Hair loss in women

Hair loss is a natural part of the hair life cycle – hair grows, reaches its full length, is dormant for a while, and then falls out, and new hair grows in its place. It is completely normal to lose 70-100 hairs a day, with the focus on hair loss when washing. However, if you notice a loss of more than 100 hairs a day, it may be a type of alopecia.

Although men are more often affected by hair loss, statistics show that women make up as much as 30% of the total population affected by some form of alopecia.

As in men, the most common cause of hair loss is androgenic alopecia . However, the typical pattern of hair loss due to this type of alopecia differs between men and women.

While men usually lose their hair first on the sideburns and then on the crown, with only the hair remaining behind the temples and on the crown and nape of the neck in later stages, in women, androgenetic alopecia usually manifests itself as hair loss first at the parting and then on the crown. The hair thins, but it rarely becomes as drastic as in men.

Experts use the Ludwig scale to assess the degree of hair loss in women, while the Norwood Hamilton scale is used in men.

According to the Ludwig scale, stage one is minor hair loss at the parting, which can be hidden by hairstyle and a different way of combing. Stage two is more noticeable at the parting and general thinning of the hair. Stage three is when the scalp is visible, and the thinning of the hair is also visible on the rest of the scalp.

Androgenic alopecia is a condition in which androgens, male sex hormones, which are also normally present in women, negatively affect the vitality of hair follicles. In some people, their effects can prolong the time it takes for new hair to grow and make it thinner – instead of full, healthy hair, thinner and weaker hair grows, until it stops growing altogether.

Hair thinning and hair loss in women is usually noticed during menopause or in older age.

The underlying cause of androgenic alopecia may be hormonal problems, polycystic ovary syndrome, or some types of tumors, so it is important to approach this condition holistically, with an analysis of hormones and the overall health of the body.

Alopecia areata is the second most common form of baldness. It is characterized by patchy loss of hair or other body hair, and occurs equally frequently in both sexes. If all hair is lost, it is called alopecia totalis , while if all hair and all body hair is lost, it is called alopecia universalis .

It occurs for a number of reasons, one of the most common being an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the follicles, leading to excessive and rapid hair loss. It occurs equally often in men and women.

This type of baldness can also occur after exposure to severe stress, as well as in people who have elevated thyroid antibodies.

In contrast to androgenic alopecia, which means permanent hair loss, in alopecia areata the hair grows back very often – even in 90% of cases. In about half of the people affected by this condition, the hair will grow back within half a year.

Telogen effluvium is a condition in which hair enters a resting state prematurely and then falls out prematurely. This results in a rapid loss of hair that cannot be replaced, resulting in thinning hair throughout the scalp.

This is usually temporary hair loss and the hair will grow back.

The causes of telogen effluvium are varied – sometimes it is exposure to high stress, environmental toxins, the result of certain diseases or taking certain types of medications. Sometimes it occurs during menopause or during pregnancy and after childbirth, and a possible cause is a lack of micronutrients in the body (iron, zinc, B vitamins).

Read more about other types of alopecia in our blog at this link.

If you notice increased hair loss, you should see a dermatologist immediately. The doctor will diagnose the stage of alopecia and the possible underlying cause of this condition. These may be certain diseases, insufficient nutrients, hormonal problems, genetic predisposition, etc. Based on the insight into the causes and stage of alopecia, the dermatologist will suggest treatment methods.

At Bagatin Polyclinic, we offer several high-quality and medically proven methods that can stop hair loss – or restore lost hair if there is no possibility for the hair to regrow on its own.

What can help hair that has the capacity to regenerate are two excellent treatments – mesotherapy and stem cell therapy from your own blood. These treatments deeply nourish and restore the follicles and all the cells of the scalp, thereby helping to preserve and regrow hair.

Mesotherapy is a non-surgical and minimally invasive method of aesthetic dermatology. It helps the scalp to recover by injecting a cocktail of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and other active substances directly into the scalp. This method has been used for over sixty years to restore hair, but also to rejuvenate the skin of the face and body with excellent results. Hair that is falling out due to a lack of nutrients or similar problems is given a strong stimulus to restore and stop the hair loss process.

Thinning hair therapy with one’s own blood is an innovative method in which the regeneration of the scalp is stimulated by the use of blood plasma from one’s own blood. Platelets, bio-active substances and growth factors naturally found in blood plasma are a natural and effective way of feeding and stimulating cell regeneration.

Androgenic alopecia can be treated with medications (minoxidil, finasteride, antiandrogens or estrogens), but given that these medications are potentially toxic, the decision to take them must be made by a specialist dermatologist.

It is important to note that at the Bagatin Polyclinic, these medications are available in the form of a spray or gel for topical application, which provides an equally effective stimulus for hair growth, without the side effects that can occur when these medications are taken in tablet form. Local application of the aforementioned sprays and gels is recommended after hair transplantation for at least a year after the transplantation, along with autologous stem cell therapy, in order to further stimulate hair growth and the success of the surgical procedure.

The main treatment for alopecia areata is usually corticosteroids, which can sometimes stop the progression of alopecia and help preserve the hair.

Hair loss is an unpleasant and very stressful condition for women – so don’t wait. If you notice signs of alopecia, contact us at the Bagatin Polyclinic immediately. Our team can help you with an examination, advice and quality treatments that have helped many women solve the problem of hair loss. Find out how to prevent hair loss. Contact us with full confidence!