Beyond the debate that has arisen around Will Smith's reactions at the last Oscars, we wanted to focus our attention on the drama experienced by millions of women around the world due to hair loss. In this article and from CanaryDoctor we will try to explain what female hair loss is due to.
Female hair loss occurs in more than one pattern, and often these patterns are not as easily recognizable as those in men. Hair loss in men is likely to occur mainly between the late teens and 40-50s. This is known as male pattern baldness, or medically known as androgenetic alopecia. Men with baldness can expect continued hair loss if they have male relatives who have lost their hair in a similar pattern.
Unlike hair loss in men, hair loss in women can begin at any age and continue into the 50s or older. Female hair loss may not have any obvious hereditary association and may also tend to have less obvious hair loss patterns than men.
Additionally, a woman who notices the onset of hair loss will have no way of knowing whether the loss will be temporary or permanent; For example, a woman may be experiencing hair loss due to extenuating circumstances such as pregnancy, stress, or illness. Therefore, self-diagnosis is often ineffective and must be performed by a trained and experienced physician.
Androgenetic alopecia
This is the most likely cause of female hair loss, an inherited sensitivity to the effects of androgens (male hormones) on the hair follicles of the scalp. However, hair loss in women does not usually turn into true baldness in the same patterns that occur in men; for example, women rarely develop the “white hollow” appearance often seen in male pattern androgenetic alopecia.
However, in most cases, female hair loss can be treated effectively.
Female Hair Loss Patterns
Female hair loss patterns can vary considerably in appearance. These types of patterns may include the following:
- Diffuse thinning of hair throughout the scalp, with more noticeable thinning towards the back of the scalp.
- Diffuse thinning of hair over the entire scalp, with more noticeable thinning towards the front of the scalp, but not involving the frontal hairline.
- Diffuse thinning of hair throughout the scalp, with more noticeable thinning towards the front of the scalp, involving and sometimes breaking the frontal hairline.
Female hair loss due to androgenetic alopecia tends to have miniaturized hairs of varying diameter throughout the affected areas of the scalp. While hair miniaturization is a feature of androgenetic alopecia, hair miniaturization can also be associated with other causes and should not be considered a diagnostic feature of androgenetic alopecia. Postmenopausal women, for example, may also begin to experience hair miniaturization. An accurate diagnosis should always be made by a hair restoration specialist.
Causes without pattern of hair loss in women
Most of the time, women can experience hair loss due to conditions other than androgenetic alopecia. Some of the most common causes are:
- Alopecia areata: a possibly autoimmune disorder that causes patchy hair loss that can range from diffuse thinning to extensive areas of baldness with “islands” of retained hair. Medical examination is necessary to establish a proper diagnosis.
- Triangular alopecia: hair loss in the temporal areas that sometimes begins in childhood. The hair loss may be complete or a few fine hairs of thin diameter may remain. The cause of triangular alopecia is unknown, but the condition can be treated medically or surgically.
- Scarring alopecia: hair loss due to scarring of the scalp area. Scarring alopecia usually affects the upper part of the scalp and occurs predominantly in women. The condition is commonly seen in African-American women and is believed to be associated with tight or persistent braiding of the hair on the scalp. A form of scarring alopecia can also occur in postmenopausal women, associated with inflammation of the hair follicles and subsequent scarring.
- Telogen effluvium: a common type of hair loss that occurs when a large percentage of the hair on the scalp enters the “falling out” phase. The causes of telogen effluvium can be hormonal, nutritional, medication or stress related.
- Loose Anagen syndrome: a condition that occurs primarily in fair-haired people in which the hair on the scalp sits loosely in the hair follicles and is easily pulled out by combing or pulling. The condition may appear in childhood and may improve as a person ages.
- Trichotillomania: compulsive hair pulling Hair loss due to trichotillomania is often patchy, as compulsive hair pullers tend to concentrate the pulling in select areas. Hair loss from this cause cannot be effectively treated until the psychological or emotional reasons for trichotillomania are effectively addressed.
Diagnosis and treatment of female hair loss
If you are experiencing thinning or loss of hair on your scalp, the first step you should take is to see a hair restoration specialist for a timely diagnosis. After making a diagnosis, the doctor will recommend an approach for effective medical or surgical treatment.
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