Hair is an important part of our identity. Because of its significance, hair loss can be very traumatic, for both men and women. Millions of women in the United States suffer from androgenic alopecia , or female pattern hair loss (baldness). But all is not hopeless for women who wish to confront their hair loss and take action to safely regain control of their appearance and self-esteem. Those who see their doctors are often able to treat hair loss early on, and find they have excellent outcomes.
Hair grows in phases from its follicle (the skin surrounding the hair root) at an average rate of about ½ inch per month. Approximately 90% of the hair on your scalp is growing at any one time and is in a phase that lasts 2-6 years. The other 10% is in a resting phase, which lasts 2-3 months. After the resting phase, the hair strand falls out and a new one begins to grow. As a result, you lose roughly 100 hairs on any given day.
Androgenic alopecia (the most common cause of excessive hair loss in both women and men) occurs when hair falls out, but new hair does not grow in its place. The cause is not well understood, but it is associated with genetic predisposition (from either the maternal or paternal side), aging, and levels of androgens (sex hormones).
The pattern of hair loss in women is different from the typical receding hairline and crown loss seen in men. In women, there is usually thinning of hair over the entire head or slight hair loss at the crown or hairline. It rarely progresses to total or near baldness.
Hair loss can occur for other reasons as well, including:
There is no known way to prevent female pattern hair loss. But call your healthcare provider if you think you may be balding. He may find a treatable medical cause for your hair loss and can work with you to treat the condition, as well as symptoms like itching or skin irritation. There’s no reason for you to feel anxious, embarrassed, or unattractive because of hair loss.
The hair loss of female pattern hair loss is permanent. However, it is of cosmetic importance only and does not indicate a medical disorder. So, if you are comfortable with your appearance, no treatment is required. If you want to treat the condition, keep in mind that your insurance will likely not cover medications or procedures for cosmetic purposes, but may if your hair loss is due to disease. The following options are available:
Minoxidil (Rogaine) is a medication which is available in the United States without a prescription. It is used topically on the scalp. The medication is usually applied to the scalp twice a day. It may take more than four months of use before you will see your hair regrow. Hair loss recurs if treatment is stopped.
Hair transplants, in which plugs of "donor" follicles from the patient's scalp, can be used to fill the hairline. The procedure usually requires multiple transplantation sessions. It can also cause minor scarring in the donor areas and carries a modest risk for skin infection. Results, however, are often excellent and permanent.
A nonsurgical hair addition is an external hair device (such as a weave, extension, hair piece, toupee, partial hair prosthesis, and hair weft) that is added to existing hair or the scalp to give the appearance of a fuller head of hair. They are safe. Many women opt for partial transplantation and a partial hair addition.
RESOURCES
American Hair Loss Council
http://www.ahlc.org
American Academy of Dermatology
http://www.aad.org
Alopecia Areata Foundation
http://www.alopeciaareata.com/default2.asp
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Dermatologists.ca
http://www.dermatologists.ca/index.html
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html
References:
DynaMed Editors. Minoxidil (topical). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php. Updated February 17, 2010. Accessed March 26, 2010.
Female pattern hair loss. American Hair Loss Council website. Available at: http://www.ahlc.org/femalepattern.htm. Accessed September 16, 2003.
Hair. Food and Drug Administration website. Available at: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-817.html. Accessed September 16, 2003.
Hair loss. American Academy of Dermatology website. Available at: http://www.aad.org/pamphlets/hairloss.html. Accessed September 16, 2003.
Hair Loss and Its Causes. American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Doctor.org website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/men/general/081.html. Updated May 2009. Accessed November 15, 2010.
Price VH. Treatment of hair loss. N Engl J Med. 1999; 341:964.
Trost LB, Bergfeld WF, Calogeras E. The diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency and its potential relationship to hair loss. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006; 54:824.
Last reviewed March 2010 by Brian Randall, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © 2007 EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.