Female pattern baldness, or alopecia, is not as common as the male oriented pattern baldness in men, but affects more women than commonly thought. The causes for women to lose their hair or to experience noticeable thinning are as many and as varied as the reasons for male baldness. Reaction to medication, physical damage, and heredity are just a few. If you experience hair loss and are not sure what the reason is, seek the advice of a medical professional as soon as possible to make sure that it is not just a sign of a more serious medical condition.

Most female thinning and baldness is caused by hereditary factors, and usually follows the pattern of top of the hairline thinning, with the possibility of total frontal baldness with an eventual thinning, though rarely fully balding back of the head. Hereditary female pattern baldness, though the most common form of female hair loss, is also the least likely to react to treatment by medication, either OTC or prescribed. This condition is produced by testosterone and other hormonal changes which can lead to the conversion of DHT which in turn destroys hair follicles beyond the point of restoration. Lack of vitamins in the system, advanced age, and thyroid or other hormone related disorders are likely to increase your risks for hair loss also.

Most hair restoration medications, unfortunately work only for men, and medication can actually be more of a precursor to female hair loss than it is to be an effective treatment. Steroids, blood thinners, and contraceptives, including those administered for hormone replacement due to menopause can increase the chances of experiencing female pattern baldness. Some hair loss due to medication is temporary, and even major re-growth can take place once the suspect medication is removed from the system. There are women who completely go bald due to chemotherapy and other high potency drug cocktails, but once treatment is ceased, the hair is able to return.

If hair loss is permanent, usually the only option left is hair transplant surgery, Thanks to advances in hair restoration technology this is now widely available and is capable of producing extremely natural looking results. Before deciding on restorative surgery, make sure to rule out the existence of other complications that might be able to be corrected, allowing your hair to re-grow. Hair replacement, like any other surgical option, should be thoroughly discussed with a medical professional and all risks and benefits weighed.