrolyte imbalances fatigues potting between periods irregular menstruation ,tender breasts

You may need to have regular blood pressure and electrolyte tests while you take this drug. If you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant, you shouldn’t use this medication. Spironolactone may cause birth defects.

Other options

If low iron is contributing to your hair loss, your doctor might prescribe an iron supplement. At this time, there isn’t any evidence that taking iron will regrow your hair. Other supplements, such as biotin and folic acid, are also promoted to thicken hair.

One study did show that women developed thicker hair after taking omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and antioxidants. However, it’s best to check with your doctor before taking any supplements to re-grow hair.

Laser combs and helmets are FDA-approved to treat hair loss. They use light energy to stimulate hair regrowth. More research needs to be done to determine if this is truly effective.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy may also be beneficial. This involves drawing your blood, spinning it down, then injecting your own platelets back into your scalp to stimulate hair growth. Though promising, more studies need to be done.

You may be able to conceal hair loss by wearing a wig or using a spray hair product.

A hair transplant is a more permanent solution. During this procedure, your doctor removes a thin strip of hair from one part of your scalp and implants it in an area where you’re missing hair. The graft regrows like your natural hair.

Is it reversible?

Female pattern baldness isn’t reversible. Proper treatment can stop the hair loss and potentially help regrow some of the hair you’ve already lost. Treatments can take up to 12 months to start working. You’ll need to stay on them long-term to keep from losing your hair again.

Can you prevent female pattern baldness?

You can’t prevent female pattern baldness, but you can protect your hair from breakage and loss:

Hair care tips

Eat a healthy diet. Get enough iron from foods like dark green leafy vegetables, beans, and fortified cereals.Avoid treatments that can break or damage your hair, such as straightening irons, bleach, and perms.Ask your doctor if any of the medicines you take can promote hair loss. If so, see if you can switch to another drug.Don’t smoke. It damages hair follicles and can speed up hair loss.Wear a hat when you go outside. Too much sun exposure can cause hair damage.wear caps while going outside.

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Thin hair remedies

Thin Hair Treatments and home remedies

Most cases of thinning hair are treatable at home. Consider the following 12 options, and talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.

1. Scalp massage

Perhaps the cheapest method of getting thicker hair is a scalp massage. It doesn’t cost anything, and there are no side effects.

When you wash your hair, gently apply pressure with your fingertips around your scalp to encourage blood flow. For even more benefits, you can try a handheld scalp massager to also remove dead skin cells.

2. Essential oils

Essential oils are liquids derived from certain plants, and they’re primarily used in aromatherapy and other types of alternative medicine. lavender oil has been used with success by some people with pattern baldness. The oil is often combined with other types, such as those made from rosemary and thyme.

Still, there’s not enough evidence that essential oils can treat baldness or thinning hair. If you do decide to give this treatment a go, make sure you test a small amount of the oil on your arm and wait 24 hours to see if any reaction develops. Redness, hives, or a rash could indicate an allergic reaction.

3. Hair thinning shampoo

Hair thinning shampoo works in two ways. First, such products provide volume for your hair, so it looks thicker. This can be helpful for people who have thinning or naturally fine hair.

Shampoos for thinning hair or hair loss also contain vitamins and amino acids that promise a healthier scalp to generate more hair over time. To get the best results, use products every day. You can also ask your healthcare provider about a prescription-strength version of the shampoo.

4. Multivitamins

Healthy hair is dependent on your overall good health. In cases of malnourished, or with certain eating disorders, new hair may fail to generate from follicles. A blood test from your healthcare provider can help determine if you’re deficient in any nutrients.

If you are low in several key areas, your healthcare provider might recommend a daily multivitamin. Healthy hair needs iron, folic acid, and zinc to keep growing thick and strong.

However, the Mayo Clinic advises against taking any extra vitamins if you’re already getting the nutrients you need. This is because there isn’t any evidence that doing so will reverse thinning hair. Furthermore, getting too much of certain nutrients may actually do more harm than good.

5. Folic acid supplements

Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that’s important for new cell generation. In terms of thinning hair, folic acid is thought to help follicles generate new hair in balding areas. Still, as with multivitamins, there isn’t enough evidence that folic acid is guaranteed to help make your hair thicker.

6. Biotin

Biotin, or vitamin B-7, is a water-soluble nutrient that’s naturally found in foods such as nuts, lentils, and liver. If you eat a balanced diet, it’s unlikely that you’re low in biotin. However, supplemental forms of biotin have been on the rise in recent years, thanks in part to marketers promising more energy and better hair growth with such products.

While biotin helps break down enzymes in your body, there’s little evidence that it can help with thinning hair.

You shouldn’t take biotin if you take vitamin B-5 supplements — when taken together, these can reduce the efficacy of one another.

7. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are called essential fatty acids. This is because they can’t be made by the human body. Omega-3 helps your body fight inflammation, an underlying cause of numerous conditions. Premature hair loss may also be related to inflammation. Omega-6, on the other hand, is important for overall skin health, which might benefit the scalp.

Plant-based oils are primary sources of omega-6, while omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish. If you don’t normally consume such foods, talk to your doctor about using a supplement.

8. Minoxidil

Best known as its brand-name Rogaine, minoxidil is a hair loss treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that’s available over the counter. When applied directly to the scalp twice a day, you may gradually see thicker hair in balding spots. The product is available in either liquid or foam, depending on your preferences.

Rogaine can take up to 16 weeks to take full effect, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s important that you use the product consistently, or else you may not see results. Scalp irritation and unwanted hair growth on the face and neck are some possible side effects to look out for.

9. Spironolactone

Spironolactone (Aldactone) is prescribed for people who have thinning hair related to androgen production. While technically a “water pill,” Aldactone is an anti-androgen, too. In women, this medication may help treat thinning hair and subsequent hair loss related to hormonal fluctuations. A blood test is needed to make this determination beforehand.

10. Finasteride

Finasteride (Propecia) is a prescription hair loss medication. It’s for men only. Unlike topical treatments like minoxidil, Propecia comes as a daily pill that men take for hair loss. Women should avoid these medications due to serious side effects — especially if you’re pregnant or nursing.

11. Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are prescription treatments used for conditions linked to underlying inflammation. Sometimes, inflammatory conditions can cause a variety of symptoms, including hair loss.

12. At-home laser therapy

Laser therapy is typically used by dermatologists and other skin specialists. Now, the FDA has cleared the way for some products to be used at home. At-home laser therapy for hair is intended to help regrow your hair while also making it thicker. The results can take several months to take effect.

The biggest drawback of at-home laser therapy is the cost. Some machines are sold for hundreds of dollars, and they may not work. Talk to your healthcare provider before making such a large investment.

While the process of thinning hair can be concerning at first, it’s likely treatable. According to the AAD, treatments can take six to nine months.

However, if you continue to experience hair loss, it may be time to talk to your healthcare provider. This is especially true if you start developing bald spots. Your healthcare provider can help you detect any underlying medical conditions, as well as offer any related medications. Hair transplants may be another option .

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