This is the most common cause of hair thinning and loss in women. It is also known as Female Pattern Hair Loss or FPHL. Up to 50 % of women have some degree of this in their lifetime. It certainly is more common as women age, particularly after menopause, but it can start as early as the teenage years.
How Female Pattern Hair Loss Progresses
Female pattern hair loss is typically more pronounced in the frontal areas of the scalp. Over time the hair shaft gets thinner in a process known as “miniaturization”. The hair goes through a constant life cycle, as it naturally sheds and grows new hairs. However, miniaturization occurs, because the anagen phase, or growth phase, of the hair cycle, gets shorter, which means the hair is not able to grow as long or thick as it has in the past. Eventually if not treated, the affected hair will continue to get smaller and disappear completely.
