If your hair seems thinner than usual, or you have noticed hair falling out in the shower or in your hairbrush, it may be female pattern baldness, which is caused by heredity. In some cases, thinning hair may be the cause of a more serious condition, like alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss; or lupus. Consult a doctor to determine the cause of your thinning hair and get proper treatment for your particular condition.
Minoxidil
The Mayo Clinic recommends minoxidil, an over-the-counter hair loss medication, to help reduce thinning hair due to female pattern baldness, alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia. Approximately 25 percent of women that suffer from female pattern baldness will grow new hair while using minoxidil, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Most women who take minoxidil for female pattern baldness will experience a slowing or stopping of hair loss. New hair will generally fall out if you stop taking the medication, says the Mayo Clinic.
Corticosteroids
Your doctor may recommend corticosteroid medications if you suffer from alopecia areata, says the Mayo Clinic. Corticosteroids are injected directly into the scalp to help stop hair loss and encourage new hair to grow. Usually, new hair will begin to grow within four weeks of getting corticosteroid injections, says the Mayo Clinic. Your doctor may also prescribe topical corticosteroid medications to treat alopecia areata, but these medications may not be as effective as injections, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Hair Transplant
If topical medications are ineffective, your doctor may recommend a hair transplant. During a hair transplant, a doctor removes hair from areas of the head and places them in hair follicles where the hair is thinning. More than one hair transplant may be required for the treatment to be effective, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Getting a hair transplant will not slow down the progression of female pattern baldness, so more than one treatment may be necessary when hair loss gets worse.
Hairpieces
Wearing a hairpiece or hair weave is the safest and least expensive way to mask the appearance of female pattern baldness, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Although a hairpiece is removable and cannot be worn on all occasions, it has no side effects. Additionally, human hair wigs can be styled, curled and dyed like natural hair.
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