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Signs of FPB

Female pattern baldness (FPB), which is also known as alopecia, is the term for permanent hair loss in women. On average, women lose about 100 to 125 hairs per day. The hair follicles grow new hair at an average rate of about 1/2 inch per month to replace those strands that were lost in most women. For women suffering from FPB, the follicles never generate new hairs. FPB differs from male pattern baldness (MPB) because it is very rare for women with FPB to have a total or near total loss of hair. Researchers believe that FPB is predominantly associated with changes in hormones, aging and genetic predispositions.

  1. Symptoms

    • One of the first signs women with FPB notice is a widening of their center hair part, leaving a larger portion of their scalp exposed. Unlike men, women typically see no change in their hairline across the top of their forehead. Women's hair thinning is usually isolated to the top and crown of the scalp.

      Permanent hair loss patterns are generally more difficult to recognize in women than in men. Women may experience temporary hair loss as a result of a variety of factors, including changes in diet, nutrition, stress and other temporary conditions such as medication consumption and pregnancy. These temporary factors can lead women to a wrongful self-diagnosis, which is why they should seek professional diagnosis by a competent dermatologist if they believe they may suffer from FPB.

    Causes

    • The main hormonal cause of FPB is a change in the level of the male hormone androgen, which all women possess. After entering menopause, many women experience shifts in their levels of androgen, which affect the scalp's hair follicles. Aging is also a factor for FPB because hair follicles begin to enter a resting stage and stop producing new growth. The other main contributing factor is genetics. Women who have a family history of MPB or FPB are susceptible to FPB.

    Treatment

    • The good news about FPB is that, in most cases, women experience only mild to moderate hair loss, unlike their male counterparts. It is also very rare for women to have complete baldness, unlike many men. The downside is that FPB is permanent if left untreated. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only one medication, Minoxidil, to treat FPB as of mid-2011. The solution is applied directly to the scalp and can be purchased over-the-counter. It is recommended for women to use a 2 percent concentration of Minoxidil as opposed to higher concentrations. In most cases, Minoxidil slows or stops hair loss. It also helps new hair grow in 20 to 25 percent of women.

    Myths

    • Many myths involve permanent female hair loss. For example, it is not true that frequent shampooing or wearing hats and wigs causes permanent hair loss. It is also untrue that permanents, color treatments and dandruff cause permanent hair loss. Women cannot offset permanent hair loss by brushing their hair more often, shaving their head or standing on their head to increase blood circulation to the scalp.

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