You’ve probably heard of male pattern hair loss; it’s the most common cause of thinning hair in men. What you may not know is that there’s a very similar condition that affects women. Female pattern hair loss—more formally known as androgenic alopecia—may not be quite as common as its male counterpart, but it’s experienced enough that it leaves countless women struggling with thinning hair. The good news is that you don’t have to settle for hair loss; there are treatments we can provide you to restore a full, healthy head of hair!
A Closer Look at Androgenic Alopecia
First, let’s talk about androgenic alopecia—what it is, and how it impacts your normal hair growth.
Healthy hair growth comes in cycles: Your follicles will alternate between growth and rest stages. The growth stage is exactly that—the part of the process where your follicles are producing new hair. In the rest stage, your follicles stop producing, and in fact they will shed older hairs, making room for future growth. On a healthy scalp, about 10 percent of the follicles will be in their rest stage at any given time, which means a little shedding is perfectly normal.
Hair loss happens when either the growth stage is impeded, and thus made unproductive, or when the rest stage is prolonged, leading to increased shedding.
That brings us to female pattern hair loss, which is brought about by an excess of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). This testosterone byproduct binds to androgen receptors in susceptible follicles, activating genes that are responsible for miniaturizing large terminal follicles.
In other words: The hairs on your head get smaller, thin out, and eventually disappear altogether.
The extent of the hair loss can vary from one woman to the next; sometimes, the thinning begins as early as age 12, and sometimes it doesn’t start until age 40. Also note that there is generally assumed to be a strong genetic factor to female pattern hair loss, and some women may simply be more vulnerable to it than others.
Treatment for Female Pattern Hair Loss
While androgenetic alopecia cannot be cured, it can be treated. The first step is meeting with hair loss experts for a full consultation. When you join us in our Raleigh, NC studio, we can talk with you about your hair loss experience, take a look at your scalp, and help you identify some of the underlying factors that may be causing your hair to thin.
From there, our stylists may recommend various treatment options. For women who catch their thinning hair early, scalp therapy can go a long way. Through topical treatments and laser hair therapy, you can restore vigor to those follicles and perhaps curb the effects of your androgenetic alopecia—minimizing the hair that you lose.
For women whose hair loss is already advanced, extensions and toppers can be used to provide extra volume and length. And, a custom hair system provides comprehensive hair restoration. We provide human hair systems that are personalized to meet your exact specifications, meaning we can provide our clients with just the right color, texture, length, and style. And, a female hair system can be made to accommodate even the most active or athletic lifestyle.
Get Treated for Androgenetic Alopecia
No woman wants to lose her hair but sometimes it happens. There are steps you can take to change it, and to once again look and feel like yourself! You’ll find real allies here at Raleigh Hair Concepts, as well as the solutions you need for hair restoration. Contact us today to schedule a FREE consultation in our studio space.