Female Pattern Hair Loss

Women with Female Pattern Hair loss are quick to notice their hair loss. Anyone noticing hair loss becomes anxious about the prospects of becoming bald. The reality is that no one wants to be bald and women are especially distressed by the prospect of bald heads. A woman’s hair is part of her beauty and her being. Everyone value’s their hair and most people envision their ideal selves with a head of perfect hair. While men and women both want thick healthy hair, in American culture a woman’s association with her hair is more profound. It is an integral part of her vision of herself, and is a key component in her idealized personhood. That is why for a woman to lose her hair is such a bleak prospect.

Unfortunately hair loss in women is depressingly common. A recent scientific review of medical date estimated that more than 50% of women will experience hair loss in their lifetimes (Dinh, 2007). At this time it is believed that the majority of the women experiencing hair loss have Female Pattern Hair Loss which is another name for androgen alopecia in women. The frequency of this disease is a cause for concern for any person who follows the medical research. It drives physicians and pharmacists to seek treatments and cures for hair loss knowing that so many people will be affected (Scheinfeld, 2008). Female pattern hair loss comes with a series of changes to the health and biology of your hair. The individual hairs become thinner, the follicles spend more time in telogen phase, which is the time they are functionally dormant and shedding, and less time in anagen phase, the time the follicles actively grow new, healthy hair (Headington, 1984). While many things can lead to hair loss, female pattern hair loss is different because if it is not treated it can lead to a permanently bald head. Some things, like stress, surgery, and head trauma may have a temporary increase in shedding and hair loss but female pattern hair loss is continuous and progressive. Common reversible causes of hair loss, like zinc deficiency, thyroid disease and iron deficiency should be tested for before a responsible physician can diagnose female pattern hair loss (Trueb, 2010).

Female pattern hair loss is related to the changes in the ratios of normal sex hormones that occur as we go though our lives. We all have these hormones and our hair follicles respond to the amount of them in our system. Various biochemical processes normally regulate the amount of hormones on a daily bases and these values change with things like aging, pregnancy and menstruation (Shum, 2002). While it is nearly unanimous that female pattern hair loss is related to sex hormone ratios it is not entirely clear what the correct rations should be. Different studies have shown different results, some suggesting female pattern hair loss is a problem of too much testosterone, while others associate it with too little (Futterweit, 1988). The biochemical conversion of testosterone to dihydro-testosterone (DHT) occurs naturally in our bodies but if there is too much conversion it is believed that DHT can be a causative factor in hair loss (Sawaya and Price 1997).

Treating female pattern hair loss is complicated. There are no proven methods that work for everyone but many methods show promise for a lot of people. The reason that no one therapy works is that female pattern hair loss is not caused by a single factor. Some people have too much DHT, some people don’t have enough and some people have a mix that doesn’t quite fit them well (Riedel-Baima B. and Riedel A. 2008).

Recognizing the fact that we don’t fully understand female pattenr hair loss is the key to not losing hope when one therapy fails. Seeing a good doctor and trying different things is an important part of the process of finding what will work for you. Don’t give up on yourself. The most important lesson is to know that even if you did not respond to the first therapy for female pattern hair loss it does not mean you won’t respond to a different tactic. Today, there are many effective treatments for women, including medical such as minoxidil, natural such as topical solution and supplements, laser therapy and even hair transplant.

Medical References

1. Dinh QQ. Sinclair R. Female pattern hair loss: current treatment concepts. Clin Interven In Aging. 2007, 2(2):189-99,.

2. Scheinfeld N. A review of hormonal therapy for female pattern (androgenic) alopecia.

3. Derm On J. 2008.14(3):1,

4. Headington JT. Transverse microscopic anatomy of the human scalp. Arch Dermatol. 1984;120:449–56.

5. Trueb RM. Systematic approach to hair loss in women. Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft. 8(4):284-97, 284-98, 2010 Apr.

6. Shum KW, Cullen DR, Messenger AG. Hair loss in women with hyperandrogenism: four cases responding to finasteride. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2002;47:733–39.

7. Futterweit W, Dunaif A, Yeh H-C, et al. The prevalence of hyperandrogenism in 109 consecutive female patients with diffuse alopecia. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1988;19:831–6

8. Sawaya ME, Price VH. Different levels of 5alpha-reductase type I and II aromatase and androgen receptor in hair follicles of women and men with androgenetic alopecia. J Invest Dermatol. 1997;109:296–300.

9. Riedel-Baima B. Riedel A.Female pattern hair loss may be triggered by low oestrogen to androgen ratio. End Reg. 2008 Mar.42(1):13-6,