Hair loss for women can be extremely traumatizing and modern society can be very harsh on women with such issues. From finding a proper job to a life partner, it can have a devastating effect on every aspect of life.
However, such women are not without solutions. We at MAX Hair Clinic have performed countless hair transplants for women, whose lives have completely changed for the better. In this blog we will get into the Hair Transplant for Women and female pattern baldness.
Introduction
Female pattern baldness is barely discussed in the realm of hair care and it’s still considered taboo to talk about among certain circles. The good news is, there are numerous hair care solutions for women to re-grow and maintain healthy hair with the supreme solution being hair transplantations. Before getting to the various Hair Loss Solutions for Women, it is imperative to gain an understanding about the differences between female pattern baldness and male pattern baldness.
Understanding Female Pattern Baldness
Female Pattern Baldness, also known as Androgenic Alopecia in women is a common form of hair loss that follows a pattern of balding that is distinct to male pattern baldness. It is a polygenic condition which means multiple genes cause it. There are other factors causing female pattern baldness as well. Let’s go through some of them.
Genetic Predispositions:
Androgenic Alopecia in women is often inherited from either parent and the exact genetic mechanisms on female pattern baldness is yet to be fully understood. But it is known to be caused by multiple genes making it a polygenic condition.
Hormonal Factors:
Androgens, as the name suggests, plays a significant role in the development of Androgenic Alopecia in women. Particularly, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) a derivative of testosterone that makes androgens bind and shrink the hair follicles.
Other causes include; changes in hormone activity during menopause, pregnancy or a condition such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) which can exacerbate hair loss on a massive scale.
Symptoms and Factors:
Female Pattern Baldness often starts with diffuse thinning across the entire scalp with the most noticeable thinning happening at the crown. Unlike male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness does not lead to complete balding. That said, thinning can also occur around the crown area, leading to reduced volume and a sparser appearance.
Another aspect of female pattern baldness that is different to make pattern baldness is that women almost always retain their frontal hairline while men start their balding at the crown. Female hair loss is more concentrated in the central part and crown.
How Female Pattern Baldness is different to Male Pattern Baldness?
Both female pattern baldness and male pattern baldness are forms of androgenic alopecia but are distinct in their characteristics.
Female Pattern Baldness starts from the crown unlike male pattern baldness where the balding typically starts from the top of the head.
Female pattern baldness does not lead to complete baldness while male pattern baldness can lead to complete baldness.
Male pattern baldness is caused predominantly by androgens, particularly by dihydrotestosterone. Men typically have a higher level of androgens than women. These androgens bind with the hair follicles and shrink them.
Although androgens are present in women, female pattern baldness does not occur solely due to androgens like men. There are a few other factors in play like change in hormones or a change in hormone activity, if the woman is pregnant, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and thyroid disorders, can contribute significantly to Female Pattern Baldness.
Genetic predispositions play a significant role in both men and women. That said, men often inherit male pattern baldness from both parents while it is not clearly understood how women inherit female pattern baldness but it is polygenic and involves multiple genes.
How is female hair transplant surgery different to hair transplant surgery for men?
Hair transplant for women and men follow the same general principles but are vastly different due to the variations in the cause, gender and distinct patterns of balding.
Here’s a brief about hair transplant for women and men:
The pre-transplant diagnosis for men is straight forward with a clear pattern of baldness while women require thorough examination in order to rule out other causes of hair loss like hormonal imbalance, thyroid issues or nutritional deficiencies.
Men typically have a robust donor area making it easy to identify the donor area and the recipient area. Women on the other hand, women have a limited donor area because of the diffused thinning which affects the number of hair follicles available for implanting.
Scalp laxity (scalp laxity is the looseness level of the hair follicles) is an important factor for hair transplant for men. For women, scalp laxity is not as crucial because hair loss surgery for women does not lay a big emphasis on scalp laxity due to the preference for Follicular Unit Extraction method.
Women’s Hair Transplant Cost also differs to that of men and the exact cost of a hair transplant for women depends on the particular individual and can only be determined after a consultation with the doctor.
Conclusion
Hair loss can create a significant impact on a person’s confidence be it male or female. However, social expectations often place a higher emphasis on women’s hairstyle which makes it particularly distressing for women suffering from female pattern baldness.
While the fundamental principles of hair transplantation apply for both men and women, the differences in balding patterns, donor hair availability, patient expectations. At MAX Hair Clinic, we understand these underlying factors and perform successful and permanent hair transplantations that will bring not only bring back lost hair but also lost confidence and self-esteem.
