Shedding some hair each day is a regular occurrence for most women. Typically women will lose about 50 to 100 hairs each day, but new hair growth usually replaces this loss. Bald patches or thinning may occur when new hair growth fails to replace the lost hair, and this condition may be a sign of female pattern baldness.
Hair loss affects nearly half of all women over their lifetime and usually worsens with age. The most frequent reason that women experience hair loss is a medical condition called androgenetic alopecia, also known as female pattern baldness.
What is Female Pattern Baldness?
Less common among women than men, hair loss also tends to appear differently between the sexes. Men who develop hair loss often develop a receding hairline or bald spots while women generally notice thinning, which reduces the volume of hair.
The first signs of female pattern baldness for many women is a widening of the part and a noticeable difference in the volume or thickness of their hair. While the scalp may become more visible at the hair part, there is usually not the same receding hairline as men experience.
Female pattern baldness is a progressive condition that typically affects women in their 40s, 50s, or 60s but may occur earlier in some women. Left untreated the condition usually worsens with hair sometimes receding around the temples and the development of widespread thinning.
What Is the Cause of Female Pattern Baldness?
Female pattern baldness appears to be hereditary, which means the condition runs in the family being passed down through the generations. Genes inherited from your mother, father, or both are a significant factor in which women will develop the condition.
Female pattern baldness is more common in women as they reach midlife and often develops after menopause. This association with post-menopause leads many in the medical community to believe that the hormonal changes that take place during menopause may be a contributing factor.
How is Female Pattern Baldness Diagnosed?
Determining if your hair loss is due to female pattern baldness or caused by something else requires a diagnosis by a hair loss specialist that specializes in hair loss treatment. Other conditions such as stress, medications, and vitamin deficiencies can also cause hair loss symptoms that closely resemble those of female pattern baldness. The only sure way to determine the cause of your thinning hair or hair loss is to consult with an expert.
Is Female Pattern Baldness Treatable?
Since a variety of conditions besides female pattern baldness may cause hair loss, the first step is to schedule a professional consultation with a hair loss specialist. The consultation will include a scalp analysis, which will help to determine the exact cause of your hair loss.
This evaluation will help you determine what is causing your hair loss, along with recommended treatments to help you with your hair loss. At Mane Image, we offer surgical treatments which can often stimulate hair growth.
In addition to treatments which stimulate new hair growth and strengthen your current hair, there are also non-surgical hair restoration options. We offer non-surgical hair restoration systems that use human hair to increase the volume of your natural hair and offer a permanent solution to hair loss. Hair extensions, toppers, and wigs also provide an economical and non-invasive way to deal with hair loss. These options are an effective way to either temporarily add fullness while surgical treatments stimulate new growth or as a long term solution to hair loss.
To learn more about female pattern baldness, reach out to us today to schedule your FREE consultation with one of our hair loss specialists.
