I often get emails from both men and women who are concerned about thinning hair. Although the causes and treatments of the hair loss for men and women are sometimes (but not always) different, the concern is still the same. It's not always true that a man can just shave his head and a women can just a wear a wig with no problems. Thinning hair can be painful both physically and emotionally. And, since there are things that you can do to slow or stop it, there's no reason to just accept it with a heavy heart.
Thinning Hair In Men (Causes And Treatments): Although scalp, medical, and dermatological issues are possible with male hair loss, by far the most common culprit is genetic or hereditary hair loss. Some people mistakenly think that you should look to your mother's father to see your genetic destiny. This really isn't true. Genetic hair loss can come from any family member and in some cases, there is no genetic history (there doesn't really have to be.)
The treatment for this hair loss is healing the scalp or fixing the medical problems if applicable. Or, if what you have is genetic loss, then you'll need to lessen the grip that DHT and androgens have on your follicles, regrowth, and scalp. This is often done through drugs, but I prefer to try topicals first. It's advisable to go with the least invasive thing first and then to become more aggressive as you need to. If you pull out the most aggressive treatments first, you have no where to go when they lose their effectiveness. And, many men have unfavorable reactions to these medications anyway. Some of the medications cause even more hair loss, so it's important to start treatment slowly and to gradually taper up (and always introduce only one thing at a time.)
You'll also need to focus heavily on regrowth. The thin, miniaturized hairs that regrow with genetic hair loss often don't provide enough decent coverage to make a difference.
Female Hair Thinning: (Causes And Treatments): Women have the same risk factors as men (genetics, medical, and dermatological issues, etc.) but there is often one large culprit that makes their hair loss different - hormones. Any changes in hormones (even very small changes) is usually enough to kick off a shed which can eventually lead to or build up to thinning. For women, this can be estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, or adrenal hormones. Women will often try to add in the hormones in an attempt to stop the thinning. They'll go on birth control pills or bio identical hormones or they will experiment with herbs that promise the same results.
But here's the problem that often follows. Women who thin due to hormones are what I call "hormonally vulnerable." Any additional changes can kick off more hair loss. So, when you add in more changes, then what is likely to happen? Yes, more loss on your head. This is so very frustrating, I know. But, experimenting often comes with a high price. You should make sure that there is a medical reason for any additions that you (and your doctor) consider. And, I firmly believe that you should try topicals first.
It's a common misconception that women don't have AGA (genetic thinning) or if they do, you'll see the male pattern of balding with thinning at the crown, temples, or top of the head. This is not always true at all. Women have AGA in increasing numbers and no genetic history is needed. And, women with AGA can lose hair in a diffuse pattern or on the sides and / or in the bang area. That's why AGA is often confused with CTE (chronic telogen effluvium.)
Again, treatment is geared toward fixing the problem without kicking off another round of loss. And, once you address the underlying problem, you'll need to successfully stimulate your scalp to produce thick, healthy, high quality hairs that are properly nourished and are not miniaturized.
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