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HomeHealth TopicWomen's Health

Female-Pattern Baldness: Causes and Treatments for Hair Loss in Women

Maria Robinson, MD, MBASophie Vergnaud, MD
Updated on August 10, 2022

Key takeaways:

  • The most common types of hair loss are male-pattern and female-pattern baldness. 

  • Female-pattern hair loss affects about 30 million women in the U.S. It has some unique features that set it apart from other types of hair loss. 

  • There are many different treatment options that can help prevent and treat hair loss in female-pattern balding.

Close-up of a woman's scalp showing female pattern baldness.
Srisakorn/iStock via Getty Images
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Male- and female-pattern baldness are common conditions, and they can be hard for anyone to experience. Female-pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in women. It affects about 30 million women in the U.S., mostly in midlife. But female-pattern baldness can start earlier for some people. It shows up as hair thinning around the crown of the head and the center part.  

Losing hair can be especially distressing for women, particularly when it happens early in life or is severe. Fortunately, there are treatment options that can help restore hair growth. Here we’ll take a deep dive into female-pattern hair loss, including what causes it, what it looks like, and how you can treat it. 

What causes female-pattern baldness?

Female-pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in women. It sometimes goes by other names — like androgenetic alopecia, hereditary hair loss, and female-pattern hair loss (FPHL). Experts are not entirely sure what causes FPHL, but it may be related to several of these factors: 

  • Older age

  • Family history of hair loss (your genes)

  • Changes in different sex hormones, like androgens and estrogens

  • Low levels of vitamin D or ferritin 

Although not a cause, it’s important to note that there may be a link between female-pattern baldness and metabolic syndrome. In other words, it's possible that having FPHL may mean you’re more likely to also have health complications like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. 

Signs of female-pattern baldness

In general, the hair loss in female-pattern balding typically follows two main patterns. In both, the early stages of female-pattern balding start with mild hair thinning. The hair thins then becomes more noticeable and spreads outward. 

Female pattern baldness
Griffin Hair Restoration

The two main patterns of FPHL are:

  1. Crown thinning: thinning at the top of the scalp (the crown) that doesn’t involve the front hairline 

  2. “Christmas-tree” pattern: a gradually widening hair part, especially toward the front of the scalp 

To confuse matters, the hair loss in women can sometimes happen in a pattern that looks more like male-pattern baldness (more on that below). 

In most cases, female-pattern baldness isn’t associated with any symptoms, like itching or pain. There also isn’t a visible rash, and it’s uncommon to lose all of your hair. So if you notice itching, pain, a rash, or total balding, schedule a checkup with a dermatologist. You may have an underlying skin condition that’s causing hair loss.

Male-pattern baldness in women

Male-pattern baldness is the pattern of hair loss that’s more common in men. Hair loss starts at the front and the sides of the scalp — the “receding hairline.” 

Occasionally, women experience baldness that more closely resembles the type of hair loss that typically occurs in men: Hair will thin on the sides and at the front first, instead of starting at the crown or the center part. It’s a less common — but not abnormal — pattern of hair loss in women. 

Treatment for female-pattern hair loss

It’s possible to treat female-pattern baldness, and there are a few different treatment options. Catching it early is key — the sooner you start treatment, the better the results. Many of these treatments take time, so it’s important to stick with it. And you may have to try different treatments, or combinations of treatments, before you find what works for you. A dermatologist can help find the best treatment approach for you. 

Here’s a closer look at the best hair regrowth treatment options for women.

Female pattern baldness
Griffin Hair Restoration

Medications for female-pattern baldness

  • Minoxidil (Rogaine) is FDA approved to treat male- or female-pattern baldness. It’s available in different strengths as a liquid or foam that you apply twice a day to the scalp. You can also take it as a pill if the topical forms are irritating. 

  • Spironolactone (Aldactone) is a blood pressure medication that can work as an off-label treatment for female-pattern balding. 

  • Finasteride (Propecia) is a treatment for male-pattern baldness, but it can also be an off-label treatment for hair loss in women after menopause. But it can cause birth defects, so this isn’t a treatment for women who may be pregnant. 

  • Flutamide (Eulexin) is a treatment for prostate cancer, but in low doses it can also treat female-pattern baldness. 

  • Dutasteride (Avodart) is a treatment for prostate overgrowth, but it’s also an off-label treatment for female-pattern balding. 

  • Ketoconazole shampoo may help treat female-pattern baldness.  

Other treatments for female-pattern baldness

In addition to medications, there are some other treatments that can help with female baldness: 

  • Platelet-rich plasma is a surgical procedure that injects the platelet-rich part of your blood into your scalp. This part is rich in growth factors. Your provider can take a sample of your blood in their office. 

  • Low-level laser therapy is FDA approved to treat female or male baldness by using a specific wavelength of light to stimulate hair growth. It’s available in a comb, hood, and helmet. 

  • Microneedling injects small needles into the skin to stimulate hair growth, and it’s often combined with other treatments. 

  • Hair transplant is a surgical procedure your provider can do in their office. It involves transplanting healthy hair follicles into areas without hair. 

  • Wigs or hairpieces are an option for people who want coverage, but other treatments didn’t work. Some insurances will cover them. 

Can you reverse female-pattern baldness?

In general, you can’t reverse female-pattern baldness. But treatment can prevent further hair loss and restore growth. You have to keep taking some treatments (like minoxidil) to maintain the hair growth. The effects of other treatments (like a hair transplant) are quite permanent.

The bottom line

Female-pattern hair loss is the most common type of hair loss, and it can be very distressing. Although male- and female-pattern baldness have some similarities, there are also key differences. Women tend to lose hair on the top of their head or as a gradually widening part. 

There are different treatments that can help with female-pattern balding, including medicated creams, pills, and surgical procedures. Your dermatologist can talk to you about your options and help you find the best treatment plan for you.

References

American Academy of Dermatology. (n.d.). What is male-pattern hair loss, and can it be treated?.

Banihashemi, M., et al. (2016). Serum vitamin D3 level in patients with female pattern hair loss. International Journal of Trichology.

View All References (8)

Blumeyer, A., et al. (2011). Evidence-based (S3) guideline for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in women and in men. Journal of the German Society of Dermatology.

Fabbrocini, G., et al. (2018). Female pattern hair loss: A clinical, pathophysiologic, and therapeutic review. International Journal of Women's Dermatology.

Herskovitz, I., et al. (2013). Female pattern hair loss. International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

MedlinePlus. (2015). Androgenetic alopecia.

Paradisi, R., et al. (2011). Prospective cohort study on the effects and tolerability of flutamide in patients with female pattern hair loss. Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

Randolph, M., et al. (2021). Oral minoxidil treatment for hair loss: A review of efficacy and safety. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Rasheed, H., et al. (2013). Serum ferritin and vitamin D in female hair loss: Do they play a role?. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology.

Redler, S., et al. (2017). Genetics and other factors in the aetiology of female pattern hair loss. Experimental Dermatology.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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