Balding, Hair Loss, Hair Restoration | Minneapolis, MN | New York

Women's Hair Loss

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) occurs in women as well as in men. In women, AGA is defined as female pattern hair loss. The patterns of AGA in women are significantly different from the AGA patterns in men.

The typical appearance of female pattern hair loss is diffuse thinning of hair over the top of the scalp. The Ludwig Classification illustrates female pattern hair loss in increasing degrees of severity from Grade I-Grade III.

Ludwig Pattern Hair Loss

Female pattern hair loss can begin at any age from teen-age through middle age. There may not be an obvious hereditary association; whereas a man with AGA usually has close male relatives with AGA, no such family pattern may be apparent for women.

While AGA is the most common cause of permanent hair loss in women (about 50 percent of women over age 40 have some degree of female pattern hair loss), it is by no means the only cause. Non-AGA causes of hair loss are more frequent in women than in men; some of these causes are discussed in the next section.

Women more than men are also likely to have temporary hair loss that may occur separately or together with female pattern hair loss. Two common causes of temporary hair loss in women are the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and untreated hypothyroidism.

A woman who is worried about loss of scalp hair should consult a physician hair restoration specialist for evaluation and diagnosis. Female hair loss can usually be successfully treated after a diagnosis is established.

Female hair loss starts behind the hair line and slowly progresses throughout the entire scalp. Women are able to hide their hair loss due to the pattern of loss and because of the length of hair. Most women who suffer from hair loss are capable of styling their hair in such a way that can conceal any evidence of thinning or loss.

Since a woman's hair loss is behind the hair line we focus on increasing the level of density in between the existing hairs by focusing on only harvesting 2-4 hair grafts. Once we harvest the grafts we then "Marry" 2 grafts together to increase the number of hairs we place into each individual recipient site. This technique accomplishes the goal of increasing the level of density behind the hairline while maintaining a completely natural look.