Female pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia)

Hair loss is pretty common in women, especially as you get older. Up to 50% of women will experience female pattern baldness at some point.

But why does it happen—and what can you do about it? Here’s what to know.

Key Takeaways

• Female pattern baldness is caused by your genes and hormones.
• Hair loss usually starts on your mid-scalp and can radiate outwards.
• It’s often responsive to treatment.

What is female pattern baldness?

It’s the most common type of hair loss in women.

Good to know: female pattern baldness is sometimes called female pattern hair loss. And both are names for the female form of androgenetic alopecia, a condition which also affects men. Their version is called male pattern baldness.

What causes female pattern baldness?

Your genes and hormones both play a role.

Genetics

Female pattern baldness is mostly down to your genes. You can be predisposed to hair loss through either side of your family.

This means you are more sensitive to the effects of an androgen (male) hormone called DHT. It drives hair loss by making your hair follicles shrink over time, so your hair gradually becomes finer.

Hormones

Your hormones contribute to hair loss, too. Though we’re still not sure exactly how.

When oestrogen declines, your balance of oestrogen and androgens (including DHT) shifts: you have more DHT in relation to oestrogen than before. This could increase your risk of hair loss.

Plus, it’s thought that a drop in oestrogen may be a causative factor in itself, because oestrogen extends the growth phase of the hair cycle.

What does female pattern baldness look like?

As the name suggests, this type of hair loss follows a typical pattern that can progress in stages: hair loss starts in the middle of your scalp and slowly radiates outwards. However, you usually retain your hairline rather than it receding.

Different scales are used to measure this (though they all describe the same pattern). We’ve gone with Ludwig’s classification.

Grade I

Noticeable (but minimal) hair thinning on the crown of your head. Your centre part might become wider.

Grade II

Hair thinning spreads outwards. Hair becomes less dense and more sparsely covers your scalp.

Grade III

Significant scalp exposure in areas where hair was thinning in grades I and II.

Iron deficiency hair loss vs early female pattern baldness

Iron deficiency can cause temporary hair loss that eventually reverses once your levels are back within a healthy range. Here, hair tends to fall out from all over the scalp rather than in a specific pattern.

How common is female pattern baldness and when does it start?

It affects up to 50% of women, getting more common with age. For many, it comes on during menopause (when your oestrogen drops).

But it can happen at any time after puberty. For example, it’s uncommon, but possible, to get female pattern baldness in your 20s.

Is female pattern baldness reversible?

There’s no cure for female pattern baldness, but it is treatable. With the right plan in place, you can see a significant improvement in your hair loss.

Treatments for female pattern baldness

So, what can you do about female pattern baldness?

Minoxidil

This is the main medical option. Minoxidil works by boosting blood flow to the hair roots. It also extends the growth phase of the hair cycle.

Spironolactone

Spironolactone is a treatment for fluid retention, but it’s sometimes used off-label for hair loss. It blocks androgen activity and has been shown to visibly improve hair loss in women.

Finasteride

Like spironolactone, finasteride can be used off-label for hair loss in some women but is not as commonly used, and is generally only prescribed by specialists.

Natural remedies for female pattern baldness

Beyond medication, there are other ways to facilitate better hair health, too.

• Eat a healthy diet. Make sure your nutrition covers all your bases to give you the best conditions for regrowth. Plus, certain nutritional deficiencies are linked to hair loss.
• Red light therapy. There’s some evidence that this can improve hair count in women with female pattern baldness.
• Microneedling. Studies suggest that this can help. It tends to be more effective when combined with minoxidil.

Heads up: there’s limited evidence supporting use of supplements or essential oils by themselves for androgenetic alopecia in women. Though they can be useful when used alongside treatments which address the condition directly.

When to see a doctor

You should see your doctor if your hair loss is concerning you.

But if any of these apply to you, it’s best to pay them a visit:

• Hair loss comes on suddenly
• Hair has been coming out in clumps
• You have other symptoms, like an itchy scalp

These might be signs of infection or another underlying health problem.

Feel like yourself again

If your hair loss is getting you down—we see you. We know how upsetting it can be.

Let us help. At Voy, we can make you a personalised plan to get your hair back.