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Female Pattern Baldness

With the millions of dollars spent in advertising every year, and the hundreds of dollars spent on hair care regularly by women everywhere, no woman wants to face going bald. Balding in women is considered unacceptable, and although many more women are shaving their heads, this is not a statement that is right for everyone. Many women are forced to deal with what is a stigmatized condition since our social tradition dictates that women are beautiful with hair. Fortunately, this is changing. More women are becoming educated about their bodies, and understand that hair loss is a physiological response to stress, aging and genetics. There are now ways to cope and live with thinning hair or no hair at all!

Many women believe that simply because they are not going to become 'bald' like a man, they will not experience hair loss. Hair loss in women can be caused by a number of factors including, genetics, disease, nutrition and life cycle. Many women first begin to experience hair loss with menopause, when estrogen and testosterone levels fluctuate and cause thinning and hair loss. Also, because of women's high level of hair product use, their hair can become weaker over time and cause significant damage in the long term. This can also contribute to hair loss later in life.

Problems with thinning hair can also be from wearing a damaging hair style for too long. These include tight ponytails or braids, which weaken the root and hair shaft by continuously stretching the strand of hair in the hair shaft. Looser styles would alleviate this problem.

Many women also notice hair loss after pregnancy while their body enters a resting phase post-partum. Generally two to three months after giving birth women may notice they are loosing more hair than usual when they brush. This is completely normal, and although some hair loss is experienced, it generally is unnoticeable and resolves itself over time. Hair loss can also be caused for the same reasons by birth control pills, although this indicates that the pill is adversely affecting your body.

There are various patterns of female hair loss that can be easily diagnosed and effectively treated through hair transplantation.

Female pattern hair loss affects approximately one-third of all susceptible women. Although it can occur as early as the onset of puberty, it is more commonly seen during menopause.

Female Pattern Hair Loss (Androgenetic Alopecia)
The most likely cause for developing FPHL is due to an inherited sensitivity to the effects of androgens (male hormones) on scalp hair follicles.

Women may begin experiencing hair loss at any point in their lives. Unlike male pattern hair loss, female hair loss may not have any obvious hereditary association. It may just be temporary or become a permanent problem.

Physical Effects
Women will experience diffuse thinning of hair over the entire scalp area with more noticeable thinning in either the back or the front of the scalp. When this problem is left untreated, the problem can progress to more advanced hair loss.

Other Reasons for Female Hair Loss
Sometimes hair loss in women happens for reasons other than sensitivity to male hormones. Scalp conditions or other hair loss disorders make up the other two thirds of all hair loss in women.

Trichotillomania - This is a condition caused by compulsive hair pulling. Treatment for this condition can only begin after seeking psychological help.

Alopecia Areata - This condition is the result of an autoimmune disorder that results in patches of hair loss. This occurs when the body does not recognize the hair follicles and attacks them. Round or oval patches of hair loss noticeably form on the scalp or in the eyebrows.

• Hair usually grows back within 6 months to one year.
• Most people with this disorder will suffer episodes throughout their lives.

Triangular Alopecia - This type of hair loss begins during childhood. There is no known reason for this disease. Complete hair loss is usually the result.

Scarring Alopecia - Scarring of the scalp can cause hair loss. It usually occurs at the top of the scalp.

• African-American women can develop this due to tight braiding or corn-rowing of scalp hair.
• Post-menopausal women may develop this due to inflammation of hair follicles and subsequent scarring.

Telogen Effluvium - A large percentage of scalp hairs are shifted into what is known as "the shedding phase." Women may experience this due to hormonal, nutritional, drug-associated problems that can sometimes be brought on as a result of stress.

Telogen Effluvium Factors
Physical stress: surgery, illness, anaemia, rapid weight change.
Emotional stress: mental illness, death of a family member.

Thyroid Abnormalities
Medications: High doses of Vitamin A --Blood pressure medications- - Gout medications.
Hormonal causes: pregnancy, birth control pills, and menopause.

Loose-Anagen Syndrome - Fair haired women experience this problem more than others. This problem occurs when scalp hair sitting too loosely in hair follicles are easily extracted by the brushing or manipulating of hair.

• Age is a natural combatant for this type of problem.
• Many women see improvement naturally with age.

Treatment
There are effective hair restoration methods that deal with female hair loss disorders. A hair transplantation specialist should be consulted to make the proper diagnosis and recommendation for hair loss treatment.