In most cases, the damage isn't permanent. The missing locks should grow back in 6 months to a year. Some people lose all the hair on their scalp and body, but that's rare.
Treatment. Untreated, hair loss in female pattern baldness is permanent. In most cases, hair loss is mild to moderate. You do not need treatment if you are comfortable with your appearance.
How is female hair loss treated? Minoxidil (Rogaine) 5% is the only topical medication approved by the FDA for female-pattern hair loss. The once daily use foam treatment regrows hair in 81% of the women who try it. Liquid options of 2% and 5% solutions are available over the counter.
There are various treatment options for female hair loss, including topical medications, such as Rogaine. Other options include light therapy, hormone therapy, or in some cases, hair transplants. Eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also help keep hair healthy.
Can thin hair become thicker again? A person cannot change the texture of their hair. However, the hair may grow back after chemotherapy or pregnancy, for example.
In other cases, thinning hair is triggered by something going on inside the body — for instance, a thyroid problem, a shift in hormones, a recent pregnancy, or an inflammatory condition. Hair loss may also be genetic. The most common genetic condition is known as female-pattern hair loss, or androgenic alopecia.
Estrogen and progesterone levels fall, meaning that the effects of the androgens, male hormones, are increased. During and after menopause, hair might become finer (thinner) because hair follicles shrink. Hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily in these cases.
Seeing a visible scalp is often a sign of fine hair, and genetics can be the primary cause for this type of hair loss. However, other common causes of thinning hair include stress, hormone imbalances, certain medications, illness or infections and malnutrition.
As with male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness comes from hormone imbalances, specifically dihydrotestosterone imbalances, or DHT. This hormone is similar in structure to testosterone, but it is significantly more potent [3]. DHT can attach to receptors on the hair follicles, causing the follicles to shrink.
“Vitamins are essential for healthy hair growth and may help in preventing hair shedding and thinning,” says Michele Green, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York. “The best vitamins for hair growth include B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, biotin and iron.
A proven treatment for female-pattern baldness is a hair lotion containing minoxidil. After using it, many women see improvements, including a slowing or stopping altogether of balding, as well as thicker hair.
These hormones also help with hair growth. Estrogen and progesterone can help keep your hair in the growing (anagen) phase. Therefore, these hormones can help your hair stay on your head longer and may even help your hair grow faster.
It's possible to keep hair loss from progressing, thanks to a number of noninvasive treatments. Hair loss doesn't typically cause pain, but it can be emotionally distressing when you realize that your hair is thinning, especially if you can see space in between hairs and your scalp peeking out in places.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is a component of two important coenzymes: flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) [22].
It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it's more common in men. Baldness typically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp. Hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause of baldness.
Lifestyle changes, such as a healthier diet, exercise, and stress reduction will also help you get your hormone levels back on track. Once equilibrium is restored to your hormones, hair loss associated with your hormone issue should slow or cease, and in many cases, hair that was loss may be replaced by new growth.
Hair thinning is not hair fall. It is the drop in diameter of the hair as a result of the thinning of the hair shaft. On the other hand, hair loss causes hair to fall. Hair thinning lays the foundation for hair loss and balding.
In women, hereditary hair loss usually starts after the age of 40. Roughly 40% of women have noticeable hair loss by the age of 50. And less than half of women get through life with a full head of hair.
Finasteride: Before and after
It usually takes about 4 months to notice any improvement. Finasteride tends to be more effective if you begin taking it when you first notice hair loss. A dermatologist may also prescribe this medication to treat a woman who has hereditary hair loss and cannot get pregnant.
Nearly everyone has some hair loss with aging. The rate of hair growth also slows. Hair strands become smaller and have less pigment. So the thick, coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine, light-colored hair.
Fine or thin hair: "Fine hair will need to be shampooed as often as every other day to provide it with the moisture it needs to flourish and grow," Courtney says. Cleansing also helps remove buildup and oils that can weigh fine or thin hair down.