What Is Female Pattern Baldness?

Female Pattern Baldness is the thinning of a woman's hair over the top and front of her head. It differs from male baldness in that the hairline does not recede as hair loses its overall thickness.

What is normal daily hair loss?

• Most women lose somewhere between 100-125 hairs per day through normal grooming activities. More than this is considered a warning sign.

Number of women affected

• Approximately 40 percent of women report they believe their hair is thinning by age 65. More than 20 million American women are diagnosed with Female Pattern Baldness per year.

Causes

• The aging process, accompanied by changing hormones and predisposed genetics, are the leading causes of Female Pattern Baldness.

How hair grows

• Hair grows one-half inch per month. Each hair actively grows for two to six years. Once it begins to rest, it falls out. If other hair isn't actively growing to take its place, Female Pattern Baldness develops.

Treatment

• As other factors can lead to hair loss, only a hair restoration physician can accurately diagnose Female Pattern Baldness. Various treatments including specialized shampoos and creams as well as surgical hair replacement are available on a case-by-case basis.

Emotional side affects

• The appearance of a woman's hair is intimately linked to her self-esteem. The greatest difficulty most women experience when faced with Female Pattern Baldness is how she feels about what she sees in the mirror.