Female Pattern Baldness
Have you noticed your ponytail getting thinner or your hair partition widening? Are there more than usual strands of hair in your hair brush, pillow or the shower drain? If yes, you could be suffering from female pattern baldness, which is one of the most common forms of hair loss in women.
Hair loss, though more strikingly visible in men, affects women as well. Baldness in women has a greater impact because there is less social acceptance of it. Hair fall in women also severely affects their self-confidence and emotional well-being.
One of the most common forms of hair loss in women is androgenetic alopecia. The word ‘androgenetic’ refers to the genes, meaning the condition is inherited and ‘alopecia’ refers to hair loss. This condition can be seen in both men and women. When it occurs in men it is known as male pattern baldness and when it occurs in women it is known as female pattern hair loss or female pattern baldness.
One of the most common misconceptions of hair fall in women is that it is a cosmetic problem. In fact, female pattern hair lossis a medical problem. Baldness in women can occur due to more than 40 different medical reasons and requires proper medical attention
Female Pattern Baldness – Symptoms
Some of the common symptoms of female-pattern baldness are as follows:
- increased hair fall;
- hair thinning all over the head, but the frontal hairline is generally maintained;
- hair looks less voluminous;
- the plait or ponytail appears thinner, or the bun appears smaller than before;
- a ‘Christmas tree’ pattern — where the sides of the partition and the top portion of your head may show significant thinning; and
- facial hair may get coarse in some women.
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Above is a five-grade diagrammatic representation of female-pattern baldness.
Reason of Hair Fall in Female
There are many potential reasons of hair fall in females including medical conditions, medications and stress (both physical and emotional). Female pattern baldness (FPB) is primarily triggered by hormonal imbalances in the body. Conditions such as anaemia, thyroid, ovarian cysts (PCOS) or menopause are some of the triggers of hair loss. A decrease in normal levels of estrogens (female hormone) and increase of testosterone (male hormone) levels in the body is a major cause of hair fall in women. The other reason of hair fall in females is genetics. This problem tends to run in families and is passed on from one generation to the other.
The following are the reasons for hair loss in women explained in detail:
Pregnancy and childbirth:
During pregnancy, oestrogen levels increase and reduce drastically post-delivery, becoming a reason of hair fall in females. This phenomenon moves the hair from the growing phase (anagen phase) to the falling phase (telogen phase) disrupting the hair growth cycle. New mothers are advised to give it time till the baby turns one, as hair loss tends to cease by then. This is because the usual hair growth cycle is restored by that time. In case of persistent hair loss, it is imperative to understand the underlying causes of hair fall in women like iron deficiency, poor nutrition or poor circulation.
Genetics:
The primary reason of hair fall in females is heredity. Women are prone to suffer from a hair problem if their maternal or paternal side of the family had it. Due to this hair loss reason, females experience widening of the hair partition and thinning hair.
Crash dieting:
Excessive dieting (especially mono dieting) disturbs the balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats; becoming a major reason of hair fall in females. Even when the patient gets back on a normal diet, hair loss may not be reversed in many cases.
Oral contraceptives:
Certain oral contraceptives with synthetic progesterone can be a reason of hair fall in females. Even after stopping the use of oral contraceptives, women may experience excessive hair loss if used for a long period of time.
Hypothyroidism or Hyperthyroidism:
The thyroid gland helps regulate the body’s metabolism by controlling the production of proteins. Hair is composed of a protein called keratin that is produced in the hair follicles. Therefore, any imbalance in the thyroid hormones can be a reason of hair fall in females.
PCOS:
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a major reason of hair fall in females. The male hormones (androgens) are excessively present in women suffering from PCOS. This may result in unwanted hair growth on the face and other parts of the body. It can also lead to ovarian cysts, weight gain, a higher risk of diabetes and even infertility. Effective treatment of any hormonal imbalance can help in reducing hair fall.
Poor nutrition:
This is one of the most common reasons of hair fall in females, especially in India. According to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, iron deficiency (anaemia) tops the list followed by protein deficiency as the leading hair loss in women cause.
Female Pattern Baldness – Diagnosis
Female-pattern baldness is usually diagnosed based on the appearance and pattern of hair loss, along with a detailed medical history, including questions about the prevalence of hair loss in your family.
Female Pattern Baldness – Treatment
The causes of hair loss as well as the symptoms of hair loss are different for each woman. Therefore, the best hair loss treatment for females is one which is formulated keeping in mind these specific causes and symptoms. This is where homeopathy comes into the picture. In homeopathy, hair treatment for women is selected on the basis of the medical history, the extent of hair loss, the grade of baldness as well as the condition of the hair and the scalp. This guarantees that you receive the best hair loss treatment for female pattern hair loss.
