Although hair loss is sometimes thought to affect only men, the American Hair Loss Association reports that approximately 40 percent of women in American suffer from it. Men can often embrace the appearance of balding and thinning hair, but it can be devastating to a woman's self esteem. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatment options that can help to replace lost hair.
Hair Transplants
According to the Mayo Clinic, hair transplant techniques such as a micrograft, punch graft or minigraft, can replace lost hair in women. During a hair transplant, a doctor removes small plugs of skin from the sides or back of the head. Each of these plugs contains one to several hairs. The hair plugs are then implanted into the scalp where hair loss is present. If hair loss is hereditary, many follow-up transplants may be needed as hair continues to thin over time.
Medications
The American Hair Loss Association notes that there are a variety of topical and oral medications that can help treat hair loss in women. One oral prescription medication, called spironolactone, reduces hormone production in the adrenal glands, which can sometimes be the cause of hair loss in women.
The topical medication ketoconazole works the same way, but is available in shampoos and topical ointments. Ketoconazole is sold in stores --- but the concentration of medication is only 1 percent and may be less effective than the prescription version, which is 2 percent.
Scalp Reduction Procedure
A scalp reduction procedure can be preformed to decrease the appearance of hair loss in women. With this treatment, a surgeon removes the hairless sections of scalp and pulls the surrounding skin taut before suturing it closed.
Another scalp reduction procedure, called a flap, involves a doctor folding an area of scalp that produces hair over the section of balding skin. For a more natural looking procedure, a doctor may follow up the procedure with a hair transplant. Scalp reduction procedures can be painful and expensive. Side effects can include scarring and infection.
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