Get to Know About the Causes, Symptoms , Diagnosis, and Treatment for Female Pattern Hair Loss
Female pattern hair loss, a common condition that causes your hair to thin in specific areas, usually around the center part. It’s different from telogen effluvium, which is more widespread thinning or a see-through scalp.
Medicines such as minoxidil can help grow new hair if you take them regularly. Spironolactone can also cause a slow increase in new hair growth but isn’t recommended if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
Causes
Hair loss can affect a woman’s self-esteem. However, there’s usually no cause for concern unless she has other symptoms. It’s important to see a healthcare expert if she has concerns, especially if other symptoms, such as itching or scalp irritation are present.
Female pattern baldness is primarily genetic and occurs because the follicles that produce the hairs become less active over time. The thinning can be gradual or more sudden. It usually begins at the part line and gradually widens, with a “see-through” area at the center of the head.
Several drugs have been shown to stimulate hair growth, including minoxidil (a 2% solution or 5% foam applied directly to the scalp daily) and oral medications such as spironolactone that have antiandrogen properties. However, hair loss will return once a person stops using the medication.
Symptoms
Female pattern hair loss is the most common yet serious cause of hair loss in women. It usually begins in midlife. It’s easy to recognize. Your hair starts to thin, and your center part gets wider. You may also notice bald patches or receding hair at the temples.
She or he will also measure the thickness of your hair and look under your head (scalp) for signs of androgen activity. Your doctor can prescribe a minoxidil lotion for your scalp to slow down or stop hair loss and may recommend spironolactone pills or cyproterone acetate tablets to control androgen levels. They may also suggest treatments that stimulate new hair growth, like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or low-wavelength red light therapy for your scalp.
Diagnosis
Because it’s hereditary, female pattern hair loss and care can be diagnosed by getting a medical history and observing the scalp. The doctor may also perform a hair pull test, which involves gently pulling on tufts of hair and noting the results. If two major criteria or even one major and a minor criterion is fulfilled, the diagnosis is confirmed.
Doctors usually don’t need to do blood tests for female pattern hair loss, but they might do them if other symptoms are present. They might check for thyroid hormone, androgens, or iron.
Although the cause of female pattern hair loss is unclear, most experts agree that it’s caused by genetics and not high levels of androgens (male hormones). It’s more common after menopause, but it can start at any time after puberty. Almost all women develop female pattern hair loss to some extent.
Treatment
There’s no cure for female pattern hair loss, but treatments can help slow it down or stop it from getting worse. The primary step is to make an appointment with a healthcare provider to get diagnosed and start treatment. The healthcare provider will get a medical history and do a physical exam of your scalp. They may also look at your family history of hair loss or baldness.
The most widely used treatment for female pattern hair loss is minoxidil (mih-NOX-oh-dill). It’s available at pharmacies without a prescription. It works best if you start it early. Other medicines are available to treat female pattern hair loss, like spironolactone tablets and antiandrogens (medicines that lower the levels of male hormones). These medications are only prescribed by doctors. Hair transplant surgery is another option. It involves removing hair from areas where your hair is thicker and planting it where you’re losing hair.