Hair loss in women
The thinning and loss of hair isn't only a delicate issue for men. Alopecia, which is the scientific term for hair loss, is a medical condition that doesn't discriminate when it comes to gender. Although hair breakage and fall out tend to be more radical in male sufferers, women hair loss is a legitimate cause for concern. Female-pattern alopecia is most serious when hair loss is permanent rather than temporary. Women suffering from terminal hair loss (or androgenetic alopecia) tend to have loss or thinning of hair strands especially at the front, sides of the head or hair crown. Rarely suffering from complete baldness, females with androgenetic alopecia usually retain their front hairline and experience hair generally shedding over the entire head.
Both age and genetics are important factors when it comes to alopecia. Whereas gradual hair thinning and hair loss are generally inevitable parts of the aging process, genetics on the other hand provide clues on the onset of alopecia, how intense it can develop in a person predisposed to the condition and the general pattern of baldness. As far as women hair loss is concerned, the most obvious hair thinning and baldness can be seen along the hair crown or part line.
Although generally speaking, there is no cure for alopecia (whether temporary or permanent in nature), there are scientifically-approved treatment procedures and drugs formulated to alleviate the toll hair loss tend to result in their sufferers. The benefits of these sound treatment options are include: promoting the growth of new hair; halting or delaying hair thinning; and/or concealing bald spots.
The following are treatment options for women hair loss:
The potency of any drug designed to address hair loss in women depends on the nature and scope of hair loss, plus the individual user's response to the drug. For this reason, female hair loss sufferers are advised to seek the counsel of their physician first before pursuing any strategy to treat alopecia. To date, the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication to treat hair loss in women is Minoxidil (e.g. Rogaine), which can be purchased over-the-counter and comes in foam or solution variants. Proper use of Minoxidil involves the application on dry scalp twice a day so that hair loss is delayed and hair regrowth is encouraged. In more or less six months the best results can be achieved, but once a female user stops using the product the problem which the product intended to mitigate in the first place will recur. It has to be said that Minoxidil may not work for some female hair loss sufferers.
With a reported success rate of over 95% of cases, hair transplants have become a preferred women hair loss treatment strategy. A procedure carried out by a licensed dermatologic surgeon, hair transplants are done by migrating micrografts of skin bearing healthy hair follicles from one part of the hair scalp to another where baldness or thinning has taken over. Since hereditary alopecia is experienced over time, several hair transplant sessions may be required. Hair transplant surgery is generally safe.
These are hair loss treatment strategies that are generally conducted in male sufferers, but in specific circumstances scalp reduction (i.e. surgically removing skin on the scalp that contain dead hair follicles) and flap surgery (i.e. surgically moving the scalp containing hair to a nearby area that lacks hair) may be beneficial to female patients.
To cover baldness or hair thinning, cheaper yet superficial options available to female alopecia sufferers include sporting a more flattering hairstyle and/or using a wig or hairpiece to conceal unflattering areas of the scalp.
