Alopecia androgenetica is a type of non-scarring hair loss. In this post, you will read more about the symptoms, cause and possible solutions.
Alopecia androgenetica, also known as female pattern hair loss in women, usually only begins after the menopause. In some cases, women can get it as early as from the age of 30, or even earlier if there are underlying issues (such as PCOS). You don’t get bald spots, like you do with alopecia areata, but it causes hair thinning on the top of your head. Women don’t usually go completely bald, but the hairs that are still left have a thinner structure, are less strong and break more easily.
It is caused, among other things, by a combination of reduced blood flow from the scalp and a detrimental effect from the male hormone testosterone. You could compare the scalp to bad garden soil: it’s difficult for hair to grow nicely in these conditions.
If you’re in time, it is possible to stop this process. By acting fast, you can avoid all of your hair follicles dying off. The treatment usually consists of a foam or lotion that improves blood flow and stimulates hair growth (minoxidil), potentially combined with a treatment that somewhat slows the male hormones down. Muscle massage and botox treatments of head muscles could also be somewhat effective because they help the scalp relax. But the holy grail hasn’t been found yet.
Hair implants can be a solution for women in some cases: they transplant hairs from the back of your head to the balding area. However, this is no easy task - part of the transplanted hair can fall out again. Although hair clinics often offer a lifetime warranty, transplantation hasn’t really been proven to be a permanent solution. You usually end up gradually losing your hair again. But still, even if it goes well for 10-15 years, that’s already quite good.
In this interview, Beaudine talks about how she deals with her Alopecia androgenetica.
