How long have you been counting the number of hair strands you lose a day? Is there any improvement, or are you trapped in a vicious cycle of losing hair, stressing about it, and then losing more hair because of stress? I’m guessing the latter. Hair fall is a serious problem and when it becomes hair loss where you lose clumps of hair every day, and form bald patches, the severity increases. It could be the sign of a more serious, underlying issue, a deficiency of something, or an imbalance in the hormone cycle.
Is female hair loss the same as men? While stress and genetics are the major causes of hair loss in men, hair loss due to hormonal imbalance is more common among women, especially nearing conditions such as menopause or during and post-pregnancy. The pattern of losing hair also differs as men experience thinning in the crown area and the hairlin and women lose hair in the center part.
Although some of them manage to get it all back, most of us are not that fortunate and would have to think of other options to treat the problem. One such method is hair transplantation. But can women get a hair transplant or are there any practicality issues? Is it as effective as it is in men? What else do we need to be aware of before opting for a transplant? Learn with me!
Hair Loss Reasons in Women
Since you have already seen how female pattern hair loss differs from that of men, let’s talk about the causes. Hair loss in women can occur due to several reasons. Although hair loss and pattern baldness are common in older women, indicating a correlation with aging, it’s not uncommon in women in their twenties or thirties either. Below listed are some of the common reasons for hair loss in women regardless of their age.
- Nutrient deficiency: A lack of essential nutrients in the body, no matter what age group one belongs to, is the number one cause of losing hair. A deficiency of vitamins like Vitamin B complex, Vitamin D, E, and A, and minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc often results in excess hair fall, leading to baldness which is not always easy to reverse.
- Genetics: Although it is believed that genes for hair loss in women are passed down from the father’s side, in fact, it could be from either side of the family. One of the different kinds of female pattern baldness, androgenetic alopecia is the result of genes that can get activated due to age or other factors. Androgenetic alopecia often manifests before the age of forty, and sometimes in the early thirties. Very rarely, the condition can be observed in children under eighteen, as pediatric androgenetic alopecia.
- Hormones: Another reason for androgenetic alopecia is hormones. Hormonal imbalance could occur due to different reasons, one of which is polycystic ovary syndrome. In such cases, females have a higher level of testosterone, which results in the overproduction of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the direct cause of hair loss. DHT shrinks hair follicles and elongates the telogen phase while shortening the anagen phase, the active phase of hair growth.
- Hairstyles: The second kind of alopecia, traction alopecia, mostly occurs due to damaging hairstyles. Women wearing tightly pulled hairstyles often develop this kind of hair loss where they lose hair at the edge of the scalp, on the hairline, where the tension is most.
There are more kinds of female pattern baldness including alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease where women lose hair in patches, resulting in the appearance of bald patches on random parts of the scalp and scarring alopecia, which is the destruction of hair follicles due to exposure to chemicals, fungal infections, and burns.
What is a Hair Transplant?
A hair transplant is a procedure where the surgeon takes healthy hair follicles from different parts of an individual’s body, including the back and sides of the scalp, where usually hair grows stronger and hair loss won’t occur, and fixes them on the thinning areas. Hair transplants usually have a high success rate, from 95 to 98%. The ideal candidate for a transplant must have enough amount of stable donor hair in the back of their scalp. This is what makes most females the perfect candidates for the process as they usually have an intact hairline, strong follicles at the back, and a moderate level of thinning on the whole scalp. The newly grafted follicles promote the growth of healthy strong hair in the formerly bald areas, resulting in a full head of hair within three to four months of time.
How Do Hair Transplant Work?
Anybody who wishes to restore their scalp hair, or hair on any other part of the body including beard, moustache, and eyebrows can opt for a transplant. However, the procedure is widely opted by those with defined male or female pattern baldness or who suffered hair loss due to accidents, burns, or injuries.
Hair transplants are of two different types: Strip Harvesting and Follicular Unit Extraction. These two categories differ in their method of extracting healthy follicles for grafting.
- Follicular Unit Transplantation: In FUT also known as Strip Harvesting, a piece of hair-bearing tissue is removed from the back of the head to dissect, and then graft onto the thinning areas of the scalp. A strip contains an average of 6000 grafts, which could vary along the range of 4000 to 8000 grafts, depending on the individual.
- Follicular Unit Extraction: Follicular Unit Extraction, of FUE is the most preferred method of hair transplant as it doesn’t result in a visible scar and will give a close to natural appearance. In this method, hair follicles are extracted individually, using a handheld device.
In comparison, Strip Harvesting costs less with a higher graft count in a single session while FUE features a more precise placement, reduced recovery time, and minimal scarring.
After extraction by either method, the follicles will be grafted onto the recipient area after making tiny incisions to place them. The newly placed follicles take root on the scalp fast and you will notice new hair growth within 90 to 100 days of the transplant process.
Effectiveness of Hair Transplant for Women
As already mentioned, most women are good candidates for a hair transplant. Compared to similar hair growth treatments, a hair transplant is a method with a high success rate. However, the effectiveness of the process in different individuals also depends on several other factors including the health of follicles grafted and how the body responds to the change.
In women, hair transplant is a viable option to treat almost all kinds of female pattern baldness, the most common among which is androgenetic alopecia where they lose hair in the middle parting which widens as the condition advances. The recovery time of the procedure depends on the kind of method adopted for extraction. In the case of techniques with less scarring, it might take up to 2 to 14 days for complete recovery. Although it’s a permanent procedure, the period for which it will last can vary based on aftercare, and on how well the patient maintains the hair and scalp.
Women with diffuse hair loss, who lost hair due to chemotherapy, and who are completely bald, cannot reverse hair loss with a hair transplant. In such cases, there will be no healthy follicles left to extract, which takes away the possibility of a transplant.
Side Effects of Hair Transplant in Women
The side effects of a hair transplant procedure are often temporary. In most cases, they are mild and will not affect the person’s day-to-day life. Take a look at the potential side effects listed below.
- Bruising, scarring, and swelling
- Pain and irritation
- Numbness
- Small scabs on the scalp
- Discomfort
Most of these symptoms will go away within a few days after. However, lack of hygiene in maintaining the scalp post-procedure could lead to infections which could have serious consequences if not treated right away.
How Much Do Hair Transplants for Women Cost?
The cost of hair transplants varies based on the place you opt for the procedure. In the United States, the procedure usually costs an arm and a leg where it ranges from $3000 to $17000, depending on how much area needs to be covered. Another option why Us wouldn’t be a good choice to get your transplant done is that the procedure usually doesn’t get covered by the insurance.
This is one of the reasons why more people are opting for Turkey as the best destination for a transplant rather than the US or Europe. As per the most recent data, a hair transplant procedure in Turkey costs somewhere between $1600 to $4100, which comes within an affordable range for most people and is economical even after including the flight ticket charge.
Other Treatments for Hair Loss
Hair loss doesn’t always require a treatment as extensive as a hair transplant. The treatment could vary based on the intensity of hair loss where not-so-excessive hair fall can be controlled with comparative simple methods and treatments.
- Red light therapy: Red light therapy is basically a low-level laser therapy, treating the scalp using low-wavelength red light. The weak cells on the scalp absorb the photons from the red light to activate the follicles and promote new hair growth.
- Platelet-rich Plasma: Popularly known as the PRP treatment, Platelet-rich Plasma is a technique where a medical professional draws the patient’s blood to isolate platelets, which will be injected into the scalp with the help of ultrasound.
- Topical solutions: Minoxidil or Rogaine is the most common topical solution used by men and women alike, to treat hair loss. The solution is FDA approved and can expect new hair growth with consistent use. However, the results don’t usually last once you stop using the formula, hence not considered a permanent solution to the problem.
- Systemic medications: Minoxidil is more effective and shows better results if taken along with an oral medication such as finasteride. Although the combination of finasteride and minoxidil effectively treats the progression of androgenetic alopecia, it comes with serious side effects, especially with long-term use.
Conclusion
Hair loss in women occurs in different stages. While it starts with a slight increase in the number of strands you lose in a day, as the condition progresses, it will be more visible as a wide gap in the middle of the scalp and with bald patches on random areas. Hair loss, if diagnosed in the beginning, can be tackled with a nutritious diet and destressing yoga or meditation practices. It can even be treated with topical medications and red light therapy in the early stages. However, in the advanced stages, the only viable solution to treat female pattern baldness is hair transplantation.
Hair transplant is a safe method for hair growth stimulation and is as effective in females as it is in males. The extraction stage in the transplant process can be carried out using two different methods, Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUI) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). The whole procedure can be completed within four to eight hours and the cost of the process depends on the intensity of hair loss and the place you choose to get it done. New hair growth can be expected within three to six months and the results will last forever if maintained properly.
FAQs
Yes, it is. With proper aftercare, a nutritious diet, and hygienic practices, the effects of the transplant can be maintained long-term.
Technically, anyone above the age of eighteen can get a hair transplant. But medically, a hair transplant procedure is not recommended for those below twenty-five.
The final look depends a great deal on the method of extraction. While Strip Harvesting leaves visible marks and scarring, it would be less visible in Follicular Unit Extraction.
Hair transplants are permanent and are meant to last for a lifetime. However, if not maintained as instructed, you will start losing hair as it did before, gradually losing the effects of the procedure.
Hair transplant is one of the safest hair growth treatments out there. To avoid potential side effects, all you need to do is keep the scalp clean and not take medications with blood-thinning properties.
References
- Ramos P.M., Miot H.A. Female pattern hair loss: a clinical and pathophysiological review. An Bras Dermatol. 2015;90:529–543. [PMC free article]
- Mubki T, Rudnicka L, Olszewska M, Shapiro J. Evaluation and diagnosis of the hair loss patient: part I. History and clinical examination. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;(03):4150–4.15E17. [PubMed]
