La androgenetic alopecia in women It is one of the most frequent causes of hair thinning. It usually manifests gradually, with increasingly thinner hair, a wider part, and a decrease in density, especially on the top of the scalp.
Although there is a significant genetic predisposition, Hair loss in women does not always have a single causeHormonal, nutritional, thyroid, and metabolic factors can coexist and contribute to hair loss. Therefore, before starting any treatment, it is important to determine what is happening and what factors may be influencing hair health.
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La androgenetic alopecia in womenAlopecia, also known as female pattern hair loss, is a form of progressive hair loss that primarily affects hair density. It occurs when certain Hair follicles They exhibit greater sensitivity to androgens, which can lead to progressive miniaturization of the hair.
Among the androgens involved is the dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is formed from testosterone by the action of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. In androgen-sensitive follicles, the action of DHT can promote follicular miniaturization. As a result, the hair becomes progressively thinner, shorter, and less visible, ultimately leading to a loss of density.
However, in women, the relationship between androgens and alopecia is more complex than in men. A woman can have androgenetic alopecia and, at the same time, have other circumstances that are accelerating or worsening hair loss or thinning.
Therefore, detecting androgenetic alopecia should not be the end of the diagnostic process. It is important to assess the condition of the hair follicles and, when necessary, expand the investigation to determine what else may be influencing hair growth.
Androgenetic alopecia in women has a significant genetic basis, but the loss of density can be influenced by different factors and, in some cases, coexist with other hair problems.
Among them are:
Thus, a single patient may present with more than one factor related to hair loss and require a different approach for each. For example, a woman may show signs consistent with female pattern hair loss and, at the same time, have a nutritional deficiency or a thyroid imbalance that is exacerbating the hair loss.
When these potential cofactors are not taken into account, treatment may fall short. Addressing only androgenetic alopecia, without assessing possible nutritional, hormonal, or thyroid imbalances that may also be contributing to hair loss, can cause it to persist or result in a less effective response to treatment than expected.
While in men androgenetic alopecia manifests as a receding hairline and crown, in women the hair loss is concentrated in the central and upper area of the head.
In this way, the first changes can be subtle and go unnoticed for months.
It is normal and completely natural for hair to fall out. Specific, Hair falls out at an average rate of 50 to 100 hairs per day. due to own hair life cycle. In this sense, the hair enters its telogen phase and it falls off, but the hair follicle remains, so another hair will come out. However, when hair loss worsens and we notice that many more hairs are shed, it may be a symptom of androgenic alopecia.
However, this hair loss can be gradual and doesn't always involve finding large amounts of hair in the brush. Sometimes, the first sign is simply noticing that There is less hair than before.
Dihydrotestosterone atrophies hair follicles, causing what is known as hair miniaturization. That is, the hair begins to become finer until it eventually disappears. If you notice thinning hair, noticeable in pigtails or braids, it is recommended to consult an expert.
If hair loss is accompanied by a decrease in density—that is, if you notice you don't have as much hair as before, and some areas even begin to thin—it's a symptom of female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). The lack of density in female pattern baldness is usually diffuse across the scalp, although it's more noticeable along the part, making it wider, and at the temples. Therefore, paying attention to changes in hair density can be just as important as observing how much hair you lose each day.
The most obvious symptom of androgenic alopecia is baldness. While in men it is more localized in the area of the entrances and crown of the head, In women it occurs more diffusely. Baldness will be visible, above all, in the hair parting and temporal areas normally, although with a lack of density throughout the scalp. Given these symptoms, it is highly recommended to consult with an expert.
Assuming that all hair loss in women is solely due to female pattern hair loss can lead to overlooking other contributing factors. Therefore, before starting any hair loss treatment, it's important to have a hair analysis to identify the underlying causes.
Diagnosing before treating allows for a more complete understanding of the problem and adapting the approach to the real needs of each patient..
In this way, the diagnosis of the androgenetic alopecia in women It begins with a thorough examination of the hair and scalp using trichoscopy, which helps detect signs of miniaturization. In addition, the specialist must assess factors that may also influence hair health, such as the progression of hair loss, family history, hormonal changes, medical history, and any nutritional, hormonal, or metabolic imbalances.
When a woman experiences hair loss or thinning, it's important to assess the various factors that may be contributing to the problem. Therefore, in Hospital Capilar We have designed Tricometabolic, an advanced diagnostic protocol for studying female hair health.
Tricometabolic is performed in a single session of approximately 60 minutes y combines:
Our goal is not simply to name the hair loss, but to understand what is happening, identify the factors that may be contributing to the loss of density and, based on all this information, determine the most appropriate approach to stop hair loss.
Although androgenetic alopecia is a chronic condition with no cure, treatments exist that slow its progression, preserve existing hair, and improve hair density. Medical treatment is tailored to each patient based on their degree of alopecia, which is measured using a... Ludwig scale, condition of the scalp and general health of the patient, among others. Furthermore, since these are drugs, their medical evaluation and prescription are essential, so It is important to go to a specialized hair clinic to begin medical monitoring of alopecia..
Although it will always depend on medical criteria, the usual thing is to combine the use of two oral drugs. First of all, it uses the Minoxidil. It is a vasodilator that improves the arrival of nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles, thickening the hair and treating the miniaturization of hair typical of androgenetic alopecia and reducing hair loss. With this drug, the hair will look stronger, thicker and with greater hair density.
On the other hand, it is recommended to use Finasteride o dutasteride, according to medical criteria. These are two antiandrogens that inhibit the action of dihydrotestosterone, stopping hair loss and therefore the progression of androgenetic alopecia.
Another option to combat androgenetic alopecia in women is to resort to infiltrated treatments in specialized hair clinics. Specifically, there are 2 highly beneficial treatments to care for hair and stop hair loss in cases of androgenetic alopecia in women.
On the one hand, the hair mesotherapy. These are infiltrations into the scalp of vitamins, peptides and drugs adapted to the patient, specifically Dutasteride. This treatment stops hair loss, improves quality and promotes hair growth.
El Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), on the other hand, is another highly effective hair treatment to stop hair loss. It consists of extracting a small amount of blood from the patient and subjecting it to a centrifugation process, thus obtaining plasma enriched with growth factors from the blood itself. This plasma is injected throughout the scalp, stimulating the proper functioning of the hair follicles and promoting tissue regeneration.
Hair treatments, as well as the drugs mentioned above, slow the progression of androgenetic alopecia in women but will not cause hair to grow back where it stopped growing naturally. To regain hair in the areas where there was follicular loss, the only way is to resort to hair transplant in women.
Contrary to what one might think, the hair transplant in women It is also viable, and not only for men. It is a technique that offers very good results also in female patients with androgenetic alopecia.
It is an outpatient, minimally invasive surgery that consists of extracting healthy hair follicles from the donor area and implanting them in the area affected by alopecia. The results of this technique are definitively seen once the first year has passed since surgery, although after 6 months the first changes can already be seen.
However, not all women with androgenetic alopecia are candidates. It is necessary to first assess the cause of the hair loss, the progression of the alopecia, the donor area, and the patient's expectations.
Therefore, The diagnosis must precede the decision to perform a hair transplant.
You don't need to wait until you see clearly depopulated areas to seek medical advice. It's advisable to request a medical evaluation if you notice:
The sooner the cause is determined, the sooner an appropriate and effective treatment plan can be designed.
The most common signs are a widening of the part, loss of density on top, and miniaturization of the hair. However, these symptoms can also appear in other types of alopecia. Trichoscopy and medical evaluation allow for a better differentiation of the possible causes.
Yes. Although androgenetic alopecia is a chronic condition, there are treatments that slow its progression and improve hair density.
Not necessarily. There is a significant genetic predisposition, but hair loss can be related to various factors, and other conditions may coexist. Therefore, when indicated, it is important to complement the hair analysis with a medical evaluation and blood tests.
Tricometabolic is designed to study hair loss and thinning in women. It combines trichoscopy, an analysis of 27 biomarkers, and medical evaluation to obtain a comprehensive view of the factors that may be related to hair health.
Androgenetic alopecia is not always the only factor behind hair loss in women. Before choosing a treatment, it's important to know what's going on.
With Tricometabolic, in Hospital Capilar We combine hair study, analysis of 27 biomarkers and specialized medical assessment to obtain a global view of your hair health and determine the most appropriate approach.