Female Pattern Baldness: Causes and Treatment

Has your hair started thinning at an abnormal rate? Has your part started widening, causing your scalp to show more than normal? If your answer is yes, then female pattern baldness might be the issue. Androgenic alopecia is a life-altering condition that affects you not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. This can eventually leave those that suffer to feel alone and depressed. 

What was once thought to only affect men, in the last few decades, scientists have come to understand its effect on women and the role it plays in their life. Hair loss in women is quite common, and losing one’s hair can be life-altering. Not only does it cause those precious strands to thin rapidly, but it can affect a person’s happiness and self-worth. It is extremely important to understand the underlying cause of female pattern baldness and what you can do to try and stop it. 

Female Pattern Hair Loss: Why Does it Happen?

FPHL (female pattern hair loss) can happen due to many reasons. The biggest amongst women is genetics and hormones. Genetics play a huge role in whether you carry the specific genes for androgenetic alopecia. It was once believed that only the maternal side carried the genes.  In recent years, it has been brought to light that both the mother and father’s side can be responsible. 

Because it happens later in life for many women (around 40 years of age), menopause is also thought to be a huge culprit due to hormone changes within the body. Females produce a hormone known as androgen. When women go through menopause, the production of androgen decreases. Medical studies have said that when the production of this hormone is affected, the development of female hair loss is more prevalent. This is because androgen can interrupt the hair growth cycle. 

Scientists have come a long way in studying the causes of alopecia, but much is still to be discovered. While there is no known cure for female pattern baldness, there are products on the market that can help slow down, reverse, or stop those follicles from being lost forever.

Female Hair Loss Treatment:

Vitamins

Vitamins are a great source to help the promotion of hair growth, but make sure to get the right kind. Multivitamins are a good start.  They provide all the essential nutrients and minerals that both your hair and body need to survive. You can be assured that you will get the appropriate levels of all the nutrients that your hair needs to maintain its good health and strength. You can also get specialized vitamins if you prefer or are familiar with the kind you need specifically to treat your hair loss. If you know that your scalp produces an excess amount of the DHT hormone, then you may want to steer in that direction. Vitamins that block DHT work wonders for your hair, as DHT plays a role in both male and female pattern baldness. 

Low-Level Light Therapy

Low-level light therapy can be used in the treatment of many conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and more. But, where this kind of therapy stands out amongst the rest is in its ability to help promote hair growth and putting an end to alopecia. Low-level light therapy has been scientifically proven to regrow the hair on the scalps of both men and women.

In recent research, it was found that low-level light therapy absorbs into the cells, triggering enhanced cellular activity. It energizes aging cells by increasing blood flow to the scalp and stimulating the production of hair. Low-level light therapy is a non-invasive procedure.  It allows you the ease of knowing you don’t have to go through expensive surgeries. It also alleviates the option of complete baldness or having to wear a wig. 

If you are suffering from female baldness, do not hesitate to reach out for help. You can research on your own to help get yourself the treatment that you need. Or you can consult with a doctor on the best way to combat this hair loss issue. Do not let female alopecia get in the way of your happiness and everyday life activities. Life is too short.  Address the problem at the root (literally), and help get your hair back to its healthy stage.