FEMALE PATTERN HAIR LOSS

INTRODUCTION

Patterned hair loss (PHL) continues to be one of the most important hair problems affecting both men and women. Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is characterized by a reduction in hair density over the crown and frontal scalp with retention of the frontal hairline. The term androgenetic alopecia (AGA), more commonly used for patterned baldness in men (male AGA or MAGA), is often used synonymously with FPHL.

Clinical Features and Classifications

Gradual thinning of scalp hair, often over a period of several years is the usual presentation of FPHL.

• Stage I is characterized by a perceptible thinning of hair from the front part of the crown with minimal widening (rarefaction) of the part width.
• Stage II is seen with advancing age when the widingon the crown becomes more pronounced, and the number of thinner and shorter hairs increases
• Stage III is usually not encountered before menopause, and the crown may become literally bald

Evaluation

Causes

History should include information about chronic illness, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic and endocrine disease, and recent surgical and medical treatments.

Treatment

• Counselling

Women with hair loss are more likely to have a lowered self-esteem and lowered quality of life than men. Thus, the patient should be adequately counseled about the need for detailed evaluation, availability of effective medical treatments.

• Nutritional supplementation
• Medical treatment
• Oral

Surgical treatment

Hair transplantation is advantageous in being less invasive and a permanent hair cover can be re-established.