Although women who have this problem think that they are the only ones in the world, the truth is that hair loss is facing quite a part of the female population. If we exclude the elderly losing hair, the two main causes of hair loss are two conditions known as Androgenetic Alopecia and Alopecia Areata. There are two categories of Androgenetic Alopecia:
- Female pattern – occurs before menopause
- Male pattern – occurs after menopause (menopausal alopoecia)
FEMALE PATTERN
Female pattern baldness usually mainfests in thinning hair on the scalp, forehead or sides (Ludwig scale). Hormonal changes in the body and imbalance between male and female hormones are main factors. Diffuse hair loss after childbirth and menopause are caused by low concentrations of estrogenic hormones, which blocks the induction of hair growth. The usual share of 80-85 percent of hairs in growth phase at the end of pregnancy drops to 25 to 30 percent.
If a woman has a lack of estrogen or progesterone which results in a loss of hair, then she will most likely be prescribed hormone replacement therapy. Such treatment will be given hormones that it lacks, and which will help her in a natural way to restore hair. As a lack of testosterone can cause hair loss in men, and loss of female hormones can cause hair loss in women.
The second most common cause of hair loss in women with pre-menopausal women is polycystic ovary syndrome, which leads to excessive amounts of testosterone. This can cause exaggerated hair, and loss of hair on the head. Dermatologists suggest that the hair is lost in forehead, around the temples and at the same places where the hair falls in men of the same age.
MALE PATTERN
By entering menopause women have weakened, but held hair. Important decrease in levels of estrogen from the ovary, specific physiological mechanisms leads to increased secretion of hormones with androgenic effects. Usually the hair is lost near the forehead and the top of the head to the rear side of the head.
Male sex hormone testosterone may be responsible for hair loss in women. Increased levels of testosterone in the blood will directly affect increased hair loss. There are times when the blood has an increased concentration of testosterone, but there is a hereditary increased hair sensitivity to testosterone. The consequence in both cases is called androgen, ie male pattern baldness.
Alopecia in women becomes apparent when you lose 20-30 percent of the hair. When testosterone levels are really high, the adequate hormonal therapy is applied. Antiandrogen therapy may reduce further hair loss but it is unlikely to stimulate return of the lost hair.
LUDWIG SCALE
The Ludwig scale is intended as a measurement tool for women who suffer from Androgenetic Alopecia in the form of female pattern baldness to determine their level of balding. Typical hair loss is divided into 3 categories and sub-categories. Type I shows a general thinning at the center part, type II shows thinning progressing to the crown of the head, type III shows nearly full hair loss at the crown.
In the first image (labeled I-1) the central parting of a woman with no hair loss is shown. In the images labeled I-2, I-3, I-4 the width of the parting gets progressively wider indicating thinner hair along the center of the scalp. The images labeled II-1 and II-2 show diffuse thinning of the hair over the top of the scalp. The image labeled III represents a woman with extensive & diffuse hair loss on top of the scalp, but some hair does survive. Picture 8 shows a very advanced stage of Hair Loss while picture 9 is an illustration of frontal recession (hair line is thinning from front going back); both densities are fairly rare on women.
Ludwig scale
OTHER CAUSES OF BALDNESS
- Side effects of medications. Medicines such as lithium, beta-blockers, warfarin, heparin, amphetamines, and levodopa (Atamet, Larodopa, Sinemet) can cause hair loss
- Some drugs used in the treatment of cancer, such as doxorubicin can lead to a rapid but temporary hair loss. If you notice symptoms of hair loss, notify your doctor about all medicines you are taking.
- Disorder of the thyroid gland
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Zinc deficiency
- Various treatments that are too aggressive for your hair like coloring and bleaching
- Shampoos that contain harsh chemicals
- There are other conditions except androgenetic alopecia that cause female pattern baldness like Trichotillomania, Alopecia Areata and Telogen Effluvium
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BALDNESS IN MEN AND WOMEN
- The progression is slower – possibly due to a level of ‘follicular protection’ afforded by estrogen.
- Hairloss is diffuse and does not conform to the traditional patterns of loss in males.
- Hairloss may worsen following menopause with the development of baldness especially at the vertices.
- In men the condition is due to genetic predisposition and is usually age related.
- In women the condition can present at any time associated with underlying medical conditions. viz: polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid disorders, anaemia, chronic illness, use of certain medications.
WHY WOMAN’S HAIR FALLS IN AUTUMN?
Dermatologists discovered in their big research study in which were included 800 healthy women that females lose their hair more raipidly in the autumn.And they found that women’s hair undergoes into the resting phase usually in July, which means that the telogen phase ends after hundred days, in October.
It is believed that this pattern is a consequence of evolution. The body keeps hair to protect the skin from the hot summer sun. Calendar is not the only reason for an unexpected loss. Hair is like very sensitive barometer and hair cells are the fastest in their multiplication of all other body cells.
It is therefore understandable that the hair is often first to suffer when the body is upset and has to fight an illness or a substance to draw from reserves what it needs. Hair loss can often draw attention to problems when there are no other symptoms.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Most common hair loss medicament is minoxidil 2% (for women) and 5% (for men). This is a solution that is applied on the scalp twice a day. It leads to the re-growth of hair. The effect of cure becomes visible for several months, and sometimes only after a year. It is applied continuously. In place of application can lead to inflammation of the skin. Minoxidil is effective in approximately 40% of people.
The key to any kind of growth, or at the very least slow down hair loss, is to apply the hair loss shampoo as soon as you detect any change in the condition of your hair. Hair loss shampoos can work very effectively if applied early, with some brands of synthetic addiction can develop that if the use of specific hair loss shampoo is ended the hair can start falling soon after .
Vitamin A provides a healthy scalp and hair. fIt can be ound in vegetables, especially carrots. Vitamins of group B and C are important for the circulation and the growth and hair color. By entry of sufficient amounts of these vitamins will allow your hair to be strong and do not shoot, so you should eat many fruits, vegetables, grains, eggs, milk and bread. For the hair gloss vitamin E is a necessary and it can be found in brown rice, nuts, yeast, and leafy green vegetables.
Serums provide oxygen and nutrients needed for healthy growth and development of hair. It also acts against the factors that affect hair loss. The complex of active ingredients protects hair from damage and helps reduce its relegation, while other nutrients and remedial substances contribute to health of the scalp and skin of the head creating a perfect background for hair growth.
Hair loss lotions provide effective and fast therapy for hair loss and its treatment ensures excellent therapeutic results. Recommended as a treatment for hair loss, hair regeneration, dandruff, alopecia, baldness, fragile and dry hair.
Hair transplantation procedures are used to treat various forms and degrees of permanent alopecia in both men and women. Intact hair follicles may be harvested from within the safe donor area of a patient’s scalp by either strip method or follicular unit extraction; each harvesting method has unique advantages and disadvantages.
