Did you know women can suffer from hair loss much in the same way as men? Did you know it can affect approximately 50% of women in the UK at some point in their lives? Although the causes for female hair loss can vary greatly, the loss can be temporary as well as permanent.
The hair loss industry is worth over £2 Billion a year. It is an intense market place and not all treatments will offer you the results you want or expect. Hair loss occurs when the hair follicle gradually shrinks which results in shorter and finer hair. The pattern of thinning is different to male pattern baldness:
In female pattern, balding, the hair gets thinner and finer on the crown or top of the scalp and begins to widen through the centre hair part; this is sometimes referred to as the ‘Christmas Tree’ pattern of balding and is classified using the Ludwig Classification of female hair loss. The hairline is usually not affected, except for normal recession, which happens to everyone as they age. The hair loss does not result in almost or total baldness, as it does in men.
Temporary hair loss for women can be due to many causes, some of which are:
• Medication
• Pregnancy
• Stress
• Untreated hypothyroidism or other hormonal imbalances
• Vitamin deficiency
• Lack of sleep
Several scientifically proven non-surgical options are available on the market and the treatments offered are very similar male patients treated for hair loss. Unfortunately, most of the shelf products or hair salon treatments are not very effective. This is a difficult problem, especially in women, in whom the results of hair loss can be socially and psychologically devastating. A specialist hair doctor is required to successfully treat hair loss in men and women.
Non-Surgical Options include:
• Platlet Rich Plasma (PRP or Vampire/ Dracula Therapy)
• Injectable treatments, such as specialist vitamins, minerals and other growth factors
• Foams, shampoos and medications
• Laser treatments
• Low level Light therapy
For suitable candidates, surgical options are also available:
• FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction). This is a method where each hair graft is individually surgically removed from the scalp.
• FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) This is a method where a strip of skin is removed that contains many hair grafts. This method leaves a thin linear scar across the back of the head, however this is mostly fine and not usually visible if the hair is worn more than a few millimetres long.
For women who are suitable surgical candidates, FUT is the best option since most women do not wish to shave the back of their head, which is necessary in FUE (although a non-shave, long hair FUE hair restoration method is possible, this is much more expensive).
