Female Hair Loss

Causes of female hair loss

Hair loss in women can be caused by a variety of factors and is often passed down through genetics. The most common kind of female hair loss is the same type experienced by men, known as pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia. In addition to genetics, causes of hair thinning or balding in females include:

• Age
• Alopecia areata
• Cancer treatments
• Childbirth
• Illness or stress
• Inflammation
• Iron deficiency
• Menopause

Hair loss can also be caused by some hairstyles. If your hair is often tied back, the frequent pulling can loosen the hair at the root and cause the hair to fall out. A discussion with one of our experienced professionals will help determine the possible causes of your hair loss and the best approach to treatment.

The Symptoms

Whilst men experience hair loss at the hairline and top of the head, women with androgenetic alopecia usually see the beginnings of hair loss at the part line. This thinning often progresses gradually from the top of the head to other areas. Although pattern baldness can affect both men and women, it is rare for women to have receding hairlines or to go completely bald.

Using the Ludwig Classification, clinicians categorise the severity of female hair loss into three categories. The first category, type one, is mild hair loss that can be easily hidden by hair styling. The second type is more moderate hair loss characterised by noticeable thinning and widening of the parting line. Type three refers to more severe thinning, with the scalp being visible underneath the hair at the top of the head. Signs of hair loss can include:

• The emergence of bald spots
• Losing clumps of hair
• Overall thinning
• Widening of the part line
• Full-body hair loss

Transplants for female hair loss

Hair transplants are the most common remedy for female hair loss and have been widely used to improve people’s self-esteem and confidence. Our transplant procedures use sophisticated FUE technology to achieve a high rate of patient satisfaction.

FUE stands for follicular unit extraction and refers to the process of extracting hair follicles individually from the scalp. Micro-incisions are made with the specialised extraction device to collect specific follicular units for grafting. Once enough units have been collected using the device, the hairs are re-implanted into the scalp in the area that is balding or thinning. This process uses the already existing hairs on your head to fill bald patches and restore volume to areas where it is needed.

Hair transplants are not always suited to everyone, and for this reason, a consultation will be needed to establish whether you are a suitable candidate. Generally, ideal candidates are patients who do not have medical conditions that would interfere with the procedure. They also have adequate hair volume in the donor site (usually the back of the head) to be used for grafting.

What to expect

A hair transplant is considered minimally invasive, which means hairs can be transplanted without major incisions or scarring. It can be performed in one day under a local anaesthetic. The process will not be painful and most patients experience a quick recovery time. The procedure is a three-step process:

1. Extraction: A device will be used to individually extract hairs from the scalp using micro-incisions.
2. Harvesting: The clinician will collect enough hair follicle units for transplantation. The number of grafts will vary depending on the individual patient and their preferences.
3. Implantation: The grafts will be implanted into the thinning area of the scalp to restore volume with a natural appearance.

Things to consider

Whilst recovery times after FUE hair transplants are usually quick, it is common to experience some mild redness, swelling, and sensitivity in the days afterwards. Pain medication may be prescribed to help manage any discomfort and aid in a smooth recovery. These symptoms should subside within 10 days.

As hair takes time to grow, your results may not be noticeable until some months after the procedure. The transplanted hair will begin to shed after a month or so, and new hair will begin growing after about four months.