In the last decade, the hair restoration industry has witnessed a complete transformation. Increased awareness about the causes of hair loss, preventative techniques and new advancements in hair restoration are making a once taboo topic, especially amongst women, an open dialogue between patients and physicians.
Dermatologist and founder of M Beauty Clinic, Tess Mauricio, MD (San Diego and Beverly Hills, Calif.) reported that more female and even younger patients are seeking nonsurgical hair restoration treatments. “Many experience telogen effluvium from Ozempic, COVID infections, post-pandemic stress and chronic extensions,” she explained. Part of the uptick in the normalization of female-centric treatments for hair loss is due to social media. “Female patients experience more shame and psychological stress with hair loss. In the past, these patients hid the condition or camouflaged it rather than seek treatment for it.”
Causes of Hair Loss
Hair loss manifests for different reasons in male and female patients. Males are genetically predisposed to male-pattern baldness. Illness, hormonal changes, medication, a poor diet and stress can cause hair loss in both sexes. “Overuse of hair styling products and regimens, and hormonal imbalances from pregnancy, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menopause, can lead to hair loss in women,” said Suvina Attavar, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Other triggers include pollution and natural aging, affecting hair quality, quantity and density. “Males experience receding hairlines and vertex thinning, whereas females have diffuse thinning throughout the scalp or a widening of the midline partition and bi-temporal recession.”
According to Artur Diaz-Carandell, MD, an aesthetic surgeon in Barcelona, Spain, women are more concerned with hair loss than ever for several reasons. “Changing beauty standards place a strong emphasis on a full head of hair. Hair is associated with femininity and youth, which pressures women to maintain thick, healthy hair. We see that a big frontal area is no longer tolerated for most women.”
An accurate medical diagnosis by a physician is necessary to determine the root cause of hair loss before piecing together a plan. Dr. Mauricio takes a complete medical history and asks patients if their primary care doctor has ruled out thyroid disease, anemia, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal issues, or autoimmune diseases. Similarly, Dr. Attavar runs blood investigations for serum ferritin, thyroid profile, vitamins B12 and D, and hormonal assay. Dr. Mauricio also examines the scalp to rule out infection, scarring alopecia, and inflammatory scalp conditions. When necessary, she performs a scalp biopsy to examine the hair follicles.
This is a sample article from The Aesthetic Guide.
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