General Illness Information
Medical Term: Female Pattern Alopecia.
Common Name: Female Pattern Baldness, Hair Loss, Thinning Hair.
Description: Female pattern baldness is a pathological hair loss in females.
Causes:
- violation of the structure of the hair (due to treatment, twisting of the hair, or due to possible violations that the woman has since birth);
- some skin diseases that lead to the formation of hair follicle scars;
- hormonal disorders – such as: too much male hormone testosterone, lack of thyroid hormones, excessive amounts of thyroid hormones;
- iron deficiency;
- drugs, especially chemotherapy and beta-blockers;
- slight loss of hair;
- syphilis (systemic chronic infectious venereal disease with mucous membranes, skin, bones, internal organs, nervous system, with a succession of stages of the disease, caused by bacteria from the order spirochete, Treponema pallidum or pale treponema podalidum.), sexually transmitted diseases;
- temporary hair loss after a serious illness, surgery or pregnancy (telogen miasms – a common cause of hair loss within 2 or 3 months after a strong body stress: a long illness, a serious infection or a complicated surgery, and also – after a sharp change in the level of hormones, especially in women after childbirth. Moderate hair loss in all parts of the head;
- lack of vitamins (for example, biotin is a water-soluble vitamin of group B. The molecule of vitamin biotin consists of tetrahydroimidazole and tetrahydrothiophene ring, in which one of the hydrogen atoms is replaced by valeric acid).
Signs & Symptoms:
Female pattern baldness differs from male pattern baldness.
With female hair loss:
- Hair thinning mainly in the upper part of the head, the “crown”. It usually begins with an extension to the center of the hair;
- The front line of the hair remains;
- Hair loss rarely progresses to complete baldness, as happens in men.
Itching or skin ulcers on the scalp, as a rule, are not observed.
Classification:
Female pattern baldness is divided into gradual and sudden. Sudden alopecia can be triggered by radioactive radiation, severe infectious or somatic diseases, prolonged severe diets and hunger strikes, severe stress and trauma, and general chemical poisoning. As a rule, with recovery, hair growth resumes without using medications.
Telogenous alopecia, or gradual alopecia, is caused by many reasons, for example, . a post-breeding period with violated the hormonal background. Such baldness after childbirth can last up to six months. However, after a while the hormonal balance is restored and the hair become thick and beautiful.
Treatment:
The main methods of treating alopecia:
- Anti-anxiety medications for correction of concomitant stress;
- General strengthening therapy (nootropics, angioprotectors);
- Vitamins against hair loss;
- Irradiation of the bald zone with the photosensitizer);
- Cryomassage, UV irradiation, darsonvalization;
- Mesotherapy of the scalp (intradermal administration of hair growth stimulants);
- Methods of traditional medicine (masks, wraps);
- Professional cosmetics for hair (shampoos, masks, lotions);
- Rubbing of locally irritating foods (mustard, tincture, red pepper).
Treatment of each type of female pattern baldness:
Depending on the cause, there are different methods of female hair loss treatment. For example, in addition to the above methods, treatment of female androgenic alopecia includes:
- Lotions and sprays on the basis of Minoxidil, applied to the affected areas;
- Spironolactone and cimetidine (orally) for the treatment of excessive hair loss;
- Contraceptive means to reduce the formation of androgens in the body;
- Intracutaneous injections with glucocorticosteroids.
It is important to understand that the cause is a hormonal failure, so no external methods (masks, rubbing, shampoos) will help. Female androgenetic alopecia can only be determined by a trichologist.
Treatment of diffuse alopecia includes hysiotherapy, cosmetology, traditional medicine.
In seborrheic alopecia, you can change food preferences (excluding fried, fatty, spicy, sweet), use preparations based on female hormones, and various masks that reduce the skin’s greasiness (with blue clay, kefir, rye bread), special shampoos, rinsing with medicinal plants, mesotherapy injections into the scalp, which reduce the fat content of the scalp.
Diagnosis:
First of all, the trichologist will examine the scalp to determine the density and condition of the hair. Trichologists often apply a sipping test to determine the rate of hair loss. For this test, the doctor takes about fifty hairs with two or three fingers and slightly pulls them. If during the process more than six or seven hairs fall out, this means a hair loss is serious.
After the examination, the trichologist will send you for analysis:
- General blood analysis;
- Biochemical blood test (content of trace elements, liver function markers and other organs);
- Content of thyroid hormones;
- The content of sexual estrogens and androgens;
- Trichogram (examination of the density and condition of hair using a video camera).
If you suspect a disease from other areas of medicine, refer to the appropriate specialists (endocrinologist, gynecologist, neurologist). Then, the necessary treatment for female pattern baldness is prescribed.
Prevention:
Natural remedies are very helpful. To prevent female alopecia, follow the rules:
- Lead an active way of life, organize proper nutrition and give up harmful habits;
- Choose a shampoo for your hair type;
- Do not wash your hair too often. Use warm, not very hot water;
- Limit the use of hair dryers, curling irons and hair straighteners;
- Use only natural hair colors;
- Use brushes with natural bristles and combs with blunt teeth.
Possible Complications:
Psychological stress and loss of self-esteem due to changes in appearance.
A woman should immediately call a doctor if she has hair loss, and also – itching, skin irritation or other symptoms. Any medical cause of hair loss can be curable.
Prognosis:
Female pattern baldness usually does not mean that a woman has any medical condition.
Other:
Not specified.
Posted by RxMed