Seeing a hairline recede or the overall volume of hair-thin can be alarming for a woman. When female hair loss occurs, there are ways to fight this type of patterned baldness.
Information about Female Pattern Baldness
Female hair loss can be permanent if a patient does not seek treatment promptly. Most women experience a range of mild to moderate loss. If a person is comfortable with their appearance, treatment is not necessary.
Treatment Options
The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved minoxidil for treating female pattern baldness. This medicine is applied directly to the scalp, usually twice a day with a two-percent concentration. However, the 5% foam offers a more convenient, less greasy option. And it is usually more effective. The medication slows or stops loss altogether, and it may help with regrowth in 20 to 25 percent of patients. This prescription is a long-term treatment, and patients will experience renewed hair loss if they stop taking it.
Spironolactone is an oral medication that a doctor may prescribe for female hair loss if minoxidil does not work. Spironolactone can be an effective medication for women who have an overabundance of androgen, but it is not approved for hair loss.
Other options that do not involve medications is PRP injections and LLLT devices. PRP stands for Platelet-Rich Plasma. This procedure consists of taking an individual’s own blood and concentrating the platelets from it. Platelets secrete factors that can stimulate one’s own stem cells to start growing hairs. This works best in younger individuals and those who have early hair loss. It usually requires 2 series of injections about 3-6 months and maintenance injections 1 a year. LLLT stands for low level light therapy. These devices can be purchased and utilized at home and are painless.
A doctor may also explore the possibility of an iron deficiency when hair loss occurs. Anemia can be treated with iron supplements, which may help resolve thinning issues.
Hair transplants involve moving small amounts of hair from areas of the scalp where it’s thick and moving them to thinner areas. To be effective, this procedure will likely need to transplant many plugs of hair, but patients often find the results satisfactory. The FDA has banned the use of artificial fibers for this process.
When female hair loss occurs, a woman should consult with a dermatologist as soon as possible to prevent permanent issues. Although prevention is not possible, the overall health prognosis is generally positive with this issue.
