Benjamin Franklin once noted that the only sure things in life are death and taxes, but let’s face it, you can add aging to that list as well. Aging is the most natural and inevitable of processes, but that doesn’t mean it feels good. While inner wisdom may begin to flourish, most external changes are very unwelcome. It’s quite simple really: we were more physically beautiful when we were younger, and it’s tough to watch that beauty recede.
Watching the signs of aging alter our outward appearance slowly but surely, and rarely for the better, can be very difficult. While many cultures throughout human history have esteemed the elderly as possessing superior experience and wisdom, most modern cultures celebrate youth, making the inevitable physical decline associated with aging that much more difficult to bear.
In addition to wrinkled skin, weight gain and changes in body shape, many women experience hair loss in middle and old age. A full, thick head of hair is associated with vibrant health and beauty. Indeed, a woman’s hair is often one of the features that men find most attractive. It’s enough to make you, well, want to pull your hair out. Except that would only make matters worse.
How Common Is Hair Loss in Women?
By age 60 a staggering 50% of women experience some degree of female pattern hair loss. Millions more women struggle with mild to moderate hair thinning due to hormonal changes of pregnancy and menopause, and other health conditions. While male pattern baldness can be quite obvious, and poses its own challenges to men, hair loss in women is generally quite subtle, but can be even more devastating to a woman’s self-esteem.
What is Female Pattern Baldness?
Female pattern baldness does not follow the pattern as that in men, characterized by a receding frontal hairline and a growing bald patch at the crown. Instead, the loss tends to be more gradual and generalized, yet still presents a pattern as illustrated in the Ludwig Classification System. Below is a simplified illustration.
Fortunately, you no longer have to sit back and watch your hair continue to thin year after year. There are now many options available to women that were unthinkable even a couple decades ago. These include:
- Follicular Unit Excision(FUE) hair transplants
- Follicular Unit Strip(FUS) harvest
- Non-surgical medical treatments such as Rogaine (Minoxidil)
- Low-level laser therapy
- Treatment for thyroid problems
- Treatment for anemia
- Treatment for hormone abnormalities
- Vitamin deficiencies
A personal consultation can determine which of these solutions is the right one for your unique circumstances. Help is just an email or call away.
What Are My Options?
Aging is natural, but hair loss can be devastating, and there is no reason to continue to suffer. Contact my clinic for a consultation or ask me a question to begin looking and feeling like a more young, vibrant and healthy you.
Dr. James Harris is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, inventor of patented follicular unit excision technology, published author in the field of hair restoration and an advocate for patient care. He is currently at the forefront of research and development in the field of hair cloning. Learn more about Dr. Harris or read rave reviews from his patients.