Apart from enhancing their beauty, hair is a matter of pride for most women. Therefore, losing them can be heartbreaking. It’s normal for women to lose about 50 to 100 hair strands a day but what’s abnormal is when the lost hair doesn’t regrow. It makes your scalp visible, and your hair does not feel thick as usual. In simple terms, it is female pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss. What Causes Female Pattern Baldness/Ganjapan?
Getting to the Roots of Female Pattern Baldness
- Medically or in a formal set-up, it is referred to as androgenetic alopecia.
- Like male pattern baldness, women too face hair loss except for the variation in losing it.
- Your hair may take longer because the growing phase of hair slows down.
- The hair grows thinner due to the shrinking of hair follicles and causes breakage.
How Does Female Pattern Baldness Look Like?
Women may lose hair throughout their head, beginning from their part line, including hair at the temples. Usually, it’s fine to lose about 50 to 100 hair strands every day, but in this scenario, they may lose way more than that. Mostly, they may not go completely bald like men but face extreme hair thinning.
Different Types of Female Pattern Baldness
Type 1
It includes a small amount of thinning that begins from the hair parting.
Type 2
In this type, there could be widening of the part as well as thinning around it.
Type 3
Here, you may notice thinning throughout, including a see-through area at the top of your scalp.
Can Female Pattern Baldness be Hereditary?
Genetics influence your health and habits. Hence, if your parents or other family members have hair loss issues, you may face them too. You can inherit these genes from your family. If you are experiencing female pattern baldness, that’s most probably because your parents or close relatives have gone through/are affected by it.
Some of the Other Causes of Female Pattern Baldness
Hormonal changes
Events in women’s life like menopause often cause hormonal imbalance that can contribute to female pattern baldness.
Health conditions
Adverse health conditions and medical treatment may also cause hair loss. Tumours of the pituitary gland or ovary, which secrete androgen, may also lead to hair loss.
Illness or stress
Any emotional or mental stress may lead to sudden hair loss. You may lose a lot of hair than usual in a short time. Luckily, this hair loss often reverses itself without treatment.
Wrong Lifestyle Choices
Of course, there is a strong link between particular lifestyle choices and hair loss. People who smoke may experience hair loss earlier than people who don’t. People who are deficient in protein may lose more hair than people who eat enough protein.
How to Treat Female Pattern Baldness?
Several issues can be responsible for your hair loss and baldness. However, an evaluation by a doctor can help understand the best treatment for your condition. Some of the common treatments to prevent female pattern baldness suggested by medical experts are:
Topical Medications
Your doctor may suggest topical medication in the form of medicines/creams/lotion. You will have to apply it to your scalp every day to stimulate hair growth and prevent further hair thinning. It can take around six months to a year to produce visible results. However, it may or may not work for everyone. Some of the side effects include dryness, redness, and itching. Hair loss may return if you stop using such medications.
Oral Medication
Doctors give oral medications to block androgen production, which may prevent hair loss and help regrow hair.
Hair Transplant
A hair transplant is a method that involves moving hair to an area of the scalp where it is missing. During a hair transplant, your doctor removes hair from a specific area with healthy hair growth and then transplants it to another spot where the hair is missing.
Laser Treatment
Low-level laser lights help stimulate hair growth in women.
How to Prevent Female Pattern Baldness/Ganjapan?
- Avoid (or limit) hair treatments that can lead to hair damage, such as straightening, curling and hair extensions.
- Follow a balanced diet that is rich in protein, iron, vitamins and other essential nutrients.
- Protect the hair from UV rays by wearing a hat, carrying an umbrella or covering your hair.
- Check with your doctor if the hair loss is due to underlying health issues or medications.
- It is best to avoid combing your hair when it is wet as it is highly fragile during this time.
Hair, Thin Hair or No Hair – You’re Gorgeous
Female pattern baldness is way more than hair loss for women as it can be disturbing to handle constant scrutiny by people around you. At times, it can even hamper your self-confidence. However, remember that it’s not your fault as certain things are beyond your control.
The good part is there are various treatment options that you can utilise. Early diagnosis can help prevent further hair loss based on your condition. Talk to a dermatologist who can help determine the cause and best treatment option.
FAQs
1. Can female pattern baldness occur in the 20s?
Usually, women experience this issue in their 40s, 50s or beyond. However, someone in their 20s may face it as well. It could occur due to factors such as high levels of androgens, underlying health issues, smoking and lifestyle choices.
2. Is female pattern baldness reversible by any means?
Unfortunately, it isn’t reversible. Though, treatment can prevent hair loss and may aid in hair regrowth. It may take some time or even a year for you to notice any result.
3. Does hair loss due to hormonal issues grow back?
By getting proper treatment to balance, hormones can have a positive impact on your hair health. You may even notice less hair breakage, but it would be tough to predict when your hair would grow back or the exact time you can start seeing results. Everything will depend on your condition and treatment.
