By Men’s and women’s baldness patterns may have a common genetic cause, but they differ in how they form. For men, hair loss appears on the top and front of the head, while this is something you can hardly see in a woman. Their hair thinning might start at the center hair part and widen. But it doesn’t affect the hairline.
Now, could you be suffering from male or female pattern baldness unknowingly? Who is prone, and why does it occur? These are all necessary things everyone should know about, including available treatments for this problem.
What is Male Pattern Baldness?
As per the American Hair Loss Association, androgenic alopecia is a problem affecting 95 percent of men. And this significant number is worldwide. So, you know you’re not alone if you suffer from this hair loss condition. What causes this?
Genetic sensitivity to a testosterone byproduct (dihydrotestosterone (DHT) causes male pattern baldness. So, this is an inherited trait that results in a thinning crown and receding escort istanbul hairline.
Let’s expound further on how hormonal byproducts cause hair loss in men. The DHT genes affect the hair follicles that are sensitive to it, making them shrink over time. Then in due course, the affected follicles will stop producing hair, resulting in baldness.
Female Pattern Baldness
Male or female pattern baldness can be severe to some men and women. It’s more frequent in men than women, but it still occurs, forming a different pattern from a man’s. What causes women’s baldness? It’s a genetic issue that women can inherit from their mother or father. So, it must run in the family.
Female pattern baldness can start at an early age, but it’s more common as a woman reaches midlife and menopause. Less than 50 percent of women have a complete hair head in their entire life.
While genetics is the leading cause of androgenic alopecia in women, other underlying conditions may also affect the hormone androgen production. Pituitary gland tumors secreting androgen may also contribute to women’s hair loss. And this hormone highly contributes to pattern baldness.
Other Causes of Male and Female Baldness
Though genetics plays a more prominent role in male or female pattern baldness, there are other causes of this problem. These are:
Medication: Some meds, such as those treating cancer, may interfere with hair growth and halts it. But when you stop using them, the hair regrows.
Illnesses: Patients suffering from a severe infection or surgery can undergo a hair loss problem.
Autoimmune disease: This illness causes the immune system to affect the hair follicles. One of the rare diseases is alopecia areata. Once it attacks the strands, it results in hair loss.
Traction alopecia: Most women tend to pull their hair tightly as a frequent hairstyle. But this can cause traction alopecia.
Male/Female Pattern Baldness Treatment
While one of the easiest ways to cover male or female pattern baldness is wearing a wig or hat, a more permanent solution is taking hair loss treatments. Some available medication might help prevent further hair loss.
Hair transplant- a hair loss surgeon can use this treatment to transfer hair from a healthy body area to cover or reduce baldness. One of these techniques used by most surgeons is follicular unit extraction (FUE) and (FUT), which is follicular unit transplantation.
Patients get local anesthesia before the treatment to prevent the pain and make them comfortable as the surgeon works on the procedure while the patient is awake. The hair loss doesn’t affect the donor area, and the recipient area gradually grows as usual. It doesn’t recognize the transfer but grows as it was in the donor area.
Minoxidil- this is an FDA-approved drug for treating and preventing hair thinning in male or female pattern baldness. It’s an over-the-counter medication in the form of oral or liquid, and you can apply it on the scalp to stimulate hair growth. A user must use it for six months to continuously see visible results.
Laser treatment- a low-level laser light therapy is another hair loss option for men and women that helps stimulate hair growth. Still, there is more research required before determining the laser treatment effectiveness.
In Conclusion
Male or female pattern baldness can be distressing. It’s a condition that can take away your confidence, though early diagnosis can help develop a workable treatment plan. After you identify the cause of your hair loss, talk to your doctor, and he will advise the best hair loss treatment options for you. These can treat, restore, or prevent further hair fall, depending on your condition.
