To a woman, hair loss can be devastating. Initially, she may deny that it is happening. She may convince herself that it is a temporary situation. She becomes an expert in disguising her hair loss from everyone.

Most people believe that hair loss in women is uncommon. As a result, a woman losing her hair may start to wonder if there is something seriously wrong. It may take some time for her to pluck up the courage to discuss the issue with her doctor. It may take even longer for her to get specialised medical advice. A consultation with one of our experienced team can provide you with the reassurance and confidence to take a positive step about your hair.

Our links with leading academic and commercial hair research units mean that we are at the forefront of new developments and techniques to help alleviate hair loss problems.

Normally, we shed an average of 100 hairs per day. Fortunately, these hairs are replaced. However when these lost hairs are not replaced, or when the daily shedding exceeds the normal, true hair loss occurs.

The difficulty in dealing with hair loss in women is that a number of conditions result in the same diffuse pattern in which the hair over the top and crown of the head becomes thinner (occasionally, the temples will recede too). There is often some investigation needed to first isolate the true cause before working on a treatment.

The first person you should turn to is your GP, who will need to take a detailed medical, drug and family history. Most likely you will need some blood tests: full blood count, glucose, serum ferritin (iron stores), thyroid hormones and, where relevant gestational hormone levels. Alternatively you may need to be referred to a dermatologist (skin specialist doctor) or a trichologist (hair & scalp specialist).

The treatment you require then depends on the cause found for the hair loss. In many cases where there is permanent hair loss and a sufficient area of normal hair growth, hair transplantation can be contemplated once any underlying problem has been treated. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to consult your GP, then we can investigate your hair loss for you.

Modern hair transplant techniques techniques have introduced a new era in the treatment of hair loss for both men and women. Since we are usually dealing with women who are only thinning or who can conceal their loss, it is uncommon for anything to show after treatment. We shall of course advise you if we believe this not to be so in your case.

One very important aspect of your treatment is its planning. To this end, you will be consulted by an experienced hair restoration surgeon, where the pros and cons of your options will be examined with you so that you are in a position to make an informed choice.

Some women are more suited to surgical treatment than others (and some are not suitable candidates at all). We shall endeavour to give you as realistic a picture as possible of the type of result you can expect from your treatment, whether be it surgical or non-surgical.

Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL)

This is the most common type of hair loss seen in women and is an inherited condition. Just as men acquire the susceptibility to hair loss from one or both parents, so too can women. This determines the location and the number of hairs that are lost or thinning. The hair loss is triggered by androgens (male hormones); therefore, it may occur at anytime from puberty but is most commonly seen after the menopause. All women have a small amount of male hormone and these levels can become more pronounced if levels of female hormones decrease, as occurs during menopause.

In men and women, the male hormone testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. DHT then proceeds to influence the susceptible hairs to fall or thin out. However, in woman, it is thought that hair loss does not proceed as far as it does in men because women have only half the amount of 5-alpha reductase. In addition, women have increased amounts of the enzyme aromatase. This converts male hormones into female hormones.

Hair transplantation could be of benefit with this condition.

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