No one really knows how it works, however, and it's not effective for everyone. Studies show that only about 20 per cent of women between 18 and 45 have moderate regrowth using the drug, while another 40 per cent experience minimal regrowth.
It works best on younger people with early hair loss. A big disadvantage is that you have to carry on using minoxidil indefinitely or the new hair will fall out.
Another drug, finasteride, which was developed for treating prostate cancer, has also been found to be effective but is only available for men.
Surgery
Surgical techniques for restoring hair have improved greatly in the past couple of decades, but this is still an option that requires careful consideration.
There are two main options:
- Hair transplantation - tiny punch-holes of skin containing a few follicles of hair are taken from elsewhere in the body (such as the back of the head, if this is still well covered) and implanted into the thinning areas. Some surgeons use a needle to sew in just one or two hairs. However, as women are more likely to have diffuse loss of hair all over the scalp, this technique may not be possible. There has been little success with implanting artificial fibres.
- Scalp reduction - devices are inserted under the skin to stretch areas of scalp that still have hair, then the redundant bald areas are removed. Alternatively, flaps of hairy scalp can be moved around the head.
Main points
- Many causes of female hair loss are temporary - check your general health and be patient
- Take a look at your family for an idea of your risk of female pattern baldness
- Don't be taken in by claims for wonder products - there's no cure for female pattern hair loss
- Many women cope well by using cosmetic products, hats and wigs, so persevere until you find your own style
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