Did you know that each of us has on average around 100,000 hairs on the head? And did you also know that hair loss becomes visible only when you part ways with roughly 50% of your beautiful mane? Well, that’s why female hair loss is such an important topic.
But let’s face it, everyone experiences hair loss one way or another. In fact, it’s normal for a person to lose between 50 to 100 hairs on the scalp every single day according to data from the American Academy of Dermatology. That’s perfectly normal though.
What isn’t is when you start losing too much hair and hair loss becomes noticeable. And we know how much you value your hair so we’re here to help you understand what hair loss is and what the best way to treat it is!
What Exactly Is The Hair Loss Phenomenon And How Many Types Of It Are There?
Hair loss (or alopecia) is a condition that affects the body or the head (scalp) of a person and it’s generally an inherited condition. This means that hair loss can be passed through the parent’s genes. In fact, relevant research suggests that 80 million people in the US have hereditary hair loss.
And these are the most common types of hair loss:
- Alopecia Areata – Patchy hair loss that typically begins quickly and may potentially lead to complete baldness.
- Involutional Alopecia – This is a normal condition that results in the natural and gradual thinning of hair as a person gets older.
- Alopecia Universalis – Every bit of hair on the body starts falling out, even hair on the eyebrows, pubes etc.
- Androgenic Alopecia – This type of alopecia is known as male pattern baldness for men and female pattern baldness for men. The condition itself is purely genetic and in men, it mainly affects the hair on the frontal scalp and crown, while the entire scalp is affected in women, especially the crown.
- Telogen Effluvium – In contrast to most of the other types, this condition is temporary. The hair thinning related to Telogen Effluvium is due to a significant portion of the hairs entering the resting phase of the hair growth cycle at the same time.
- Scarring Alopecia – A form of alopecia that causes permanent hair loss. The cause of scarring alopecia is mainly a certain inflammatory skin condition or disorder that leaves scars. And the scar tissue is what impairs hair’s regenerative capabilities.
- Trichotillomania – This is a more specific psychological condition that leads to the individual affected to pull her or his hair, causing hair loss.
What Causes Female Hair Loss?
There are many aspects that can potentially cause hair loss in women. From daily stress to more serious health conditions, there are indeed many potential causes. Even more concerning, studies claim that less than 45% of women enjoy a full head of hair through their lifespan.
But let’s take a look at the most widespread causes of female hair loss:
- Medical conditions – Certain diseases and illnesses can lead to hair loss. Such conditions include hypo and hyperthyroidism, Hodgkin’s disease, Hashimoto disease, ringworm etc.
- Stress – Physical and emotional stress might also have a negative impact on your mane in the form of hair loss.
- Vitamin and mineral deficiency – Not receiving a sufficient amount of certain vitamins (such as those from the B group) may lead to thinner hair or even hair loss.
- Hormonal issues – Hair loss is far from uncommon during the dreaded menopause as this is when the female body starts producing less of two vital hormones – progesterone and estrogen.
Now, it’s worth noting that there are two distinctive kinds of hair loss referring to the initial and primary cause. These two main types are:
- Genetic – You can be genetically predisposed to hair loss and there’s not much to do about it. This holds true, especially for female pattern baldness.
- Reactive – This refers to particular factors that trigger hair loss, albeit not related to genetic predisposition. It can be stress, medical conditions, nutritional deficiency etc.
Are Breastfeeding And Hair Loss Related?
Not really, according to a particular study conducted on the subject of breastfeeding and hair loss. The term used to describe this is postpartum telogen effluvium. Now, telogen effluvium stands for temporary hair loss that usually disappears anywhere from 6-8 months after initially appearing.
Also, the same researchers claim that hair loss related to the postpartum period (post-birth) is not a well-defined condition, the occurrence of which is unknown. And the cited academical data suggests that the frequency of postpartum telogen effluvium is so insignificant that this condition doesn’t even exist.
How Does Female Hair Loss Differ From Male?
Perhaps the biggest difference between the two is that for men it’s more patch balding, while women notice more thinning. Or in other words, the baldness patterns are different in men and women. Nonetheless, research shows that hair loss increases with age and it affects more men than women – 73.5% vs 57% (elderly individuals i.e. 80+).
What women notice:
- General thinning of the hair, mainly at the top (crown) of the head.
What men notice:
- Exposed crown
- Hairline that recedes
- The hair on the scalp getting thinner
Another thing worth mentioning is that both female and male pattern baldness is treated quite similarly. Whether it’s particular medications, hormone (androgen) enhancers or surgical procedures, some treatment options do overlap.
What Is The Best Treatment For Female Hair Loss? Top Hair Growth Options!
The best way to put an end to hair loss for good is via two methods – non-surgical hair restoration or the minimally invasive NeoGraft. Both treatment options can give you spectacular results, although they utilize different approaches to treating alopecia. But let’s now take a closer look at each.
Non-Surgical Hair Restoration
This treatment method aims to “reactivate” the hair follicles that became dormant. Such “inactive” state of the hair follicles will, in fact, result in the thinning or even balding in a particular area.
At Facial Aesthetic Concepts, we utilize a combination of non-surgical therapies such as:
- Minoxidil (Rogaine) – This compound is used to stimulate blood flow in the affected areas, thus helping with thickening and regrowing the hair. It’s available in topical and oral forms.
- platelet rich plasma injections – PRP is a serum that’s injected into the scalp with the intention to “reactivate” the hair follicles that have went dormant.
- Nutriceuticals – Your body requires the right tools to function and operate properly, including your hair. That’s why we also add professional supplements into the mix to help your active and dormant hair follicles grow.
- Photomodulation – This method utilizes a low-level red light that stimulates the cellular activity of your scalp. Photomodulation is used by placing an LED helmet on top of your head, which then delivers the light that stimulates hair regrowth.
- Finasteride (Propecia) – This is a drug that’s just as effective in women as it is in men when it comes to growing scalp hair. Finasteride does so by blocking a specific enzyme that’s responsible for alopecia. However, it wouldn’t stimulate body hair growth and pregnant ladies or those who may become pregnant shouldn’t use Finasteride. That’s because this chemical compound can lead to birth defects.
Minimally Invasive Hair Restoration (NeoGraft)
This minimally-invasive procedure features Follicular Unit Extraction hair restoration with the help of the NeoGraft Automated Hair Transplantation system. In FUE, hair follicles are harvested from your scalp and they’re then placed within the new hairline that your surgeon created.
And to make the minimally invasive hair restoration that we offer even better, we’ve included two additional treatment options for even greater results:
- HyperBaric Oxygen (HBO) – The HBO therapy starts right away after the FUE treatments and lasts several days. The idea is to reduce the amount of hair that falls following the hair restoration treatment and to generally improve FUE’s effectiveness.
- platelet rich plasma (PRP) – Provides additional hair regrowth stimulation and support. Although it can enhance the effects of FUE, PRP can also be used as a standalone hair loss treatment option.
Want To Take Your Beautiful Mane Back With The Help Of Certified Professionals?
Now you can, thanks to our premium non-surgical hair restoration and the exclusive minimally-invasive NeoGraft hair restoration.
We’ve gone to great lengths to provide you with the latest, most effective and cutting-edge hair restoration methods. Remember that we only pick tested and proven treatment options with a proven track record.
If you’d like to learn more, then simply call us at 888-744-1828 and our super helpful and friendly team of professionals will assist you in reclaiming your marvelous hair!