Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder that causes loss of hair in women but the good news is that there is an alopecia treatment for women that really works. Yes, while losing hair is stressful, ways to combat it gives us a new hope. Isn’t it?
Let’s understand more about Alopecia and what exactly happens before delving into the best alopecia treatment for women. Shall we?
What is Alopecia?
Not all hair loss is alopecia, but it’s one of the most common conditions triggering hair loss. There are different types of alopecia and the hair loss type or form varies for each of them. However, Alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia take the cake.
Basically, alopecia is an autoimmune disorder that affects our hair follicles and results in hair thinning and hair loss. There are different autoimmune diseases but alopecia is more common among the ones that affect our hair.
We have already covered a lot about alopecia, so we’re refreshing the basics where needed and moving onto remedial measures for the same.
Causes of Alopecia
There could be different causes for Alopecia and that can vary based on the type too. But the most common causes include a combination of various factors like hormonal, genetic and environmental.
Types of Alopecia
There are many different types of Alopecia. Each may have different causes and symptoms and some can overlap the other. Androgenetic alopecia, Traction alopecia, Alopecia areata, Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, chemo-therapy induced alopecia, etc.
What Happens?
How alopecia manifests may vary with individuals, even those with the same condition or variant. That’s another reason dealing with Alopecia is tricky.
Having that said, it could manifest as hair loss in women, causes change in hair texture, result in bald patches and even lead to complete loss of hair. Some even experience itching to go along with their hair loss.
Being an autoimmune disease, it is often not predictable. Some experience overall reduction in volume, while some also experience loss in patches leading to bald patches.
Some say their hair seems more frizzy and brittle, where it wasn’t before the hair loss started. Some experience receding hairline, or widening of center hair part and some experience a reduction in growth of new hair. Did you know some women also experience unwanted hair growth or excessive hair growth in unwanted areas – read body?
Androgenetic Alopecia
This deserves a special mention as this is a common variant that affects many. You probably know it better as male pattern baldness, or female pattern baldness.
Here in our case, it’s female pattern baldness for women and one of the major contributing factors is our genes. However, hormonal imbalances and stress also contribute greatly to female pattern baldness.
Like Alopecia areata, this is another variant but affecting increasingly more women these days. Due to the rising numbers, it got a special mention here!
Other Contributing Factor
With women, anything starts and ends with hormones. So, that’s a given in most cases for women who develop alopecia areata. However, there could be other triggers or contributing factors.
Not just alopecia areata, even androgenetic alopecia have certain common causative factors and triggers. Did you know poor nutrition or deficiencies can be a cause of hair loss?
Even excessive or damaging hair styling practices can cause alopecia. Heard about traction alopecia? That’s mostly due to pulled up hair styles!
What about certain treatments or medications? Chemotherapy-induced alopecia is increasingly more common with a lot of people being diagnosed with cancer.
Patchy hair loss is not common in women, as it is for men, but it happens with some. Alopecia is mostly dreaded because, it results in the damage to the hair follicle and often leaves the possibility of hair regrowth nil!
Diagnosing Alopecia
Diagnosing the variant of alopecia is the first step towards alopecia treatment for women. Isn’t it? We need to know whether it is alopecia areata or androgenetic alopecia or whatever variant it is. Only then, can the right course of treatment be determined.
So, How Do They Diagnose?
When it is about diagnosis, it’s important to get a specialist involved. While it is easy to ascertain certain aspects and diagnose specific variants easily, self-diagnosis alone is not enough.
Usually, the specialist will analyze physically and check for obvious symptoms or clues. Not just one’s hair, even the scalp is checked.
Some also suggest diagnostic tests based on their findings. Did you know scalp biopsy can also be recommended to identify any underlying causes of female hair loss?
Alopecia Treatment for Women
Irrespective of whether you’re dealing with androgenic alopecia or the widespread alopecia areata, there are options you could consider for treating the same.
Natural Remedies
Peppermint Essential Oil
Did you know Peppermint Essential Oil can increase hair thickness of the hair shaft, besides stimulating new hair growth? We all know hair follicles shrink resulting in thinning with alopecia and Peppermint is one way to fight thinning, naturally.
You can add a few drops to a carrier oil and apply it on your scalp. If you don’t like oil on your tresses, make it your pre-shower routine but wait at least for 25 minutes before washing it off.
Rosemary Essential Oil
Did you know Rosemary Essential Oil has been proven to improve hair growth. Given the time of around six months, it’s as effective as minoxidil. Just add a few drops to a carrier oil of your choice and apply on your scalp regularly. You can also use it as your pre-shower routine but remember to wait for 25 minutes before washing it off.
Saw Palmetto
This is another proven remedy that’s proven to help combat androgenetic alopecia and has been used to treat female pattern baldness and other hair loss conditions. It works as a DHT blocker and the results have been good.
You can brew it as a tea or consume it as a supplement. There’s a reason we use Saw Palmetto in our Vitamins Revive Hair Growth Vitamins Kit. Besides these, you can also use herbs like Aloe Vera, Chinese Dodder, Pine Bark Extract, Fallopia Multiflora, False Daisy, Water Hyssop, etc.
Medications
Did you know certain medications are also prescribed to prevent further hair loss and promote new hair growth?
Minoxidil is one such medication and usually prescribed for topical application. It has been used to combat female hair loss.
Finasteride and spironolactone are other medications used to combat hair fall and thinning hair.
Other Treatments to Consider
Depending on the causative factor, the right treatment options are chosen. One way to combat hair loss is not lose hair, or at least help hair regrow to compensate for lost hair. Isn’t it? Since losing hair is not in our hands, we can try ways to compensate for diffuse hair loss.
Hair Transplant one surgical option that’s suggested as the last choice for those who can’t regrow hair due to damaged hair follicles.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy and Low Level Laser Therapy are other options that are less invasive and help treat female pattern baldness and other hair loss conditions.
Some also have seen good results through herbal remedies and alternative treatment methods like acupuncture and Sujok.
Helpful Hair Care Tips & Practices
While it’s important to treat hair loss prevention is even better. Isn’t it? Even otherwise, if you’re already facing hair loss, these tips will still help in reducing it.
Go gentle on your hair – your hair needs TLC too! Don’t handle your hair roughly or use harsh chemicals or heat on your hair. A spa treatment is great once in a while and your hair will love you for it!
Use gentle products on your hair. Make sure they’re mild and free from abrasive or damaging chemicals. Salt and alcohol are quite common in most products, but did you know parabens and other harsh chemicals are added too?
Keep styling to a bare minimum – if you can’t fully avoid it. This also includes using your hair dryer! Coloring and even treatments like straightening and curling are harsh. Yes, you can indulge for an important occasion rarely, but making it a habit can leave one with permanent damage.
Get regular trims to keep split ends at bay. Trims keep hair healthy and in some cultures it’s believed to help with hair growth.
Keep your hair and scalp healthy following a hair care routine that works for you. Keeping scalp moisturized, nourished and free from issues is important to keep hair growth rate healthy. Besides, the health of our scalp determines the health of our hair. Isn’t it?
Have a consistent and regular routine and take time out for a pampering and nourishing scalp massage or hair pack. Having a scalp massage once a week and a hair pack once a week can help.
Avoid hair styles that are tight or damaging. Did you know traction alopecia is due to tight or pulled up hairstyles?
Don’t wash your hair more than twice or thrice a week. Ideal is twice a week, thrice max for those who have very oily scalp or the like.
Keep dryness at bay using oils and moisturizers for your hair and scalp regularly.
Tangles – detangle gently with your fingers. Use a detangling comb if you must.
Try a clarifying rinse with ACV or Baking Soda once a month.
Don’t forget to get your daily dose nourishment and exercise. Have a healthy and active lifestyle.
Conclusion
Every other day new treatments emerge because R & D is always done and there are many under review currently. Consult a specialist who can identify what the issue is and how to deal with it.
It’s understandable to want to hide hair loss, but unless you deal with it, it won’t go away. Worse, what is the possibility of being left with bald spots?
Specialists can recommend blood tests that will help with diagnosis and also depending on the results, ways to combat hair loss and improve hair density and growth. Isn’t that what you want?
Whether it is female pattern hair loss, or alopecia areata or some other condition that’s causing the hair loss, diagnosis holds the key to prevent further hair loss and move towards treatment.
Don’t lose heart, once you know the issue and begin dealing with it, not only can we strengthen the hair follicle to stimulate hair growth and health, we can also address other issues that further the problem. Isn’t it?
So, let’s get started and curb further hair loss. Shall we?
FAQs
Are there treatment options for female pattern baldness?
Yes, currently there are treatment options one can consider, including Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy and Low Level Laser Therapy.
Is female pattern baldness the same as female pattern hair loss?
Yes, it is.
Is Alopecia areata a type of Alopecia?
Yes, there are different types of alopecia. Alopecia areata is the most common type, closely followed by androgenetic alopecia.
What is the most common cause of hair loss in women?
There are many causes, though the most common cause seems to be hormonal imbalance.
Why does alopecia result in hair thinning?
In alopecia, the hair follicles tend to shrink and reduce the density or thickness or the hair shaft resulting in thinning.
