Woman Hair Loss Guide Step 2

Treating and diagnosing Female hair loss is not as simple and straight forward as male pattern baldness. Many physicians subscribe to the theory that women should immediately begin a regimen of growth stimulants (whether it be Rogaine for Women, or other). Like men’s hair loss however, there are underlying causes, and the good news is that a large percent of women’s hair loss is completely reversible. The general idea behind diagnosing and treating it involves a responsible informed physician and a series of tests to rule out, or rule in, the causes.

The most common causes of hair loss in women are hormonally related. Whether it be an overactive thyroid, or the after effects of menopause or pregnancy, there usually is a “good” reason why women lose their hair. The key is to find out what the reason is, and to then evaluate your options in dealing with it. If and when this is not possible, we will give you the steps on how to proceed. First things first though, let’s find out how to help your doctor diagnose your condition. There are three main types of women’s hair loss: Androgenetic Alopecia, Telogen Effluvium, and Alopecia Areata.

Female Androgenetic Alopecia

Similar to male pattern baldness, women’s hair loss can take many shapes and forms, however the causes can be much more elusive. Researchers have classified some forms of female hair loss by using a scale known as the Ludwig Scale. This is a rather limited, but accurate portrayal of what is commonly seen in women with hair loss. Female Androgenetic Alopecia is just one kind of diffuse hair loss experienced by women. It is particularly likely to appear at times of hormonal change, and is generally identified by overall thinning versus patchy loss. Some common causes of Female Androgenetic Alopecia are:

» Starting or Stopping the Birth Control Pill
» The Postpartum Period
» Pre and early Post menopausal Periods

With Female Androgenetic Alopecia, women rarely go completely bald. The end result of the condition is a visible decrease in density of hair in the affected areas.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium, is due to an increased number of hair follicles entering the resting stage, which prevents the hair follicles from fulfilling their regular growth process. Hair follicles gradually become smaller and the hair growth is slowing down. Therefore hair becomes shorter, thinner, sometimes even colorless.

The most common causes of telogen effluvium are:

• Physical stress: surgery, illness, anemia, rapid weight change.
• Emotional stress: mental illness, death of a family member. Thyroid abnormalities.
• Hormonal causes: pregnancy, birth control pills, menopause.
• Diet Stimulates Excessive Sebum on the scalp – Having too much red meat, fried or oily food would stimulate sebum secretion all over the scalp. Excessive sebum causes pore clogging and malnutrition of the hair follicles.

Female Alopecia Areata

A sudden patchy loss of hair may be due to the condition known as Alopecia Areata. This condition is relatively common, and as many as 1 in 1,000 people may suffer from it at some time. The cause is unknown and occasionally it becomes very widespread and severe.

An autoimmune response is typically suspected as the culprit, whereby the body (for one reason or another) is perceiving the follicles as foreign objects, and is attempting to reject them from the system. There are a number of potential causes for this response, and it requires qualified physician to accurately diagnose.

Alopecia Areata can also be caused in some cases by Thyroid disease, and some related autoimmune disorders including Hashimoto’s disease, ernicious anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis. Alopecia Areata is relatively common in children.

With this condition, usually, given time, the hair reappears on its own, although in persistent cases, steroid injections may help. Sometimes the condition becomes severe or recurrent, and the patient may even lose eyebrows and lashes (Alopecia Totalis) or all body hair (Alopecia Universalis). Overall, 50% of people experiencing AA before puberty will eventually become bald.

There is no truly effective drug treatment for severe Alopecia Areata. A diverse approach has included the use of irritants such as dithranol and systemic steroids. Treatment with immune enhancers is occasionally useful but can cause unpleasant side-effects. Topical Minoxidil with or without oral steroids for short periods has been used. Cyclosporin may have dramatic effects but they are usually temporary. In deciding how to treat Alopecia Areata, the age of onset and severity are key factors.

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