Female pattern baldness a.k.a. alopecia in women is the most common form of hair problem that women come across. It involves a typical hair loss pattern, resulting from hormones, aging and genetic predisposition.
Hair loss pattern resulting from alopecia in women
Unlike in men, female pattern baldness does not cause hair loss in a well-defined pattern. The hair starts thinning all over the head though there is no hair line receding. It is rare for alopecia in women to result in total baldness.
In the case of females, the scalp hair loss may begin at any age though usually after 40.
The patterns of female pattern baldness can vary considerably in appearance and may include:
• Diffuse thinning all over the scalp often with more noticeable thinning toward the back of the scalp.
• Diffuse thinning all over the scalp with more noticeable thinning toward the front of the scalp but not involving the frontal hair line.
• Diffuse thinning all over the scalp with more noticeable thinning toward the front of the scalp, involving and sometimes breaching the frontal hairline.
Symptoms of alopecia in women
In normal condition a woman tends to lose around 100-125 hairs per day. Losing more hair than that indicates that the condition is not normal.
The following two conditions indicate alopecia in women –
• Hair thinning over the entire head
• Hair loss at the crown or hair line, from mild to moderate
Causes of female pattern baldness
The disease is triggered by the presence of a male hormone called testosterone in female body. Testosterone is produced by androgen hormone.
Certain women are decidedly more sensitive to testosterone than others. This sensitivity results in hair thinning on their scalp. Testosterone interacts with the enzyme 5 alpha reductase produced by the body. The interaction causes the production of DHT within the hair follicle.
DHT causes production of shorter and finer hairs. When DHT is not received well by hair follicles, it causes reduced blood supply and it causes hair thinning on the scalp.
Diagnosis of female pattern baldness
Women tend to have less obvious hair loss patterns than men and they face non-pattern hair loss more frequently than men. Diagnosis of female hair loss should be conducted by a trained and experienced physician.
The physician diagnoses this hair disease on the basis of hair loss appearance and pattern. He also checks whether other possible hair loss causes can be ruled out. He may also go for a skin biopsy or other procedures to diagnose the medical disorders.
Treatment
The diagnosis of female pattern baldness should be followed by a proper treatment. The patient is usually administered Rogaine. Another medicine is Aldactone, which is useful especially for the women experiencing hair fall after menopause. A modern and popular method used in the case of female pattern baldness is hair transplantation.
Related Articles
Female Alopecia: the Facts You Need to Know About Female Alopecia
By: John Tulley | 06/03/2008 | Health
Female alopecia may not be a life-threatening illness but even so, it can be a serious cause of dismay as many perceive hair loss as a detractor to their physical appeal. Thankfully, female alopecia takes place gradually. It begins with hair thinning, made more evident with an increased degree of hair shedding.
Hair Loss Treatment for Men and Women
By: Monica Thomson | 10/11/2006 | Diseases and Conditions
Provillus has been boon for many men and women who suffer from hair loss. Yes I said women too! The company has two products, one specifically designed for men and one product for women. Both products are geared to stop hair loss and also regrow hair back. Provillus works to give both men and women the nutritional needs we need for a healthy head of hair.
Know About Female Pattern Baldness
By: Cynthia Jones | 11/04/2007 | Health
Androgen production and genetic factors play key role in female pattern baldness among women. The other causes of female baldness include Alopecia Areata, Traction alopecia, Telogen effluvium, etc. The hair loss pattern in female pattern baldness differs from person to person.
Hair Loss in Females: What Causes Female Hair Loss and What You Can Do to Prevent it
By: John Tulley | 03/03/2008 | Health
Hair is often a physical attribute that can make a woman look more or less attractive, and it is one of the reasons why women are greatly affected when they realize they are suffering from it.
Baldness Causes: Effectively Combat Baldness by Understanding the Causes
By: John Tulley | 06/03/2008 | Health
Determining the reason why you could be suffering from baldness will greatly help you in finding the ideal treatment for it. Baldness may be characterized by patchy hair loss on certain areas of your head – or generalized hair loss, which means that you’re losing your hair entirely.
Confused About Your Hair Loss Solution Choices?
By: Nicky Taylor | 07/06/2008 | Health
If you are new to finding solutions for your hair loss, all the information available may seem a little confusing with so many companies claiming they have the best product to treat hair loss. Hair loss solutions fall into two camps, prescription (propecia) or natural hair loss products so how do you know what's right for you. In this article I have put this in a perspective that's a little easier to understand.
Stop Hair Loss and Re Grow Hair With Laser
By: Nicky Taylor | 30/06/2008 | Fitness
Laser hair loss treatments can give the extra punch you have been looking for to help control hair loss and re grow hair. The FDA has given a green light on hair loss lasers after medical studies showed positive results in hair re growth. Very interesting reading for those who find themselves losing an abnormal amount of hair.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Health Articles
Stress - Driving Them Away
By: Paul Hata | 21/08/2008
Chances are you will not be able to reduce your stress level overnight. Many of us have become quite used to stress on the road. However, by trying to make our trips as pleasant as possible, we can go a long way to lessening driving-induced stress.
Stress - Bring An End To The Meal-Time Rush
By: Paul Hata | 21/08/2008
Even if you don't have children, meal time can be major stress time. Your mate might become irritable while awaiting dinner, and you might be grumpy as well. Hunger can be a powerful motivator, but it can also be the cause of major stress. Sometimes, you might find it difficult to concentrate as your stomach is growling.
Mind Over Matter At Vital Times
By: Catherine Harvey | 21/08/2008
A look at one mans survival with the power of the mind after a catastrophic personal injury.
Stress - Are Your Kids Stressing You Out
By: Paul Hata | 21/08/2008
While you can guide your child, you cannot expect to control him or her, particularly when your child reaches the teenage years. Therefore, you have to learn to somehow manage the stress of parenthood before it gets the better of you.
At Home DNA Testing is Here
By: Jason Kay | 21/08/2008
You can't watch a crime drama on TV, or the news (think Anna Nicole Smith) for very long nowadays without hearing about DNA. DNA testing can tell who fathered a child. It can rescue an innocent inmate from prison, or prove the case against a criminal. DNA testing can give...
Fighting Cancer From Within
By: Catherine Harvey | 21/08/2008
A look at the research that is being carried out into the treatment of cancer and how new findings hope to secure a way of using the bodies own defence system to beat the killer disease.
The Health Benefits of Vitamin C
By: Paul Hata | 21/08/2008
The C vitamin is also an antioxidant for the body and helps other vitamins and minerals to be absorbed better. Folic acid and iron, for example, need the C vitamin to maximise their usefulness. The more C vitamin that the body has, the better its defence against colds and other common ailments.
Massage Therapy - History and Development
By: Paul Hata | 21/08/2008
During 500 BC-50 AD, the Greek and Romans used massage on Olympic athletes and to relieve neuralgia and epileptic seizures. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, incorporated massage in medicine. In 130 AD-201 AD, Galen, a Greek physician from the school of gladiators who were rubbed before fighting wrote a book on manual medicine.
More from Michel Waugh
Information on Traction Alopecia
By: Michel Waugh | 06/06/2007 | Diseases and Conditions
Hair loss can also be caused by some external factors like pulling of hair. The hair loss caused by pulling of hair too tightly is known by the name of Traction Alopecia. The article describes the disease and its acute and chronic form.
Mrcauses of Folliculitis
By: Michel Waugh | 24/05/2007 | Diseases and Conditions
Folliculitis results from the infection of the hair follicles. Along with the inflammation the infectious pustules also result in hair loss. Bacteria, fungi, virus and parasites are folliculitis causes which are responsible for infection to the follicles from where it may spread to the other parts of the body.
Cause of Trichotillomania
By: Michel Waugh | 10/04/2007 | Diseases and Conditions
Trichotillomania is a psychiatric condition in which an individual has an uncontrollable urge to pull out his or her own body hair. It is rather a compulsive behavior, in which the person finds very hard to stop the urge to pull body hair. It is believed that genetics is a cause of trichotillomania. The compulsive behavior like trichotillomania can sometimes run in families.
Health 
