Is your part widening? Have you noticed that your ponytail is thinner these days? You may have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), a condition that affects millions of women. FPHL is actually the most-common cause of hair loss in women.
For most women, FPHL begins in midlife, when a woman is in her 40s, 50s, or 60s. It can begin earlier for some women.
How do dermatologists treat female pattern hair loss?
To give women optimal results, dermatologists may use more than one hair-loss treatment.
For FPHL, treatment options include the following.
Minoxidil (meh-nox-eh-dil): Long used to treat male pattern hair loss, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved this non-prescription treatment for women. Today, it is the most-recommended treatment for FPHL. Products containing either 2% or 5% minoxidil have been approved to treat FPHL.
What should I know about using minoxidil? For the first two to eight weeks, you may notice a temporary increase in hair loss. This stops when your hair begins to regrow.
A common side effect of minoxidil is an irritated scalp, which may cause dryness, scaling, itching, and/or redness on your scalp. If this happens, it’s best to stop using minoxidil and see your dermatologist.
Another possible side effect is to see hair growing in places other than your scalp, such as on your cheeks and forehead. If this happens, you can limit it by:
Trying to apply minoxidil only to your scalp and avoiding other areas
Washing your face after you apply minoxidil to your scalp.
