Male and Female Pattern Baldness Causes

There are two types of pattern baldness: 

  • male pattern baldness
  • female pattern baldness

 

Depending on the sex of the person, the hair loss cycle can vary. This condition is referred to as “pattern baldness”.  In the rest of the article, we will discuss pattern baldness in detail. At the end of the article you’ll get answers to the questions below:

 

  1. What is male pattern baldness?
  2. What is female pattern baldness, and the differences of it from male pattern?
  3. What are the reasons for pattern baldness?
  4. Which treatments are the best solutions for hair loss in Turkey?

Female Pattern Baldness

Female Pattern Baldness

Early signs in Female Pattern Baldness

The aetiology of hair loss in women is different from that of men. Hair loss in women typically has the following signs;

  • Thinning of the hair structure on the entire scalp
  • Receding hairline (especially in ponytails and buns)
  • Frontal hair thinning
  • Hair loss or thinning throughout the top of your head

 

Causes in Female Pattern Baldness

Common causes of female pattern baldness include age, hormones and genetics. Hair loss in women increases with age. Especially after menopause, 33% of women experience hair thinning and hair loss. As the hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) decreases after menopause, body hair growth decreases and existing hair begins to thin. Those with a family history of female pattern hair loss are more likely to suffer from this problem. 

 

How to diagnose it?

Female pattern hair loss can be diagnosed with methods such as blood tests and skin biopsy. You can also check your scalp for redness, swelling and sores to see if you have any signs of infection. You can also contact a dermatologist and have your hair sample sent to a lab for analysis.

Male Pattern Baldness

Male Pattern Baldness Causes

Early signs in Male Pattern Balding

Men with androgenetic alopecia usually have the following symptoms:

  • Noticeable hair loss at the temples and signs of thinning
  • Circular thinning in the crown,
  • Receding hairline starting to take the shape of an “M”
  • Thinning of the entire scalp,
  • Widening and separation of the part line.

 

Causes in Male Pattern Balding

It is often associated with genetic conditions and the effects of hormones, especially dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can shrink hair follicles over time.

 

How to diagnose it?

Hair transplant professionals diagnose classic male pattern baldness based on the appearance and pattern of hair loss. Hair loss may be due to other conditions. If you have these uncommon symptoms, your hair loss may be related to a disease:

 

  • If hair loss occurs in patches, 
  • If you are losing a lot of hair, 
  • If your hair is breaking
  • If you have hair loss accompanied by redness, pus, scaling, or pain.

 

Blood tests, skin biopsy, or other procedures may be needed to diagnose other disorders that cause hair loss. Disorders that cause hair loss include hair shedding (telogen or anagen effluvium), alopecia, hair infections and developmental disorders. Hair analysis alone is not enough to diagnose hair loss due to nutritional or similar disorders. On the other hand, it can reveal substances like arsenic or lead. [1]

Pattern Baldness Causes and Male and Female

Among the general causes of pattern baldness are the ones below:

  • Genes,
  • Sex hormones,
  • Stress,
  • Alopecia areata,
  • Thyroid disease,
  • Nutrition deficiency,
  • Ageing, 
  • Medications,
  • Weight loss,
  • Low levels of protein or iron
  • Androgenetic alopecia,
  • Autoimmune diseases,
  • Hair damage. [2]

Pattern Baldness Treatments Solutions in Turkey

In the treatment of pattern baldness, Turkey is one of the best countries due to both quality treatment opportunities and affordability. The following approaches can be used to treat pattern baldness:

 

  • Minoxidil 

It is a solution applied directly to the scalp to stimulate the hair follicles. For many men and women it slows hair loss and for some it grows new hair. The disadvantage is that hair loss returns when you stop using this medicine.

 

  • Finasteride

It is a pill that interferes with the production of a highly active form of testosterone, which is linked to baldness. It slows hair loss and is more effective than Minoxidil. However, hair loss also returns when you stop taking this medicine. It’s only for men and it doesn’t work well for women because it’s made to block the hormone DHT. [3]

 

  • Hair Transplant Surgery

It is today’s most effective procedure to treat hair loss. It has various procedures including techniques such as U-FUE, FUE, Ice-FUE, DHI. The basic principle in all hair transplant procedures is to take a portion of the hair follicles intact and transplant it to the bald area that is known as the recipient site. It can be performed with or without shaving the head. Depending on your degree of hair loss on the Norwood scale, the most suitable technique for you may vary.

Hair transplant in Turkey can be effective not only for genetic and ageing-related hair loss, but also for hair loss caused by burns, surgery, car accidents, scalds, etc. Your Turkish doctor will decide the most appropriate plan according to the amount of hair required, the health of your donor area, your overall health and your expectations from the surgery. You can have both your treatment and Istanbul vacation at Vantage Clinic. So you can have a perfect hair transplantation procedure at attractive prices.

FAQ about Pattern Baldness

Can you fix pattern baldness?

You can’t reverse the process, but you can control it with some medications, nutritional changes, lifestyle, etc. Also, you can have a denser appearance with a hair transplantation.

Is it normal to lose hair in your 20s?

On average, a healthy individual loses between 100 and 150 hairs per day. However, if you have a medical condition, this number can double or even triple. By following your hair loss cycle and observing the balding process on your temples, crown and frontal area, you can decide if you need a hair transplant. 

Is thinning hair normal?

As a person ages, it’s normal for hair loss to increase, hair to weaken, and volume to decrease. Hair strands may become thinner. However, if this process progresses very quickly (in a few months) or occurs after an accident or illness, then we can talk about an unusual situation. 

Can pattern hair loss grow back?

Treatment options can completely prevent further hair loss, and in some patients, a bit of regrowth can be observed. Especially if you are not in the advanced stage of Norwood, you can increase the chance of regrowth with early intervention.

Do bald men have more testosterone?

No. It is a common belief but scientific evidence doesn’t support the idea that bald men have higher testosterone levels or they are more virile. The contribution of genetics and the sensitivity of hair follicles to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to baldness should not be ignored.

Sources

  1. 1.Services D of H & H. Hair. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/hair 
  2. ‌1.Jave-suarez LF, Langbein L, Winter H, Praetzel S., et al. Androgen Regulation of the Human Hair Follicle: The Type I Hair Keratin hHa7 Is a Direct Target Gene in Trichocytes. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-202X.2004.22336.x 
  3. ‌1.Oliveira-Soares R, André M, Peres-Correia M. Adverse effects with finasteride 5 mg/day for patterned hair loss in premenopausal women. International Journal of Trichology. 2018;10(1):48. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/ijt.ijt_73_15 

Article Review By: Dr. Jyothi Shenoy V
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MBBS, MD – Obstetrics & Gynaecology, MRCOG(UK)
23 Years Experience Overall