Surgical hair restoration is the final remedy for baldness in women

Hair biology and hair loss Hair growth cycle

Hair Restoration for Women

Changes in the levels of hormones affect hair growth and regeneration in women. After menopause, the estrogen (female hormone) level becomes low and hair follicles become more susceptible to the destructive effect of DHT (dihydro testosterone, the male hormone) leading to increased hair loss. The follicles remain alive but contain only miniaturized hair, but there is always a possibility of re-growth and hair loss restoration for women. This is the reason that female hair loss restoration is usually possible. There are many drugs which are available for female hair loss treatment.

In female balding thinning of hair is seen all over the head, but the frontal hairline is maintained. Widening of the natural part is very much evident. There may be a moderate loss of hair on the crown, but this rarely progresses to total or near baldness as it is seen in men.

Though the typical pattern of female pattern baldness is different from that of male pattern baldness, hair restoration for women is possible through surgical hair restoration in the same way as for men.

The following article on hair growth cycle helps you in better understanding of the hair restoration and remedy for baldness in women.

Hair growth cycle

Under normal circumstances hair growth in each hair follicle occurs in a cycle. There are three main phases of the hair growth cycle; anagen, catagen and telogen with anagen further subdivided into proanagen, mesanagen and metanagen. Anagen is the active growth phase when hair fiber is produced. Proanagen marks initiation of growth with RNA and DNA synthesis in a follicle which then quickly progresses through mesanagen to metanagen and maximum follicle length and girth. In this mature state of proliferation and differentiation the hair follicle consists of a total of eight concentric layers and melanogenesis occurs within pigmented hair follicles. Anagen is followed by catagen, a period of controlled regression of the hair follicle. Ultimately the hair follicle enters telogen, when the follicle is in a so-called resting state.

Diagram showing regression of a mature anagen hair follicle. In catagen phase dermal papilla stops stop functioning and follice and root sheaths stop growing.

Diagram showing a resting hair follicle returning from resting telogen to growing anagen. If the old fiber has not already fallen out it is pushed out by the new hair fiber growing underneath.

Anagen is the longest phase with up to 90% of follicles on a normal human scalp in this active hair growth state at any given time and correspondingly telogen hair follicles comprise up to 10% on the scalp. The average rate of hair fiber growth is around 0.35mm a day but this rate varies depending on the site of the hair follicle and the age and sex of the individual. The length of the anagen growth phase for scalp hair is usually 6-10 years while telogen lasts just 30-90 days and catagen is best estimated at 14-21 days. In most young mammals the anagen growth phase occurs in a wave like pattern across the skin surface. But the hair follicles of humans and guinea pigs can run through the normal cycles of growth entirely independently of neighboring follicles.

Normally this cycle of hair production and inactivity will continue for the duration of the individual's life but other factors can influence and inhibit hair production and in some cases lead to physical destruction of the hair follicle. Factors may include adverse reactions to drugs and cosmetics, or as a result of scarring, tumors, radiation, the genetics of the individual, hormones and/or their immune system.