For female pattern baldness, it is important to first screen patients for any underlying causes which may be contributing to the hair loss. This can be done by doing blood tests to check for anaemia, iron deficiency, thyroid abnormalities or other rarer disorders if clinically indicated.
Some of the contributing factors are:
- Heredity
- Hormonal changes
- Medications
- Stress
- Certain products
Treatment would include:
- Minoxidil lotion - this is a lotion that is rubbed onto the scalp 2x/day to increase blood flow to the hair follicles and stimulate hair regrowth. It can take up to 6 months to start seeing visible results.
- Spironolactone - this is an oral medicine that reduces the production of male hormones, which in turn slows down the progression of hair loss. Patients need to use effective contraception to avoid pregnancy when taking this medicine. Sometimes blood tests will be done to monitor the potassium levels.
- Cyproterone acetate - this is a type of birth control pill that reduces the effect of male hormones, which can help prevent hair loss in females.
- Other treatment options would include low-level light therapy, hair transplant or wig options.
Do see your dermatologist for an assessment and discussion of the treatment options for your individual case.
