Acne Treatments Guide - Articles

Feminine hair loss, or thinning hair, is actually quite a commonplace problem. The technical term for a woman with hair loss is female pattern alopecia. The hair loss can be distributed all over the head, or it can be localized in certain areas much like male pattern baldness. It's more typical to see female pattern hair loss in women after they have gone through menopause and has the potential to affect over 30% of women with a genetic predisposition to female pattern alopecia. Usually, the hair loss is seen as a gradual thinning. Speaking in genetic terms, hair loss can come from either side of the family.

Female hair loss typically has a gradual loss of hair which is replaced by shorter and shorter hairs until the visible hair is gone or greatly thinned in the affected area. The hair loss occurs most commonly on the front and and top of the head. The effect can be very dramatic and devastating to many women.

Generally speaking, most female hair loss occurs after a woman has become menopausal. But that doesn't mean that it can't happen after pregnancy, after going off of birth control pills, or as early as puberty in the teenage years. Though it is largely genetic, female pattern alopecia can accompany times of illness or extreme stress. If this is the case, the hair loss may be temporary and the hair can return after the accompanying problem is solved. But even then, hair takes a long time to regrow.

Using Rogaine (minoxidil) is usually involved in treatment, being the one medication for female hair loss that is currently approved by the FDA. This treatment involves regular topical application to the skin. It is reported that Propecia is not effective for women. Aldactone, however, may be helpful but takes longer to start working and works best if the initial hair loss is before menopause. After menopause has started certain hormone replacement pills may be useful. Another option for some women may be hair transplant.

In attempting to minimize the effects of hair loss, one ought to first investigate the different options available. The quality of hair additions and wigs has been improving, although these methods are not necessarily guaranteed to improve a woman's appearance. Other options that seek to make hair loss less noticeable include treatment, which does not always work, as well as cosmetic methods including perms and dyeing.