Female Hair Loss

Approximately 40% of women in the United States develop some form of hair loss over their lifetimes. Hair loss can begin in any decade (20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and on) but becomes more common with increasing age. Female hair loss can take on a variety of presentations including diffuse thinning and miniaturization, or loss in specific areas especially the temporal peaks and frontal hairline.

There are many metabolic, hormonal and autoimmune mediated conditions that can result in hair loss. Although androgenetic alopecia is responsible for most female hair loss, other causes include inflammatory and scarring alopecias, alopecia areata (non-scarring), telogen effluvium (shock loss) and traction alopecia.

Mechanical disorders of the hair shaft can damage hair over time including chemicals, heat, straighteners and curling irons, and weaves. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause long term hair loss of the scalp or eyebrows and could potentially respond to treatment.

Hair transplantation can provide excellent results for post-surgical hair thinning or loss after a coronal browlift, loss of the sideburn after facelift and to camouflage obvious scars along the temples or anterior hairline. Over plucking of the eyebrows, a uniquely female problem, can result in permanent loss of eyebrow hair and the appearance of excessively wide distance between the inner eyebrows. Surgical hair restoration is an alternative to tattoo.