Female Hair Loss, Its Root Causes and Treatments at Ziering Medical

Female Pattern Hair Loss or FPHL is the most common form of alopecia or hair loss to affect women, according to the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology. Approximately 30% of women experience some form of thinning hair in their lives.  Moreover, for affected women beyond the physical impact of hair loss they might also experience psychological distress and social difficulties. This is because women’s femininity is frequently linked to their hair.  So it is important to get an early diagnosis in order for treatment to be initiated sooner rather than later. Because hair loss is progressive, early intervention with non-surgical treatments can slow down the hair fall, preserving as much of your hair as possible while determining whether or not you are a candidate for hair transplant surgery. Thankfully, at Ziering Medical, we provide female hair loss treatment for all stages. 

What Causes Female Hair Loss?

Inherited genetics is the primary reason but other medical conditions can also cause diffuse hair loss among women, including:

• Hormonal changes
• Discontinuation of birth control pills
• Obstetric and gynecologic conditions such as post-partum and post-menopausal states or ovarian tumors
• Anemia or iron deficiency
• Thyroid disease and the medications used to treat it
• Stress or trauma – surgical procedures, general anesthesia, and severe emotional problems
• Poor nutrition caused by sudden changes in diet, crash dieting, bulimia, protein/calorie deficiency, essential fatty acid or zinc deficiency, malabsorption, hypervitaminosis A
• Lupus – a connective tissue disease
• Hashimoto’s Disease
• Various medications
• Traction Alopecia or hair loss caused by trauma, excessive tension on hair from wearing hairstyles or braiding that is very tight

Diagnosing Female Pattern Baldness

Detecting the condition will entail a physical examination of the hair and scalp but also requires review of any physical signs of other conditions or comorbid diseases. When examining the scalp, the physician should look for typical female pattern baldness signs to determine the presence of androgenetic alopecia.  On the other hand, whole body hair loss is consistent with alopecia totalis – a rare autoimmune disease.

 

A hair pull test may be used to diagnose hair loss conditions. This involves the doctor grasping small sections of hair, about 40 strands in all, from different parts of the scalp and gently applying traction away from the scalp. A positive result is when more than 10% of the hairs, or four to five hairs, are pulled from the scalp. This implies active hair shedding. Usually a diagnosis of female pattern hair loss can be confirmed by reviewing patient medical history and physical examination. Testing a scalp biopsy is not usually required. For women with signs of hyperandrogenism, or high androgen levels, investigation for ovarian or adrenal disorders is the next step. Bloodwork may be required to test thyroid function as well.

Female Hair Loss Treatment at Ziering Medical

Dr. Ziering has never been one to be uncomfortable with challenging traditional industry norms. He recognized that women were an underserved community of hair loss sufferers. Female hair loss often goes ignored even by mainstream beauty publications, making it difficult for women experiencing hair loss—from mild, moderate, and extensive—to get the education and answers they deserve. 

So Dr. Ziering bucked the trend of catering to women when it comes to hair loss treatments. His dedicated practice focuses on female hair loss solutions. Our world-class program for hair restoration procedures allows women to address and explore their hair loss treatment options. 

We look forward to providing you with answers to any questions you may have, and, better yet, results.

Non-Surgical Options 

For many patients, getting started with a course of proven non-surgical treatment options is the first step in addressing their particular hair loss.  

This can be part of a wider hair loss preventative care treatment plan which will slow down your hair loss or shedding and in most cases trigger hair regrowth. That treatment plan usually requires a combination of proven oral and topical therapies with some of those options requiring a prescription. Patients often ask what they can do to limit the further loss and regrow areas of hair that have thinned. At Ziering Medical, we offer a full suite of proven non-surgical treatment options for hair regeneration, such as:

Viviscal Professional 

Developed by Finnish chemists, Viviscal Professional hair nourishment supplements provide essential marine enriched nutrients that nourish your hair from the inside out. These positive results for test patients have been published in leading international journals:

• 92% experienced regrowth of hair after 6 months
• 54% experienced 70-95% regrowth after 12 months
• 88% rated their satisfaction with treatment results as good or highly satisfied

This supplement is 100% natural and contains an exclusive AminoMar C™ Marine Complex, 28% marine enriched protein, providing the essential proteins needed to nourish thinning hair and encourage existing hair growth in those suffering from temporary hair loss. Other ingredients include; Vitamin C derived from Acerola Cherry extract and Silica from Horsetail

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) 

HRT is an advanced treatment that leverages new developments in endocrinology to fight hair loss and turn back the clock on your natural hairline. Dr. Ziering was an early proponent of this entirely non-surgical treatment, and today he’s an advisor to Physical Male – our exclusive HRT partner. That’s how deeply he believes in their work. During the transitional years of menopause and andropause, falling hormones in both men and women can contribute to the shortened growth phase of hair follicles, causing them to shrink until fewer hairs are left visible on the scalp. HRT addresses the root causes of these hair losses. If your doctor determines that hormone replacement is a good course of action, he or she will develop a treatment plan tailored to your age, gender, hair loss severity, and other factors.

Amnio-Z injections 

The Amnio-Z shot,  is protein based and derived from human amniotic components rich In various biologically active growth factors. These are components of tissue regeneration and wound healing. Its benefits include:

• Stimulating tissue remodeling – regeneration of hair follicles
• Anti-inflammatory activity – aiding with scalp recovery
• Stimulating cell growth/formation

It is a short procedure with no anesthesia, no blood drawn and no downtime for the patient. Also, the contents of Amnio-Z are found naturally in the body. This treatment may be combined with hair transplant surgery and administered immediately post operatively without damaging the newly transplanted hair grafts. Because hair loss is a progressive disorder, this is an excellent treatment for addressing the ongoing loss of native hair regardless of whether a patient has had a hair transplant or not, making it the go-to option for managing that ongoing hair loss effectively.

Red Light Therapy

Also known as Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT), is a hair loss treatment method which uses red laser light which energizes stem cells in the dermal papilla, deep within the hair follicle.  The hair follicle absorbs the energy causing the growth phase of the normal hair cycle to increase, and it produces thicker, healthier hair.  Laser Therapy with the ZCAP is safe, painless and even paired with hair transplant surgery to speed healing and stimulate the transplanted hair to grow.

Hair Transplants for Women at Ziering Medical

There are two primary and different types of hair transplants:  Microscopically Dissected Elliptical Excision (MDEE) formerly known as Follicular Unit Transplantation or FUT and Follicular Unit Excision and Extraction (FUE). Both procedures follow the same steps except for the all-important method of harvesting the donor hair.

MDEE involves making an elliptical excision in the donor region on the back and sides of the head, where the hair is genetically programmed as permanent hair and removing that elliptical-shaped strip of tissue.  The elliptical excision is closed with a modified trichophytic closure, leaving a very thin, nearly undetectable linear scar. Then the strip of tissue is slivered and dissected with direct visualization under a microscope into the individual, naturally-occurring follicular units of one to four hairs. These tiny grafts or follicular units will then be placed into the recipient sites which have been created by your hair transplant surgeon according to the overall hair transplant design.

With FUE,  the donor zone on the back and sides of the head must be shaved short, and then the donor hair is harvested one  hair follicle at a time, which leaves microscopic pinpoint scars that are covered as the shaved hair grows-in. Just like MDEE, the surgeon makes the recipient sites, and the tiny grafts are gently placed into those sites at the proper angle and orientation. Because FUE requires that the hair on the back of the head is shaved, it is rarely a first choice option for women. 

With both procedure types, post-op pain medications may be required for the next few days. Antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed. Patients will be able to return to work five to seven days after the surgery. In 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, the transplanted hair will fall out but the follicles will develop new hair growth within a few months. Hair transplant surgery may be complemented with a hair-growing topicals like ZMIN and even Viviscal PRO and Laser Therapy to improve post-transplant hair growth.

Post-op, pain medications may be required for the next few days. The scalp will also be bandaged for at least a day. Antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed. Patients will be able to return to work 2-5 days after the operation. 

In 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, the transplanted hair will fall out but the follicles will develop new hair growth within a few months. These can be complemented with hair-growing drugs like minoxidil (Rogaine) to improve post-transplant hair growth.

Ziering Medical is Here to Help

Dealing with female hair loss? Ziering Medical looks forward to providing you with answers to any questions you may have and helping you decide on the best solution. We understand that this is a delicate process and that each patient has unique needs and goals. Moreover, when you have made your decision on which treatment plan to pursue, we look forward to giving you the results you are looking for. So contact us for any inquiries or to schedule a consultation.