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Female Hair Loss Treatment in Singapore
Hair loss can occur at any age. Early treatment saves hair.
Early intevention will help you to prevent further hair loss and regain your hair.
- Professional | Established | Trusted
- Consultation and Assessment
- Investigatons on underlying causes of hair loss
- Various treatments to suit your needs
what Is Female Hair Loss?
Female hair loss is more common than we imagine. As many as 50% of women will experience some degree of hair loss in their life time. Female hair loss is more widely encountered with advancing age, and this rate increases significantly after menopause. The importance of a woman’s hair cannot be underestimated. Quality of life studies have shown that women with hair loss have reported lower self-esteem, negative body image and impaired functioning at school, work and relationships. Nowadays, many younger women are seeking earlier treatments to combat female hair loss.
OUR APPROACH
FEMALE HAIR LOSS treatment
Female hair loss is a prevalent and often distressing condition that affects millions of women worldwide. It can manifest in various forms, ranging from diffuse thinning to more pronounced balding areas, and can significantly impact a woman’s psychological well-being and quality of life. Understanding the underlying causes, available treatments, and supportive measures is crucial in addressing this complex issue. With over a decade of experience treating both male and female hair loss, Dr Ng. will help you diagnose and customise a treatment plan to help you restore and maintain your hair.
What are the causes of female hair loss?
Female Pattern Hair Loss
By far the most common cause of hair loss in females; female pattern hair loss can start in your 20s and affects up to 50% of women in their fifties and the prevalence increases with age. In contrast to male androgenetic alopecia, the role of androgens (male hormones) in female pattern hair loss does not appear to play a role. Many women may complain of seeing more scalp when they part their hair or notice the volume of hair being half of what is used to be when they tie it up.
Female pattern hair loss is characterised by a reduced density of hair at the central portion and temporal portions of the scalp. The hair gets thinner due to the presence of more immature (vellus) hairs due to hair follicle miniaturization. Most patients can be reassured that FPHL does not lead to complete balding.
CAUSES OF FEMALE PATTERN HAIR LOSS
Female pattern hair loss appears to be genetically determined and the role of androgens is less certain in females compared to male pattern hair loss. From studies, we know that there is an increased in androgens receptors, heightened sensitivity of scalp hair follicles to androgens and higher levels of 5-alpha reductase (the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT).
HOW COMMON IS FEMALE PATTERN HAIR LOSS
FPHL affects up to 50% of women, and the prevalence increases with age. Affecting up to 10% of premopausal women, it increases around the time of menopause. It appears to be more common in Caucasian than oriental women.
Risk factors
- Advancing age
- Ethnicity especially whites
- Genetics – It is more common if both parents have similar hair loss pattern
- Environmental factors such as stress, UV exposure and smoking can contribute to FPHL
complications of hair loss
- Reduced sense of attractiveness, sensuality and individuality
- Frustration and embarassment
- Feelings of low self-esteem and isolation
- Anxiety and depression
outcomes of female pattern hair loss
Female pattern hair loss is progressive, the rate of which is variable. It can increase in times of stress or may progress gradually over years. Treatment response is better if you are treated earlier, have smaller area of hair loss involvement and have a shorter history of hair loss. Treatment results take at least 6 months and must be continued indefinitely. If treatment is stopped you may experience severe rebound shedding.
Telogen Effluvium
In telogium effluvium, there is early shedding of the hair as the growth (anagen) phase of the hair is shortened. It does not cause complete baldness or hair thinning. In this condition, women may notice an increase in hair shedding after a shock to the system, such as childbirth, illness, accidents or even weight loss. However, there is no specific trigger in the majority of cases. Telogen effluvium can be acute or chronic in nature. The condition may lasts for several months to years, but will self-correct in the majority of cases.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is quite unlike the above 2 conditions. A single or multiple patches of hair loss may appear at rather sudden onset. It is believed to be autoimmune in origin, and may be associated with thyroid disease, vitiligo and stressful events. Most cases of alopecia areata are able to recover without any treatments. However, medical treatments are available for more stubborn cases.
Scarring hair loss
Scarring alopecia can be due to a variety of causes. There is typically the permanent loss of hair follicles associated with scarring of the scalp. This diverse group of rare alopecia often have an inflammatory component. The main goal of treatment is to halt the progression of further hair loss. Examples of scarring alopecia include:
- Cicatrical alopecia
- Discoid lupus erythematosus
- Lichen planopilaris
- Infections
Trichillotomania
Trichotillomania, also known as hair-pulling disorder, is a mental health condition characterized by the recurrent, irresistible urge to pull out one’s hair, leading to noticeable hair loss and significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The frontal and temporal areas are mostly affected. Psychological management is most appropriate in these cases.
Traction Alopecia
Traction alopecia is a form of hair loss that occurs due to prolonged tension or pulling on the hair. This condition is particularly common among individuals who frequently wear hairstyles that exert excessive stress on the hair follicles. Early recognition and intervention are crucial to prevent permanent hair loss.
Tinea Capitis
Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp. It can cause permanent and scarring hair loss if left untreated. There is patchy hair loss, scaling and various degree of inflammation. Anti-fungal treatments are the most effective chance of cure.
Diagnosis of Female Hair Loss
During the initial consultation, the doctor will ask you questions in relation to how long you have noticed your hair loss, whether you are on any medications, and whether there is a history of hair loss in the family. An examination of the scalp to look for the pattern and distribution of the hair loss will allow us to determine the diagnosis in most cases.
A blood test to check for underlying factors that may cause the loss of hair may be carried out. We normally tests for thyroid status, iron levels, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and folate levels. A biopsy may be done in rarer cases of hair loss to help establish the diagnosis.
Other causes of Hair Loss
- Anti-coagulants: Blood thinning medications like warfarin, heparin and dabigatran have been associated with alopecia.
- Anti-convulsants: Valproate and Trimethadione are linked to hair loss.
- Anti-thyroid: Carbimazole, Propylthiouracil and Thyroxine can lead to diffuse hair loss on the scalp, rather than a discrete area. Over time, hair restoration and recovery will take place for most patients.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs targets rapidly dividing cancer cells. As the hair follicular cells are rapidly dividing, patients on chemotherapy would experience hair loss over the entire body. Full hair recovery is the norm for most patients.
- Beta-blockers: Blood pressure lowering medications like Atenolol and Nadolol have been implicated in hair loss.
- Acute stress, anxiety and depression can trigger diffuse hair loss (like Telogen Effluvium) and may accelerate female pattern hair loss.
- In a psychiatric condition known as Trichotillomania, individuals often pluck hairs on their eyebrows and eyelashes.
- Regardless of the type of hair loss, studies show that patients with more than 50% hair loss contributes to adverse mental health outcomes.
- Pregnancy
- Abortion
- Menopause
- Acute illness e.g. fever, viral illness
- Post surgery
- Autoimmune disease
- Thyroid disease
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
- Vitiligo
- Scalp eczema
- Psoriasis
- Dermatitis
- Scalp acne, infections and scarring scalp diseases.
Female Pattern Hair Loss Treatment:
This section discusses about female pattern hair loss treatments as it is the most common cause of hair loss. To date, only topical minoxidil is an approved treatment, while the others are considered off-label treatments.
Topical treatment
- Minoxidil: Minoxidil is the only FDA approved medication for female pattern hair loss. Although the exact mechanisms are unknown, it stimulates hair regrowth by increasing the anagen phase of the growth cycle and increases blood flow around the follicle. It comes in the spray, lotion or foam formulations, with differing concentrations (2 or 5%). It is common for Minoxidil to cause an initial increase of hair shedding during the first few weeks of treatment. Common side effects include scalp itchiness, dandruff and facial hair growth (mostly at the forehead). You are advised not to use minoxidil if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Ketoconazole shampoo: Ketoconazole works by reducing inflammation and is anti-androgenic. It is especially useful if you have dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis at the same time.
- Protaglandin analogues: Latanoprost and bimatropost were developed for glaucoma, an eye condition. They work by prolonging the anagen phase of the hair cycle. Solid evidence for their use is lacking.
Oral treatment
- Spironolactone: This is the most common off-label oral treatment for female pattern hair loss. Spironolactone exerts an anti-androgen effect. Common side effects include giddiness, breast pain and menstrual irregularities. It cannot be taken if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Cyproterone acetate: Cyproterone acetate works by blocking the androgen receptors. However, there is insufficient evidence for widespread use for female pattern hair loss.
- Finasteride & Dutasteride: Both are not FDA-approved for female pattern hair loss treatment. It cannot be used when pregnant, as it feminises the male foetus. It should not be used in females with a history of breast cancer because it may increase oestrogen levels.
- Minoxidil: While topical minoxidil is approved for female pattern hair loss, the oral form is not commonly used due to its side effects. These include postural hypotension, fluid rentention and excessive hair growth on other parts of the body.
Nutritional supplements:
- Biotin, Zinc and amino acids: Although widely available, the benefits for female pattern hair loss is controversial.
- Iron and Vitamin D: Individuals with iron and Vitamin D deficiency should have these micronutrients replaced to facilitate hair growth.
- Viviscal Professional is a 100% drug free hair growth supplement that nourishes thinning hair and promotes hair growth. The Viviscal Professional formula consists of the proprietary AminoMar C marine complex plus a combination of essential nutrients. It may have anti-inflammatory and anti-androgenic properties.
Procedural Treatments:
- Laser & light therapy: There are several devices on the market that uses low level laser light energy as a treatment for female pattern hair loss. They may take the shape of a helmet, hair-band or even a comb. They are generally safe, and can complement existing medical treatments.
- Microneedling: Fine needles are used to puncture the skin. Topical therapies such as minoxidil and finasteride may be introduced via these micro-channels to promote hair growth. While initial results are promising, more robust studies are needed.
- Hair transplantation: Hair transplantation involves the transfer of hair from the back of the scalp to the bald areas. The success of treatment depends on the donor site and the pattern of hair loss. Ideal selection of patients is important to achieve a good result.
Frequently Asked Questions About Female Hair Loss
Female pattern hair loss can occur at any age, but it is most commonly seen after menopause, typically starting in a woman’s 40s or 50s. However, it can also begin earlier in life, particularly in women with a family history of hair loss.
Signs and symptoms of female pattern hair loss include gradual thinning of the hair on the scalp, widening of the part line, increased visibility of the scalp through the hair (reduced hair density), and a reduction in hair volume and diameter.
While female pattern hair loss cannot be fully reversed, various treatments can help slow down the progression of hair loss, promote hair regrowth, and improve the appearance of thinning hair. Treatment options may include topical minoxidil (Rogaine), oral medications such as spironolactone, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, and hair transplantation.
Female pattern hair loss is a chronic condition that tends to worsen over time without treatment. However, with appropriate treatment, it is possible to stabilize the condition and slow down or halt further hair loss, allowing women to maintain their existing hair density and volume.
While lifestyle factors such as stress, poor nutrition, and certain hairstyles or hair treatments may contribute to hair shedding or breakage, they are not direct causes of female pattern hair loss. However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding excessive heat styling or chemical treatments can help promote overall hair health.
Over-the-counter products such as minoxidil (Rogaine) can be effective in treating female pattern hair loss for some women. However, results may vary, and it’s essential to use these products consistently as directed for several months to see improvement. For more severe cases, prescription medications or other treatments may be necessary.
It’s advisable to see a dermatologist or healthcare provider if you are experiencing significant hair loss or thinning. They can evaluate your condition, rule out other possible causes of hair loss, and recommend appropriate treatment options tailored to your specific needs and concerns. Early intervention can help slow down the progression of hair loss and improve outcomes.
female hair loss
Female hair loss is a multifaceted condition requiring a comprehensive approach for effective management. By combining medical treatment, procedural interventions, lifestyle changes, and psychological support, we can significantly improve the outcomes for women experiencing hair loss. Ongoing research and advancements in treatment options continue to provide hope for better management and potential cures in the future.
Schedule a consultation for female hair loss treatment in Singapore
To receive the best female hair loss treatment results, Dr.Ng offers a personalised treatment plan that is unique to your condition. Contact us to schedule an appointment with Dr.Ng.
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References:
- Paik JH, Yoon JB, Sim WY, Kim BS, Kim NI. The prevalence and types of androgenetic alopecia in Korean men and women. Br J Dermatol. 2001;145:95-99
- Cash TF. The psychosocial consequences of androgenetic alopecia: a review of the research literature. Br J Dermatol. 1999;141:398-405.
- Levy LL, Emer JJ. Female pattern alopecia: current perspectives. Int J Women’s Health. 2013;5:541-556.
- Starace M, Orlando G, Alessandrini A, Piraccini BM. Female androgenetic alopecia: an update on diagnosis and management. American journal of clinical dermatology. 2020 Feb;21:69-84.
ABOUT DR MOSES NG
MBBS (London) with distinction
Dip Practical Dermatology (Cardiff) with distinction
Member of American Acne & Rosacea Society
Fellow of American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery
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Dr. Moses Ng is a distinguished professional in the field of aesthetic medicine, renowned for his expertise in advanced cosmetic procedures. With over 15 years of experience, extensive training and a keen eye for detail, Dr. Ng specializes in a wide range of treatments, including injectables, laser therapies, and acne scar management.
Dr. Moses Ng’s commitment to excellence and patient-centric approach have earned him a reputation as a trusted clinician in aesthetic medicine. His continuous pursuit of the latest advancements in the field ensures that his patients receive the highest standard of care and the most effective treatments available.