Women Specific Hair Loss Treatments
While hair loss occurs mostly in men, women suffer from this condition as well. Statistics show that over 20 million women experience hair loss but a lot of people still hold the misconception that this condition rarely affects the female population. This may be because women exert so much effort to conceal the condition and because the signs of female hair loss aren’t as immediately noticeable. While hair loss in men is usually concentrated at the top of the head, in women, it is more uniform so that at the onset, it only manifests as thinning hair.
It is said that hair loss impacts women more considerably since our society’s standards of beauty usually involve the hair. Since the causes of hair loss vary between men and women, there are certain medications that are not advisable for women. Still, the growing number of female hair loss cases has prompted the development of treatments that are geared specifically towards women. Some of these medications are not FDA approved but a lot of women claim that the use of these medications has yielded favorable results.
Minoxidil. The 2% solution is the formulation prescribed for women since the 5% solution was found to be too strong for them. While some doctors prescribe 5% for women, this is only done under careful observation and only in extreme cases.
Ketoconazole. Ketoconazole is a topical medication originally used to treat fugal infections but it was found to have anti-androgeneticic properties, which are helpful in retarding the production of DHT, one of the major hair loss culprits. Ketoconazole in shampoo form is usually prescribed for hair loss prevention.
Oral contraceptives. Yes, contraceptives are used primarily for birth control but they have also been found to be effective in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women. These hinder the production of androgens which are responsible for hair loss.
Spironolactone. Spironolactone is primarily a diuretic but it is used in hair loss treatments also because of its anti-androgenetic properties. There are two ways in which spironolactone targets the androgen problem. First, it keeps androgens from interacting with DHT thereby preventing these androgens from executing functions that contribute to hair loss. Second, spironolactone reduces the creation of androgens in the body. Aldactone is the most popular brand of spironolactone.
Hormone replacement therapy. As women grow older, their bodies’ ability to create adequate amounts of estrogen diminishes. Ideally, there should be a balance between estrogen and testosterone levels in women. Too much testosterone increases DHT production and so estrogen and progesterone pills are prescribed to help prevent the occurrence of baldness.
Cimetidine. Cimetidine is also known to be an effective anti-androgen. It is used to treat ulcers but it also prevents DHT from attacking hair follicles. Studies also show that cimetidine is very effective in preventing the production of excessive facial hair in women.
These days, hair loss treatments are not as exclusive as they have been in the previous years. There are many other treatments available to women today but as an added precaution, it is highly recommended that you have a lengthy discussion with your physician regarding these options.