Female Hair Loss in Chicago, IL

Most equate hair loss and pattern baldness with men, but as many as one in four women will also experience some level of baldness during their lifetime. The factors that cause female baldness are more complex, including pregnancy, menopause, traction alopecia (wearing the hair too tight), hormone deficiency, and illness. Baldness can be very emotionally impactful – we understand that at Aesthetic Scalp in Chicago, IL. That's why our team of experienced professionals led by Dr. Sameea Chughtai and Dr. Anil Shah offer a full range of surgical and nonsurgical hair restoration treatment options. These include PRP therapy, FUE (follicular unit extraction), low-level light therapy, and more. Don't let baldness rob you of your confidence and quality of life. Contact us today, and let's start working on your personalized hair restoral strategy.

Although many individuals see balding as something that exclusively affects men, this actually couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, roughly 40% of people who experience hair loss today are women. Like men, women can inherit androgenic alopecia, also known as female pattern baldness. This condition is often brought on by a similar response to DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which is also the primary cause of male pattern baldness. There are also many other potential causes of female hair loss, including traction alopecia (often due to wearing one's hair up too tightly) or going through life-altering situations that can affect one's hormones, such as menopause, pregnancy, or childbirth.

To combat female hair loss, board-certified physician Dr. Sameea Chughtai and double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Anil Shah offer a range of surgical and nonsurgical hair restoration options, including PRP therapy, FUE (follicular unit extraction), low-level light therapy, and others. Contact our team at Aesthetic Scalp in Chicago to learn more about your unique condition and possible solutions.

Since balding is more common for men, the cause can sometimes be more clear for them, especially if the issue is androgenic alopecia. However, for women, hair loss can be caused by a wide range of conditions and situations, such as traction alopecia, hormone deficiency, or illness. During your consultation, we will assess the state of your scalp using advanced technologies to learn the extent of your hair loss, the depth of your follicles, and estimate the amount of hair present in certain locations. Typically, we identify the cause of female pattern baldness by a careful process of elimination because many possible causes of hair loss could exist, and we need to rule out each option via thorough diagnostic testing.

To figure out whether you're an ideal candidate for hair restoration treatments, surgical or nonsurgical, you will first attend a consultation with Dr. Chughtai, who specializes in treatment for female pattern baldness. In many cases, women who are most likely to benefit from restorative hair solutions are those who:

• Have noticed a receding hairline or hair thinning because of traction alopecia
• Have alopecia marginalis, a condition that closely resembles traction alopecia
• Notice thinning at the hairline or hairline recession
• Suffered hair loss as a result of an extreme injury, such as burns, scars, or compound burns
• Have had plastic surgery and are worried about the possibility of hair loss near the incision site

To help women in the initial stages of female pattern baldness, we can perform nonsurgical treatments (including PRP, exosomes, or low-level light therapy) to encourage the natural growth and strengthening of your hair follicles. During your appointment with Drs. Shah or Chughtai, we will help you determine which treatment is ideal for you.

If a nonsurgical solution on its own isn't deemed enough to give you the results you want or to address your unique situation, we may combine PRP therapy with surgical hair restoration. At Aesthetic Scalp, we perform FUE treatments using the highly advanced ARTAS® Robotic Hair Transplant system. This technique involves taking healthy hairs on the scalp from their original location to fill in sparse regions, such as the hairline or certain bald patches, which allows for quick, safe healing and minimal discomfort. To produce stunning, comprehensive results, we typically offer FUE with the ARTAS alongside a regenerative treatment to improve hair strength.

What causes female hair loss?

While baldness in men is more common, many women also experience hair loss. Hormonal changes are the most common cause of female hair loss, but there are a number of things that can cause temporary or permanent hair loss in women, including:

• Illness
• Hormonal changes due to menopause, pregnancy/childbirth, and thyroid problems
• Stopping birth control
• Medication
• Stress
• Tight hairstyles
• Genetics
• Cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiation)

Can hair grow back after thinning?

While there is no absolute cure for baldness, there are a number of treatments and surgical procedures that can slow, stop, or even reverse hair loss for women. These include PRP therapy, FUE (follicular unit extraction), low-level light therapy, and others.

How can I stop or prevent female hair loss?

Although there is no way to completely stop hair loss caused by genetics and age, there are some simple steps you can take to help protect your hair. These include:

• Be kind to your hair. Avoid pulling on your hair when brushing or combing, and avoid harsh hair treatments (perms, hot rollers, curling irons, hot oil treatments, etc.) You should also steer clear of tight hairstyles, which can cause traction alopecia.
• Talk to your doctor about any medications or supplements you are taking.
• Stop smoking. Cigarette smoking has been linked to hair loss and baldness.
• Protect your hair from sunlight and other UV light sources with hats or wraps.
• A cooling cap can help reduce the risk of losing your hair during chemotherapy – talk to your doctor.

While hair loss is most common among men due to biological makeup, it's been shown that one in four women develop some degree of hair loss throughout their lives, which can be distressing and lead to anxiety. The good news is that there is a range of solutions available to help women overcome hair thinning, including surgical and nonsurgical services. If you have noticed a change in your hairline and suspect you may have hair loss, reach out to our team at Aesthetic Scalp in Chicago, IL. Our board-certified doctors can figure out the cause of your female pattern balding and discuss all of your options in detail.