Role of Androgens in Women

Androgens, male hormones, play a substantial role in the hair growing cycle. Androgens also play important role in female pattern baldness. The therapy with Systemic Androgen Receptor Protein (ARP) inhibitors is useful in Hair loss problem.

Sources of Androgens in Women

Ovaries and adrenal glands are the main beginnings of androgens in women. Androgens like dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) produced by the adrenal glands can be changed to testosterone by enzymes.

In females dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) coming from the adrenal glands is the key precursor of DHT. It needs conversion by both alpha 5 reductase enzymes and hydroxysteroid hydrogenase isomerase enzyme.

Androgens and androgen receptors act together in form of testosterone and DHT. Androgen receptors can have straight interacting with the testosterone, or when testosterone is converted into DHT by the enzyme named 5-alpha-reductase.

Reasons why Androgen Therapy success in Women

Why are anti-androgens so useful in female pattern baldness? It is because they incline to decrease both testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. They counter female hair loss by stimulation hair re-growth.

Uses of Anti-Androgens

• Stopping and stabilizing hair fall
• Helping to produce more dense hair regrowth in women
• Curing hair loss resulting after menstrual cycle
• Cure hirsutism
• Stimulating suboptimal hair growth
  

Side Effects of Androgen Therapy for Women

Some side effects of androgen therapy include bodyweight gain, nausea, depression and loss of libido etc.

Causes of Female Hair Loss

Women suffer from Hair loss problem usually after menopause though it can occur even in teenage. It may be due to some illness, hormonal imbalance or some disease. However, heredity is the main cause of Female Pattern Baldness in most cases. Female pattern baldness is caused by the presence of a male hormone called testosterone in female body. Testosterone is caused by androgen hormone. The production of androgen tic hormones and its effect on hair follicles can be termed as the main cause.

In the case of female pattern baldness commonly anti-androgen therapy is prescribed. The therapy with Systemic Androgen Receptor Protein (ARP) inhibitors is useful in Hair loss problem. Anti-androgens are useful in the case of female pattern baldness since they incline to decrease both testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. They excite hair re-growth in women.

Female pattern hair loss characteristics

Normally women tend to lose around 100-125 hairs per day, which is normal. The condition is apparently serious when the hair loss frequency is higher.

In female pattern baldness hair starts thinning over the top and front of the head. It is seen that the hair loss may genetically come from the family of either father or mother.

Female pattern baldness can also occur after pregnancy. In some cases it is seen after discontinuation of birth control pills. It is often accompanied by other signs of hormonal imbalance like excess facial and body hair.

Diagnosis should be done by a trained and experienced Surgeon only. After a proper diagnosis by the physician, the patient should go through a proper treatment. However it takes months to have some effect on hair. Hair transplantation is a popular surgical method used in the case of female pattern baldness.

Know more about the Causes of Female Hair Loss

Female pattern baldness is a principal cause of female hair loss, and is a serious problem with many women. The problem arises from various factors. The main causal factor is the production of androgenetic hormones and its effect on hair follicles.

Female Pattern Hair Loss Characteristics vary from woman to woman. In some cases you will find thinning of hair on the top of the scalp. In some other women there is thinning of hair and patches of greater scalp hair loss.

You may even experience hair loss from the front of the scalp to mid-scalp.

Apart from female pattern baldness, you will also find women suffering from sudden hair loss or localized hair loss. The causes of this sudden hair loss include alopecia areata, traction alopecia, Trichotillomania, telogen effluvium, etc.

In sudden hair loss there is generalized thinning over all parts of the scalp. But you know something? There will be only hair thinning, but no hair fall.

In telogen effluvium your hair will sift into a resting, non-growth stage on the scalp and shed after several months.

Some other Causes of Female Hair Loss include anemia, thyroid dysfunction, endocrine problems, gynecological conditions like ovarian tumors, connective tissue disease like Lupus, surgical procedures, crash diets and emotional stress.

And you know, sometimes some medications also cause sudden hair loss among women. For example oral contraceptives, thyroid medication, blood pressure medication, mood enhancing medicines and anti-depressants, cholesterol lowering medications and drugs, etc.

Treatment for Female Hair Loss

There are a number of reasons for hair loss in women. Pattern baldness however is the most common cause of female hair loss. Affecting 30 to 40 percent of women, it is an inherited condition that is medically known as androgenetic alopecia.

Androgenetic alopecia/female pattern baldness is diagnosed in women by visual inspection of the scalp. A family history of female baldness is quite generally suggestive of androgenetic alopecia.

Diagnosis of pattern baldness in males is more direct than that in females. This is because of somewhat diffused pattern of female hair loss. The scalp in most cases should be inspected carefully for signs of other hair disease such as scarring or follicular plugging etc. The dermatologist also needs to rule female hair loss problems, such as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or iron deficiency. A confirmed diagnosis for the disease is made only if the woman does not have a history of taking medications like anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, beta blockers, and antidepressants which can have hair loss as one of their side effects.

No extensive testing is generally required for diagnosis accept in some cases where the Role of Androgen is suspected. Conditions such as menstrual irregularities, acne, and excess hair growth (hirsutism) in women are caused by androgen excess and hair loss in such cases is a symptom rather than the disease.

As a disease the female pattern baldness does have a tremendous psychosocial impact on women; they may suffer from loss of self esteem and confidence. The best solution here is to use a hair piece or prosthesis.

Baldness treatments with medication are helpful in the initial stages of the disease (Ludwig I and II). Minoxidil as topical solution is best treatment for female hair loss. It is applied on the scalp using a dropper or a pump spray devise and spread by fingers on the affected areas. Women using minoxidil must have a normal, healthy scalp since cuts or openings can allow the solution to be absorbed into the bloodstream to have increased heart rate.

Minoxidil must be used twice a day for at least four months before the initial response to hair loss baldness treatment can be gauged. If it is effective, a woman begins to shed less hair within two months after commencing the treatment. By four to eight months hair begins to grow. If the medicine is discontinued in between the benefits achieved so far all gone. The effects of minoxidil usually stabilize after 12 to 18 months of use. Long term benefits are achieved only after the treatment is continued indefinitely.

Studies have shown that 30 to 40 percent of women achieve significant results with minoxidil. Minoxidil causes few side effects. Women with a history of heart disease can have symptoms such as an increased heart rate. Edema or swelling in the hands or feet, or weight gain is also observed. Four percent of women treated with 5 percent minoxidil develop increased facial hair.

There is always a relation between female hair loss and hormones. The course of baldness treatment is not as straightforward as mentioned above if the woman is found to have an increased level of androgen hormones. After the endocrine consultation is taken, she may be put on a combination therapy.

In women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), regulation of menses and control of hyperinsulinemia can also serve as hair loss restoration treatment. This treatment is also able to reverse FPHL (Female pattern Hail loss) to some extent. Treatments like women lifestyle alterations (balanced weight loss and exercise, stopping of hormone therapy or birth control medicines may also be sufficient to induce the reversal.

There are reports that combination therapy always gives enhanced benefits. Hair loss baldness treatment with 0.05% betamethasone dipropionate and 5% topical minoxidil are found to be superior to minoxidil alone.

If the treatment with minoxidil is not effective after one year, anti androgen therapy for women gives the best results. Spironolactone blocks the action of the hormone aldosterone, the medicine has shown some promise as one of the best baldness treatments in women with hyperandrogenism. Nine months or more may be required for the hair loss restoration treatment before a benefit is appreciated.

For women with extensive hair loss (Ludwig stage III) the best option is to go for hair transplantation surgery. The procedure involves the follicular hair transplants -- healthy hair follicles from the area covered with hair are transplanted to the bald area. The results observed with this treatment are very encouraging.

Where to get more information?

The surgeon that you may choose for your hair transplant surgery will be able to provide you more information. But before you make up your mind for the surgery you can have an all round information about female pattern baldness and the cost of hair transplantation. I would like to recommend www.femalepatternbaldness.com to get some authentic information.