How Can I Manage Female Pattern Baldness with a Dermatologist?
While baldness is most often associated with men, women also face female pattern hair loss. The first sign of female hair loss is thinning of the hair at the top of the head and the crows. Though the hair will begin thinning out, the hairline will not recess. It’s also important to note that female pattern hair loss does not usually result in complete or even near-complete hair loss.
What Can Be Done About Female Pattern Hair Loss?
Patients who are dealing with female pattern hair loss often feel anxiety and distress. It’s important to identify the specific age of onset for female pattern hair loss. This is the best way to ensure that your doctor or a specialist will be able to determine the exact type of hair loss you’re experiencing.
Once they know what you’re dealing with, they’ll be able to suggest the appropriate cosmetic treatment. Overall, female pattern hair loss is when hair miniaturization occurs or the hair follicle downsizes. This happens because of matrix reduction and anagen shortening.
3 Types of Female Pattern Hair Loss
There are three basic stages of female pattern hair loss, each one related to a specific age:
- Androgenetic Alopecia: This can happen anywhere between puberty and the age of 40.
- Female Pattern Hair Loss: Though the term “female pattern hair loss” is used to refer to all types of hair thinning in women, it technically refers so the hair loss that women may experience between the ages of 45 and 55.
- Senescent Alopecia: This refers to female hair thinning that occurs at or after the age of 60.
Management of Female Pattern Hair Loss
It’s possible to manage female pattern hair loss medically. Medical management may include the following:
- Minoxidil
- Estrogen
- Finasteride
- Dutasteride
- Spironolactone
- Cypropterone
In order to medically manage female pattern hair loss, certain agents must be used. These agents have to prolong anagen while reversing matrix reduction. One of the best treatments is topical minoxidil, which can be used regardless of the age of female pattern hair loss onset.
Dealing with female pattern hair loss? Contact the Calabasas Dermatology Center team today to learn about our treatments.