Most of the time, the central part of the head widens due to diffused reduction of the hairs density, which involves the frontal scalp and crown. Some women may experience hair loss on some small areas of the frontal scalp while others may experience the effect on the entire scalp including the areas of parietal and occipital. During hair loss, women usually retain a rim of hair along the frontal hairline.

Laboratory Evaluation

Most women with pattern baldness have normal menstruation, normal fertility, and normal endocrine function, including correct levels of circulating androgens. Therefore, they would only need extensive hormonal testing when symptoms and signs of androgen excess become really visible. Laboratory measurement of serum total or free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and prolactin are appropriate when hirsutism, severe unresponsive cystic acne, virilization, or galactorrhoea are present. Measurement of serum thyrotropin, serum iron and ferritin, and complete blood count may eliminate common causes of hair loss.

Differential Diagnosis of Androgenetic Alopecia

Androgenetic alopecia in women can be confused with the former condition. This is in spite of the fact that features of chronic telogen effluvium are distinct. Anyway, horizontal sections of a scalp biopsy help to distinguish the two conditions once the ratio of terminal hairs shrinks.

Morphology

As time goes by, the hairs in pattern baldness become progressively miniaturized. These hairs include the papillae and matrices, as well as the hair shafts. However, the degree of hair loss in women is not as extreme as it is with some men. Women with pattern hair loss have a mosaic of variable-diameter hairs in the affected region of the top of the scalp. Increased spacing between hairs makes the central part appear wider over the frontal scalp compared to the occipital scalp.

In some cases, hair volume may still appear normal but the hair would stop growing to its previous length and normally results to thin distal ends. Female pattern hair loss is seen on women by visual decrease in hair density while in men, it is by baldness on the affected areas.

Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

Hair loss is a result of abnormal hair cycle. Because of this, it is theoretically reversible. However, the current treatment options have limits in their performance and in some cases, only small improvements in hair density can be seen. Advanced pattern baldness may already be difficult to treat because irreparable damages may have already taken place on the follicular stem cell when inflammation surrounded the bulge area of the follicle. Some systematic treatment plans for this case include:
The current treatment for pattern baldness is Minoxidil. The exact mechanism by which Minoxidil works is not known but the treatment appears to affect the hair follicle in three ways: it increases the span of time follicles spend in anagen, it rouses follicles that are in catagen and it enlarges the actual follicles. In effect, vellus hairs enlarge and are converted to terminal hairs, and shedding is reduced.

Exogenous estrogen can be used to treat pattern baldness, but this regimen is no longer much in use because of Minoxidils efficacy.

Finasteride has been effective on men with pattern baldness but definitely it was risky on women. This regimen is not advisable for women who are still in their childbearing age because of the presence of 5a-reductase inhibitors that may cause external genitalia abnormalities in male fetuses.

Hairstyling, teasing, coloring, permanents, and the use of hair spray are means of coping with the cosmetic effects of pattern baldness. However, when the hair loss is grave, the affected person may opt to use wigs.

Hair transplantation is another option since it has already been accepted in treating pattern baldness on men. Now, it is also being used to treat female hair loss although only a very few women go for this type of treatment because of the cost and the possible trauma that may go with it.

For those women who have encountered ineffective and unsuccessful treatments for hair loss, surgery may be another option and thus, the most suited method for them.

Conclusion

Pattern hair loss in women is made up of many factors whose traits are genetically determined. It is possible that both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent mechanisms contribute to this strange form of hair loss. In women, it is usually patterned with the most marked thinning over the frontal and parietal scalp, and with greater density over the occipital scalp. Unusual hair loss in women may frustrate self-esteem, psychological well being, and body image. Because of this, it is quite vital for the physician to inform their affected patients that hair loss could bring about adverse effects on the quality of a persons life.

Female Pattern Baldness: Diagnosis and Treatments is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

Hair loss pattern resulting from alopecia in women

Unlike in men, female pattern baldness does not cause hair loss in a well-defined pattern. The hair starts thinning all over the head though there is no hair line receding. It is rare for alopecia in women to result in total baldness.

In the case of females, the scalp hair loss may begin at any age though usually after 40.
The patterns of female pattern baldness can vary considerably in appearance and may include:

Diffuse thinning all over the scalp often with more noticeable thinning toward the back of the scalp.
Diffuse thinning all over the scalp with more noticeable thinning toward the front of the scalp but not involving the frontal hair line.
Diffuse thinning all over the scalp with more noticeable thinning toward the front of the scalp, involving and sometimes breaching the frontal hairline.

Symptoms of alopecia in women

In normal condition a woman tends to lose around 100-125 hairs per day. Losing more hair than that indicates that the condition is not normal.

The following two conditions indicate alopecia in women

Hair thinning over the entire head
Hair loss at the crown or hair line, from mild to moderate

Causes of female pattern baldness

The disease is triggered by the presence of a male hormone called testosterone in female body. Testosterone is produced by androgen hormone.

Certain women are decidedly more sensitive to testosterone than others. This sensitivity results in hair thinning on their scalp. Testosterone interacts with the enzyme 5 alpha reductase produced by the body. The interaction causes the production of DHT within the hair follicle.

DHT causes production of shorter and finer hairs. When DHT is not received well by hair follicles, it causes reduced blood supply and it causes hair thinning on the scalp.

Diagnosis of female pattern baldness

Women tend to have less obvious hair loss patterns than men and they face non-pattern hair loss more frequently than men. Diagnosis of female hair loss should be conducted by a trained and experienced physician.

The physician diagnoses this hair disease on the basis of hair loss appearance and pattern. He also checks whether other possible hair loss causes can be ruled out. He may also go for a skin biopsy or other procedures to diagnose the medical disorders.

Treatment

The diagnosis of female pattern baldness should be followed by a proper treatment. The patient is usually administered Rogaine. Another medicine is Aldactone, which is useful especially for the women experiencing hair fall after menopause. A modern and popular method used in the case of female pattern baldness is hair transplantation.

Female Pattern Baldness is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

Hair loss generally indicates a deficiency in vitamin B1, vitamin C, lysine and iron. Vitamin Cs antioxidant properties help to make skin and hair healthy by aiding body metabolism, and converting fat and carbohydrates into energy. It helps in the development of healthy collagen that binds tissues together. Hence it is effective in preventing breakage and split ends. Vitamin C is present in good quantities in Citrus fruits, strawberries, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and most dark green vegetables. A daily dose of 60 mg is recommended for good health. Vitamin B1 or Thiamine aids in protein building and thus makes the hair healthy, giving it volume, shine and a good texture. This is ensured by providing nutrition to the scalp. Other vitamins that help to prevent hair loss in women are: other Vitamin B complex vitamins like Biotin, Inositol, Niacin and vitamin E. Minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium are also effective in preventing hair loss. The most common food-based sources of these vitamins are: citrus fruits, green vegetables, fruits like pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, potatoes, green peppers, vegetable oils, soybean, raw seeds, dried beans, wheat germ oil, brewers yeast, whole grains, eggs, liver, rice, milk, fish, turkey, chicken and red meat. Other products found to be efficient in combating hair loss are Saw Palmetto, nettle root, pumpkin, gotu kola, eleuthero, Uva-Ursi, Muria Puama and others.

There are hundreds of products in the market today that promise to prevent hair loss. These products are generally prescribed by experts though some over the counter drugs are also available. There are companies that specialize exclusively in the production of hair loss drugs. Information about these products is also available on the Internet on the websites of these companies. However, it is better to consult a physician to know the exact cause of hair loss before using any of these products.

Female Hair Loss Vitamins is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

The study followed the experience of 37 women who were given 2.5 mg of propecia a day, as well as the contraceptive pill. As propecia can cause deformities in the development of a male fetus’ sex organs, propecia cannot be given to women who have a chance of conceiving, or who are pregnant.

Results were measured by taking photos of the women’s heads, and using a technique called computerized light videodermoscopy to measure the density of hairs. Women tend to have thinning hair when they suffer hair loss, and don’t often go completely bald.

After 12 months of treatment, 23 women (62%) had improvements in their hair thickness. Those women who had most hair loss down the middle of the top of the head, showed the most improvement. Only one woman was found to have worse hair loss.

But more studies on propecia as a female hair loss treatment need to be conducted before it is given the green light as a treatment option. Not only is there the issue of fetal damage, making it a risky drug for women, but this study is not conclusive as evidence that it will actually work for all, or most, women.

Generally, women are given topical treatments like minoxidil to encourage hair growth. Minoxidil has drawbacks in that it has to be applied to the scalp twice a day, and some women are allergic to it. Unfortunately, scientists have not come up with a hair loss medication that will definitely work for women.

Another reason female hair loss treatments differ to men’s is that the causes of female hair loss often vary. Hair loss in women is often associated with hormonal changes like menopause, discontinuing birth control pills, and after pregnancy. There is a 3 month delay before signs of hair loss will appear, so if you’re noticing hair loss now, it was probably triggered 3 months ago. And it can take another 3 months before new growth starts to show.

Another factor in female hair loss is excessive dieting or sudden weight loss. Hair requires nutrients to grow just as any other part of the body does, What we eat can not only affect how shiny and healthy our hair appears, but also hair loss. Whilst men can suffer hair loss from similar weight loss, women tend to be more involved with extreme diets than men.

Female hair loss can also be an indicator of a medical condition, such as an underactive thyroid gland, diabetes, anemia, and PCOS. It’s a good idea to get these possible issued ruled out by a doctor first. If they are at the root of the hair loss problem, no amount of hair loss medications or topical treatments or hair vitamins is going to stop hair loss until that is treated.

Hair loss that is caused by physical or emotional stress generally resolves itself when the stressor is dealt with, without any female hair loss treatment. But because of the hair’s growth cycles, it can take 6 months before any improvement is noticed.

Female Hair Loss Treatments and Why Hair Loss Is Different On Venus is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

Having great hair plays a key role in a woman’s self-confidence and self-esteem. Yet according to the American Academy of Dermatology, 30 million women -one in four – experience thinning or hair loss at some stage of their lives, most commonly during menopause or post-pregnancy.

The causes can range from stress to poor nutrition to environmental changes and even daily shampooing and styling, according to Dolisos America Inc., a nutritional and pharmaceutical products company.

Considering the societal pressure on women to look their best, hair loss or thinning can have a devastating effect on self-esteem and may even lead to depression. Dolisos offers some ideas on how to be kind to your hair and nourish it from the inside out:

* Check your roots. Hair loss in women can be attributed to a history of female pattern baldness. Investigating possible genetic causes of your hair loss can help you decide the best course of action to take.

* Feed your follicles. It’s important to eat a balanced diet to nourish not only your body but your hair as well. Treat your tresses to foods rich in protein (fish), zinc (shellfish), iron (wheat bran), and vitamin C (many vegetables and fruits).

* Drink water. Consuming at least a liter of water a day helps the body expel toxins and provides optimum conditions for cell growth.

* Consider over-the-counter hair repair. Certain supplements like Eluhair are designed to nourish the hair and promote its growth. Two Eluhair capsules taken daily may help combat the effects of temporary hair loss due to hormonal imbalance, unbalanced diet or stress.

Female Hair Loss Affects 30 Million is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

You see, in many cases, female hair loss is just a temporary occurance and hence, finding a hair loss solution to it is relatively easy.

Androgenetic alopecia is the hereditary form of baldness that affects 50 percent of men, and some women after 40. Female hair loss usually starts after menopause although it can begin earlier. The main reason for this is that estrogen levels decline. Hormonal changes cause hair to thin.

It is comforting to note that other than androgenetic alopecia, the most common cause of hair loss in women, is a result of metabolic and hormonal changes. Thus, the hair loss is usually temporary. Also, unlike men, women rarely become totally bald. However, what females generally experience is the thinning of their hair.

For example, in the case of pregnancy, hair loss is temporary and should stop about 6 months after birth. When a woman is pregnant, a large amount of oestrogen is produced causing the hair follicles to go into their growth phase. Once the baby is born, the womans hormonal balance is restored. The reverse now happens with the hair follicles going into a hair loss phase. While nothing much can be done to prevent hair loss during this period, applying hair tonic to hasten hair re-growth can be a helpful solution.

Crash diets leading to rapid weight loss over a short period of time prompts excessive hair loss.

Physical and emotional stress can cause hair loss but this usually only occurs after a prolonged period of time and in extreme cases.
Once stress levels are restored to normal levels, hair loss should stop. Thus, a good hair loss solution is to find ways to reduce stress!

Certain drugs can also cause hair to shed. The most common medical treatment that causes hair loss is chemotherapy. The drug medication attacks the hair cells, causing hair loss from the scalp. Certain prescription drugs (for thyroid hormone deficiency, diabetes and lupus) and dieting supplements are also causes of hair loss. Once these drug medications are stopped, the hair loss problem should disappear.

Other stresses to the hair may include frequent dyeing and chemicals eg. perming solutions applied to the hair. Generally, healthy hair can undergo these treatments without showing signs of stress, if they are not done too often. But if hair is not allowed a chance to recover from the constant application of hair chemicals, then it becomes brittle and starts to break off. Hair loss treatment products to help strengthen the follicles should help when applied to the scalp.

Once you understand what is happening to your hair, then seek out the right hair loss solution. In most cases, if the cause is temporary, then you can be assured that your problem will pass with the right remedy actions. However, for the more serious cases, do seek the professional help of a licensed dermatologist for a complete diagnosis and treatment plan.

Female Hair Loss: Finding a Hair Loss Solution is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

The root cause of hair loss in women is not genetic but it is related to several other metabolic problems like, pregnancy, stress, chemotherapy, crash diets / anorexia, thyroid hormone deficiency, major surgery, sever infection or high fever. Hair loss in female due to above mentioned factors is normally temporary, so if you are facing hair loss and at the same time going through any of the above mentioned trauma, dont be panic, keep patience, take prescriptions and precautions and after all a diet rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. Definitely your hair will grow again and as healthy as before.

The pattern of hair loss in females is completely different from males. While males go bald, the baldness in females is rare. The normally occurring pattern of hair loss in females are found as thinning and lessening in shaft hair diameter around the forehead and crown of the scalp. The pattern is more to be found in females in the forties. This pattern may also found in the females with the beginning of menopause. According to clinical trial and statistics, about 13 percent of females experience hair problems before menopause while this number is alarmingly high, about 37% for post menopause.

As a female grew old, the intensity and level of a hormone called Estrogen drops in her body. The estrogens blocks the steroid hormone pre menopause, which results in low level of DHT. Post menopause the level of DHT in females rises and some time it is so high that it causes hair problems.

Amongst commonly occurring post menopause hair problems are decline in hair growth, thinning of hair and general effluvium. As a female enters into her 80s, the follicle shrinks completely and hair growth stops.

The very reason of hair problems in women after post menopause is the reduction of estrogen in the body. The different estrogen opposes androgens and makes themselves unavailable for the cells, by blocking androgen receptors.

Opposing estrogens reduces heavily at onset of menopause but androgens remain available to the hair follicle and stem cell that is converted to DHT.

Major Causes of Hair Loss in Females

The most common type hair problems diagnosed in females is Androgenetic alopecia inherited. However, this is most common cause of hair problems in males as well. Androgenic alopecia in females is seen as hair thinning which means the number of hair on female head heavily reduces. Since the reason of hair loss varies individual to individual and hence proper medical help is of utmost importance.

Some other common causes of hair problems of females are mentioned here:

1.Alopecia areata- This is patchy loss of hair from the scalp. Sometime eyebrows and other hair bearing parts begin losing hair. This type of hair loss is considered to be due to autoimmune.

2.Traction alopecia- This type of hair loss occurs because of continuous traction pressure on hair follicles. Sometime this may occur because of tight braiding or corn rowing of hair.

3.Trichtotillomania- This type is supposed to be cause of stress or result of some other psychological disorder.

4.Telogen effluvium- This is associated with poor nutrition, drugs and stress.

5.Loose anagen syndrome- This disease is more common in fair haired ladies. This is the situation in which bunch of hairs drops down while combing, shampooing, etc. Normally the scalp hair comes out very easily and this lessens the hair density on your head.

6.Triangular alopecia- In this situation hair around temples lost.

7.Scarring alopecia- This type of hair loss in females is caused, when one goes through some type of physical trauma etc. Sometime traction alopecia introduce to scarring alopecia

Best Hair Loss ProductsSo if you are a female and suffering with hair loss problems, go for professional medical help, take a diet rich in nutrition and prevent hair loss.

Female Hair Loss is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

Caring for your hair doesnt stop with washing and shampooing it. You have to pay equal attention to it in the same manner as you pay to other parts of your body. The hair needs nourishment just like the rest of your system to keep them in place and keep them from moving to your bathroom shower drain.

In your campaign for a healthier body most of the time the hair is not included. You work out every inch of your body, but not the hair. There are no exercises for it anyway, you might think. But decades ago, Sanford Bennett, became a celebrity for experiments that led to his physical rejuvenation at 70. Besides all the exercises he devised to make his face younger and his bodily muscles more robust, he also devised an exercise for a healthier and stronger scalp that could trigger the thicker growth of the hair.

To Bennett, the scalp, just like any other part of the body if exercised, would increase in strength and elasticity. This is because there are microscopic glands and muscles in the scalp. The law that applies in exercising the major muscles of the body also applies to those.

So how does it go? Alternately pull your hair in all directions and massage the scalp with the pads of your fingers while you lie in bed. This will improve the blood circulation and eventually feed the roots of the hair with the nutrients it needed. It also exercises the muscles in the scalp making the muscles stronger, which will logically hold the hair more strongly. And since the blood is pumped through the microscopic glands and muscles in the scalp, they are sure to increase in size, strength and elasticity. This naturally results in much fewer hair falling and healthier-looking hair.

One of the best refreshers for the hair ad the scalp is the alternate washing of hot and cold water. It also accelerates the blood circulation there. Wash the hair first with hot water, as hot as you can bear it. Then follow up with very cold water (but without using ice). Applying hot and cold towels alternately can be a good substitute. This procedure should be repeated at least five or six times.

Falling Hair? Cure It With Simple Scalp Exercise is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

So is there a ‘best’ way to remove unwanted facial hair? Whether it’s truly effective or it’s just something that’s been passed down through the generations, shaving is the method of choice for today’s man for removing unwanted facial hair. Shaving creams, gels, foams and other products facilitate the shaving process and help reduce skin irritation. But for women suffering with unwanted facial hair, their choices are not so obvious.

Women with excessive facial hair usually see it along the upper lip, down the sides of the face, and on the chin. Because facial hair is typically much more than a few wayward hair follicles, plucking these areas isn’t an effective method. It’s time-consuming and painful! What’s needed instead is a method designed for more widespread removal like depilatories and waxing or even electrolysis or laser treatment.

Depilatories are an inexpensive, short-term facial hair removal option. Extreme care must be taken when using on the face as these products can irritate and even burn facial skin. And because depilatories only dissolve visible hair, this method must be repeated frequently as new hair growth appears. The upside is, this process is inexpensive and can be done in the privacy of your own home.

Electrolysis and laser are better options. They’re permanent facial hair removal methods and they work by damaging the base of the hair follicle so that hair growth no longer occurs.

Waxing offers many benefits and is the facial hair removal choice of men and women alike. Like with tweezers, when waxing the hair is ‘plucked’ from its root. This method doesn’t damage the actual hair follicle, so new hair growth will continue to occur, but unlike depilatories, new hair growth won’t appear on the skin surface as quickly. In fact, it usually isn’t visible for several weeks.

Facial Hair Removal is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com

Dihydrotestosterone or DHT as it is known is a very potent hormone in the humane body. This hormone DHT is responsible for giving man his male characteristics when he is just a fetus in his mother’s womb. To put things in the simplest of ways, all of us start out in the womb as females, a status decided on by nature. It is during the sixth week of pregnancy that DHT begins to form in the fetus by testosterone, the male hormone, combining with an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase. It is this DHT that stimulates the growth of the male sex organs and stems the growth of the female genitalia. Now just imaging what would happen if this DHT were to be a scarce commodity during this crucial stage of sex determination in the fetus!
The anomalies of DHT deficiency

The result of a deficiency of Dihydrotestosterone in the fetus stage will result in abnormal formation of male sex organs and will produce an infant which will be neither this way nor that, and if the male genitalia are fully formed then there may just be a lack of libido and probably complete sterility. Let us understand how this happens. Because males with a deficiency of Dihydrotestosterone are born with ambiguous genitalia, this condition is better known as ‘Pseudohermaphroditism’ the clinical abnormalities of this condition will range from infertility to underdeveloped male with ‘Hypospadias’ to predominantly developed female external genitalia. The uterus and fallopian tubes in this case are absent because of the normal secretion of the ‘mllerian-inhibiting’ factor and the testes are intact. Male internal ducts are present but terminate in a blind Pseudovaginal pouch or terminate on the perineum.

How it happens

5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to Dihydrotestosterone or DHT, is the cause of this very disturbing disorder. The conversion to DHT involves hydroxylation at the 5 carbon position of the ‘A’ ring of the steroid molecule. This change flattens the shape of DHT, permitting it to fit perfectly into the androgen receptor in a way that the hormone testosterone cannot. In this way, DHT is bound selectively to the androgen receptors in genital skin and fibroblasts, making its action necessary for the development of normal male genital anatomy in the fetus.

There are therapies available but to what extent they are effective is difficult to say. www.procerin.com has information on the subject you could use and effective measures to tackle the problem of DHT deficiency as best as present day technology can permit.

This Article is Originally Published here: Dihydrotestosterone – DHT

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a post from: Health News, Wellness, and Medical Information | Michurchofoursaviour.com