The Most Common Types of Female Alopecia

There are three types of female alopecia that cause hair loss and are the most common hair diseases. These three types of baldness are also found in men but in women, they have greater severity due to the emphasis their effects cause.

The symptoms and manifestations of alopecia in women are not as socially accepted as they are in men. For a woman to discover she is losing hair can cause profound psychological distress and affect interpersonal relationships, leading her to seek specialized hair transplant clinics.

Symptoms and characteristics of alopecia in women

The types of female alopecia are differentiated by the pattern of hair loss, their symptoms, and the time period during which each of these hair diseases affects the person.

What is female androgenic alopecia

The most common female alopecia is androgenic alopecia, and its symptoms are detected by thinning, lightening, and loss of vigor and thickness of the hair on the top of the head. Over time, the symptoms of female androgenic alopecia show a thinner area on the parietal region of the scalp, giving a weak and fragile appearance to large areas of the hair.

This type of alopecia is characterized by keeping the bangs almost intact, with strong strands just above the forehead leading to diffuse areas and thin lines that do not cover the entire head.

Female androgenic alopecia is caused by a hormonal imbalance that makes hair follicles sensitive, producing less hair. This decrease in healthy hair production prevents the renewal that occurs when there is natural hair loss. If the slowdown and even the stoppage of new hair growth are prolonged, evident signs of baldness begin to appear.

Androgenic alopecia has hormonal causes, an imbalance that makes hair follicles sensitive, producing less hair. In the long run, the renewal due to natural hair loss becomes insufficient. The hair growth cycle shortens, hair production slows down, and it may even stop completely.

While hormonal causes are the most common, they are not the only ones. Stress and poor diet are conditions that can worsen the disease.

It is also known as «androgenetic alopecia» due to its genetic and hormonal origin, although the reasons it affects women are still being researched.

Some of the treatments for androgenic alopecia are Tricomin Therapy Spray, Rogaine, and Nizoral. In addition, antiandrogens are sometimes administered to counteract the action of hormones in the body and stop hair loss.

This type of alopecia is more common in older women, where large thin areas are visible but without total baldness in those areas as occurs in men.

What is Alopecia Areata in women and its causes

Another type of hair loss in women occurs in patches or localized areas. This is identified as alopecia areata, and the process by which hair is destroyed can occur at different intervals. Some women suffer from it in a very short period, experiencing extreme hair loss within days, while others only notice symptoms after months due to very slow hair loss.

The symptoms of female alopecia areata include inflammation of the hair follicles. This swelling causes the loss of nutrient supply, leading to hair expulsion and loss.

The causes of alopecia areata in women are unfortunately unknown, meaning the factors that cause hair follicles to enter a state of generalized inflammation are not known. However, as with androgenic alopecia, stress is a trigger that increases and enhances the symptoms of these hair conditions. It is also believed to be caused by some type of allergy or infection, or to have a genetic character, as well as being caused by various factors such as environmental toxins, pollution, and chemical poisoning.

The treatment for alopecia areata involves corticosteroids, creams, and ointments that help reverse the follicular process. In some cases, a substance called anthralin is used to enhance the reversal process. Although in most cases the progress can be stopped, the effects are not often reversed but can be halted.

Diffuse alopecia in women, causes, and treatments

The third type of female alopecia is the most harmless as its effects are reversible. Diffuse alopecia is a radical increase in hair loss within the healthy hair growth cycle.

It is characterized by an increase in telogen effluvium, the phase where dead hair falls out and new hair grows from the scalp roots. This sudden increase in hair loss leaves bald areas without hair while new hair slowly grows. About 20% of the hair on the head is in the telogen effluvium phase.

Unlike other types of female alopecia, this one is harmless as it is temporary. However, if it occurs simultaneously with areata or androgenic alopecia, the consequences can be significant, as a large amount of hair will disappear in days or a short period and will not grow back due to the mix of symptoms.

In the telogen effluvium phase within the natural growth of healthy hair, the loss is around 100 hairs per day. When there is diffuse alopecia, hair loss can reach 400 or 500 hairs per day.

One way to detect this type of female alopecia is by the trail of hairs left on the pillow and in the shower drain. When suffering from diffuse alopecia, the signs of hair loss on the pillow are evident upon waking up in the morning.

Another way to detect diffuse alopecia is by feeling scalp pain or Trichodynia, also commonly known as «hair pain.»

The causes of diffuse alopecia are usually stress, childbirth, illness, unbalanced diets, or medication. Generally, it is caused by trauma to the body. Once resolved, the alopecia disappears, and the symptoms subside.

Solutions for female alopecia

Depending on the type you suffer from, you may need treatment or just a supplement to strengthen the new hair growth cycle. Finding solutions for female alopecia depends directly on the type of disorder affecting the hair follicles, whether there is inflammation, a reaction in the telogen effluvium phase, or if it is hormone-related.

This does not mean there are no treatments; quite the opposite. It means that each specific case must be examined, the symptoms studied, and the causes identified. Based on this, it is possible to find a satisfactory solution to treat female baldness.

If you suffer from androgenic alopecia, you may need a treatment that a doctor can prescribe. If you suffer from hair loss due to work stress, the cure will involve different therapies. Some substances might treat various types of female alopecia, while others might not, but first, the causes must be determined.

Use of Minoxidil

This product is highly recommended by dermatologists and specialists. Minoxidil is applied topically; you need to apply it to the scalp to have an effect on hair loss. In some cases, it works well, while in others, there is no improvement. It also has side effects that often make it impossible to use, such as itching and scalp irritation. Some women experience mild itching initially and then get used to it, while in others, it increases. Even if someone recommends it, it might not work for you, or on the contrary, it might be a real discovery to improve your hair loss symptoms. Minoxidil can work for female alopecia, but it is necessary to see the effects it has on you. Generally, its use is recommended as a complement to a treatment with other products.

If you think you may be suffering from female alopecia and have symptoms, it is best to talk to a specialist or contact a hair clinic. You will receive information and advice tailored to your specific case.