Hair loss – Male and female pattern baldness

Male and female pattern baldness can be stressful and need immediate attention. Know more about male and female pattern baldness to find the right treatment.

Androgenic alopecia is a hair loss problem that is seen in both men and women. Androgenic alopecia is mainly caused due to an imbalance of hormones or can be due to heredity problems too. It causes round or oval bald patches on the scalp. Men are at a high risk of experiencing complete baldness that is known as alopecia totalis.

Male and female pattern baldness

In male-pattern baldness, the rate of hair shedding increases to a great extent. This mainly happens because of DHT, a substance formed due to the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. The 5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone, a male hormone, to DHT and causes hair loss. The presence of DHT damages the hair follicle, affecting the hair growth cycle. This causes the hair to become thinner and thinner.

In the case of male pattern baldness, the person may first notice a receding hairline and then experience thinning of hair around the crown area. Also, oval or round bald patches may appear on the scalp.

The hair loss pattern for women is different from that of men. Women may experience hair thinning throughout their scalp. However, the frontal and side hairline remains intact. It is very rare for women to experience complete baldness. Also, there are chances that a man may develop female pattern baldness, and a woman may develop male pattern baldness.

Solution for male and female pattern baldness

Minoxidil lotion is the best for treating male and female pattern baldness. Applying this solution on the affected area can help reduce hair loss and aid hair growth.

1. Wig – If you are embarrassed to leave the house with bald patches, cover them by wearing wigs. This is a temporary solution.
2. Surgery – There are various surgeries like hair transplantation and scalp flaps available to deal with hair loss problems.
3. Change in hairstyle – If the bald patches are in areas that can be covered by simply changing the hairstyle, then one should opt for it.
4. Other medicines – There a many other medicines that can help treat the hair loss problem. Medicines like finasteride can be used for male pattern baldness, and spironolactone, cimetidine, birth control pills, and ketoconazole can be used for female pattern baldness.

Male and female pattern baldness can affect the self -esteem, lead to depression or generate feelings of rejection. There are other methods too that can be used to deal with the hair loss problems. People can opt for cosmetics and micro-pigmentation to make the condition better.