Up to two-thirds of black women will experience hair loss by the time they reach 50. Black women are prone to hair loss because of the stress many hairstyles and hair treatments common to black women place on the hair. Hair loss in a woman can be devastating, but with new hair loss treatments available it can be treated and even reversed.
Change Hairstyles
For black women, changing hairstyles can be an effective way to halt and in some cases reverse hair loss. Traction alopecia and hot comb alopecia, also known as Central Centrifugal Cicatrical Alopecia (CCCA), are caused by too-tight hair styles such as braids and weave or styles that require excessive amounts of heat or over processing of the hair with chemical relaxers. If caught early, a change of hairstyle or eliminating heat and chemical relaxers will reverse the damage and allow your hair to grow back.
Rogaine
Rogaine is a treatment for hair loss used in both men and women. It is the primary treatment for androgenetic hair loss also known as female pattern baldness. Androgenetic hair loss is a hormonal or genetic condition. Rogaine will prevent further hair loss and is the only product approved by the FDA for regrowing hair in women. In women the 2-percent formula is often used, but if the hair loss is significant than the 5-percent formula, which is typically used in men, may be prescribed.
Anti-Inflammatories
Cortisone, an anti-inflammatory, is a way to treat traction or hot comb alopecia (CCCA). The cortisone is applied topically or injected directly into the scalp. This is a treatment that is effective for those in the beginning stages of traction alopecia or CCCA, before any scarring of the scalp has occurred. Some oral antibiotics also have anti-inflammatory properties and can kill bacteria as well.
Propecia
Propecia is an oral treatment for hair loss that stops hair loss in 90 percent of men. While some doctors will prescribe propecia for their female patients, the treatment is not FDA approved for use in women because of the harmful effects it can have on male fetuses. Because of the side effects, Propecia use in women is generally reserved for those past their child-bearing years. Early studies on the efficacy of Propecia in women show that it works in women whose hormones are being controlled through birth control pills or hormone therapy.
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