Balding is not just a men's problem; women often lose
hair as they get older as well. You
might wonder, if that is the case, why more women do not have hair transplant
surgery. You may be surprised to know
that many women are not good candidates.
Women usually have a different type of hair loss than
men. Male pattern baldness uncovers
parts of the top of the head. However,
the sides and back of the head are usually covered with healthy balding-resistant
hair follicles.
Men with this pattern of balding will have donor hair
that survives the hair transplant process and flourishes long afterward. That is because a naturally-occurring enzyme
in the body combines with testosterone to create a chemical called DHT. This chemical is responsible for the hair
loss on the tops of men's heads when they have male pattern baldness.
However, it does not affect the back and sides of their
hair in most cases. These areas have
healthy hair follicles and make excellent donor sites for hair transplant
surgery. These are called stable sites
because they remain unchanged over time rather than shrinking like the hair
follicles affected by DHT do.
Female pattern baldness is different. In most cases, they do not have large areas
of stable balding-resistant hair follicles.
The sides and back of their hair tends to thin just as the front and top
of the head do. The DHT affects all the
areas of their hair.
Any hair follicles that are affected by DHT will simply
fall out if they are moved by hair transplant procedures. Moving them from one place to another does
not affect the basic nature of the hair follicle.
Also, women do not have the problem of receding hairlines
in most cases. Their hair is lost in a
more diffuse manner, thinning uniformly all over the head. It is not so much where their hair is that is
the problem, but how much they have.
Hair transplant surgery will not correct this problem. It is best used to move hair from one place
to another.
There is a very small percentage - about 5% of all women
with baldness problems - who are good candidates for hair transplant
surgery. The thing that all these women
have in common is that they all have healthy areas of hair follicles that can
be used as donor sites.
For example, women with mechanical or traction Alopecia
have lost their hair because they have scratched their head for a long period
of time, they have used tight rollers or their hair has been pulled or
stretched in any manner. These women
almost always have an area of their hair that is unaffected. If they do, they can have hair transplant
procedures.
Some women have cosmetic surgery and suffer hair loss
around the incision sites. In these
cases, hair transplant surgery can help.
Other women actually have a pattern of hair loss that is similar to male
pattern baldness. These women are able
to have the surgery, too.
Finally, women who have suffered trauma from accidents or
burns are good candidates for hair transplant procedures. If you are a woman with balding problems, is
worth the time to consult with a doctor to find out if you are one of the women
who can benefit from hair transplant surgery.
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