Hair Loss in Women

What is female pattern hair loss? Is female pattern hair loss harder to treat? What causes female pattern hair loss? How can we treat female pattern hair loss? Get Help Today

Hair is a big part of our identity. Noticing a thinner hairline or have dull, flat hair that seems to have lost its volume? Feeling alarmed?

Men aren’t the only people impacted by hair loss. Female pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia, can be just as devastating to women as male pattern baldness is to men.

Here’s everything you need to know about this issue, and what we can do about it.

What is female pattern hair loss?

Humans normally shed between 50 to 100 strands of hair per day, but if you’re a woman losing a lot more hair on a daily basis, you could be suffering from female pattern baldness.

Women tend to experience thinning at the crown of the hair or across the part. There is less aggressive receding of the hairline. Female pattern baldness also rarely progresses to baldness, but it may still impact the way a woman feels about herself and shows up in the world.

Is female pattern hair loss harder to treat?

Women lose hair differently than men do, and the pattern is more difficult to predict. In addition, some solutions aren’t suitable for some women. Oral and topical Fin#$%^&*(), for example, are toxic to women of child-bearing age.

In the past, there have been few options for women suffering from hair loss. Fortunately, one of our clinicians, Joseph Hart, RN, has been on the forefront of research involving female hair restoration.

Often, women can benefit from non-surgical hair restoration procedures, perhaps even to a great degree than men can. When it’s not possible to use non-surgical procedures, FUE works as effectively on women as it does on men. So does a follicular unit transplantation (FUT) procedure, which may be even better—women don’t tend to worry as much about scarring as they tend to wear their hair long enough to hide it. In addition, FUT requires us to shave a much smaller area, so many women prefer it over FUE.

In addition, at MAXIM we’ve developed a female-specific topical treatment which uses estradiol, cetrizine, minoxidil, and fluocinolone combined with growth peptides to support hair follicle health and decrease scalp inflammation. This product may be used in concert with any of the other hair restoration services we offer.

What causes female pattern hair loss?

Some of the factors that cause hair loss in women are also different from the factors that cause hair loss in men. Here are some of the most common ones.

Genetics

As with men, genetic factors can play a role in whether you can expect to start losing hair as you get older.

Genetics aren’t always easy to predict. Genetic hair loss sometimes skips a generation.

While you can’t change your DNA, you can address the changes it’s forcing upon you. Any of our hair restoration procedures can help you gain your hair and your confidence again.

Some Hair Styles

Many women wear hairstyles that can cause lasting hair damage. You might be at risk if, in the past, you have worn tight hairstyles, weaves, extensions, or wigs. You may also be at risk if you’ve used glues, chemical relaxants, or hair extensions.

All of these products and methods can weaken the hair follicle and cause hair to eventually fall out. They can even destroy the hair follicle until baldness and scarring appear.

Thyroid Conditions

Severe hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism can cause diffuse hair loss across the entire scalp. The hair begins to look more and more sparse.

If thyroid conditions caused hair loss, it may be wise to address the thyroid condition first. In many cases, treating your thyroid condition can restore your hair. Some will retain some hair damage that we can then successfully address with any of our services.

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia can cause hair loss in women. Taking iron supplements can halt the progression of hair loss, and may reverse short term telogen effluvium.

If hair loss is severe, you may need additional services to restore your hair to normal.

Stress

Stress can also cause telogen effluvium in women. Certain mental illnesses also promote hair pulling which can lead to hair being removed in chunks.

Any number of stressful situations can trigger hair loss, including:

Pregnancy
Chronic illness
Injury
Relationship issues
Financial concerns
Poor nutrition
Surgery

We recommend addressing your stress or mental health issues even as you enjoy our services so you can feel healthier and stronger all around.

Medication

Several medications have side effects that can weaken or kill hair follicles. These include:

Retinoids
Anti-depressants
Statins
Birth control pills
Immunosuppressants
Beta-blockers
Steroids
Antimetabolites

You should talk to your doctor about the possible side effects of any medications you may take.

There’s a good chance that halting the medication will halt the hair loss. If it doesn’t, our services can help.

Menopause

Hormonal imbalances brought on by menopause can cause androgenic alopecia. This hair loss does not go away on its own, even if you address the hormonal imbalances with HRT. HRT can help you slow or stop the progression of hair loss.

How can we treat female pattern hair loss?

Many of our female patients have seen stunning successes with non-surgical micrografting, as well as with collagen induction therapy (CIT) and PDO therapies.

In many cases, we’ve been able to help them with the FUE or FUT processes as well. Many women have also benefited from our hybrid approaches.

MAXIM is a leader in female hair restoration, with team members who have revolutionized women’s options in this field. If you come to us with your condition, we can help.

Get Help Today

Don’t let female hair loss stress you out or get you down. Instead, contact your nearest MAXIM location to schedule your free consultation.We’ll create a personalized plan to identify the causes of your hair loss and to help you overcome them. Call (802) 370-3227 or fill out our contact form today.