When surgeon Alan Bauman began practicing hair restoration in Boca Raton, Fla.., in late 1990, about 10% of patients were women. Now, he says, half are. Jose Greco, hair loss specialist in Sarasota, Fla., Says his proportion of female, patients has risen from 25% to 60% in the last decade.
There is no reason to believe that most women these days are losing their hair. Almost all women lose some hair as they age and some women – like some men – are genetically predisposed to lose a lot. Women rarely go bald, but what begins with a growing share remarkable outpouring or a ponytail can be reduced significantly, scalp, exposing thinning hair for about a third of women, studies show.
How women feel about that may be changing, says Melissa Piliang, an experienced hair loss at the Cleveland Clinic dermatologist.
“I think there is a greater awareness and greater interest in the treatment” says the Piliang. “For the generation of our grandmothers, women over 50 is considered old. Now women of that age are considered quite young. Many also have jobs in which appearance is important.”
And, it’s fair to say, many of them are also seeing the marketing of a growing range of products and hair restoration procedures aimed at women -. Including an expensive treatment but not proven that both Bauman and Greco specialize in leather involves injections scalp with something called platelet rich plasma (PRP).
Greco, Baumanand other professionals some of which PRP market as a “vampire hair treatment” similar to the bloody, “facial vampire” became famous Kim Kardashian – say the substances in the concentrate plasma taken from the patient’s own blood can stimulate hair regrowth. They say the procedure is safe and produced remarkable results in most, but not all, male and female patients. An increase of 20% to 25% of the mass of hair is normal, said Bauman.
But studies to date have been small and most have lacked comparison groups that would show how, PRP stacks up against other treatments, or no treatment at all. “The first results are promising, but more studies to see if this is a safe and effective treatment are needed,” says the American Academy of Dermatology.
In addition, the lack of standardization – with each clinic using their own methods – “means it is buyer beware out there,” says Bauman.
These buyers are spending a lot of money: Bauman charges $ 2,500 for a treatment of PRP that he says, should be repeated once a year on average. Greco says he repeats his version of three times in the first 18 months for typical patients’ hair loss female pattern “, which charges $ 1,600 for the first treatment, $ 1,400 for second and $ 1,000 for the third. Patients have an incentive to return because any new hair will fall out when the treatment is stopped – just as you do with any treatment, except for hair transplants.
But nobody believes PRP first line treatment for women with hair loss.
That distinction goes to minoxidil a liquid or foam applied to the scalp, available leather on the counter for years. The Food and Drug Administration approved a foam undiluted (a 5%) for women in 2014 and is now sold as Rogaine for Women. The great advantage over previous versions is 2% which can be used once a day, instead of twice. It costs about $ 35 for a four-month supply.
Pililang says about 80% of women using minoxidil will stop hair loss and about half will grow slightly. “Its going to take someone who is 50 or 60 back to the hair they had in 20” she says.
“It does not work for everyone but I tell my patients who use it diligently for six months and then look in the mirror and see how you feel” says Paradi Mirmirani a specialist in hair loss dermatologist at Kaiser Permanente in Vallejo, Calif. Because hair loss caused by aging and genes worsens with time, even keep the hair “is a victory,” she says. “But patients have to decide if it’s worth the time and money.”
The major side effects associated with minoxidil is scalp irritation and itching. And some women report growth of unwanted facial hair – something that the package instructions say could be prevented with careful application.
Another treatment that may work for some women: laser therapy comb with devices that sell for around $ 200 to $ 500 or caps that cost even more. These are FDA, approved for safety and recent studies suggest, “A modest benefit” says Mirmirani.
Some women are candidates for hair transplant. But because women tend to lose hair all over the head, not the bald spots various common in men, finding the most exuberant sections that can be moved to cover scattered areas is “more difficult,” says Piliang .
Supplements such as biotin, marketed for hair health, untested, and Mirmirani Piliang say. However, eating a healthy diet, protect hair from sun and not smoking can help, they say.
It is also important to know: hair loss not all women is the result of aging and genes. And some of the causes are treatable or temporary. Among them:
Pregnancy: Many women see the temporary hair loss after pregnancy.
Stress: The hair may also shed after stressful or traumatic events.
Iron deficiency:Thyroid hormones and immune disorders. The treatment can often stop any associated hair loss.
Medicines: Cancer drugs, but also to drugs used to treat depression, acne, blood clotting and other conditions can cause hair loss.
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