Understanding the Difference Between Female and Male Pattern Baldness

In daily life, people of all ages, regardless of gender, experience hair loss problems as a result of stress, a poor diet, and additional hormonal disturbances, particularly youngsters, who are more impacted by hair thinning. To look good, hair is crucial for both men and women. The best and most long-lasting remedy for baldness in such a case is a hair transplant.

To determine a patient's candidacy and suitability for the procedure, the surgeon assesses their physical health, medical history, hair growth pattern, level of hair loss, family history of hair loss, prior surgeries, current medications, and medical blood tests.

Causes of hair loss

Hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors, such as:

1. Genetic factors: Male and female pattern baldness, which is caused by a genetic predisposition, is the most common cause of hair loss.
   

2. Hormonal alterations: Hormonal imbalances, including those brought on by pregnancy, menopause, or thyroid issues, can result in hair loss.
   

3. Medical conditions: Alopecia areata, scalp infections, scalp inflammation, and trichotillomania are a few examples of conditions that can result in hair loss.

4. Nutritional deficiencies: Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as iron, zinc, and biotin, can result in hair loss.
   

5. Stress: Physical or emotional stress may cause hair loss.
   

6. Hairstyling techniques: Tight hairstyles and frequently using heat styling tools can harm hair follicles over time, resulting in hair loss.
   

7. Aging: Our hair naturally gets thinner and more brittle as we get older, which causes hair loss.

8. Drugs: Hair loss can occur as a side effect of some drugs, including chemotherapy drugs and blood thinners.

9. Accidental consequences: Burns or injuries to the scalp may result in problems with hair loss.

Male Pattern Baldness

The Norwood-Hamilton scale, the most widely used classification system for determining the degree of male pattern baldness, can be used to grade male baldness. There are seven stages in total, with Stage 1 signifying no hair loss and Stage 7 signifying the most severe stage of hair loss.

The Norwood-Hamilton scale identifies seven stages of male pattern baldness as follows:

Stage 1: There is no noticeable balding or receding of the hairline.

Stage 2: A mild receding hairline at the temples.

Stage 3: The hairline recedes even more, and the temples begin to thin out more visibly.

Stage 4: A noticeable receding hairline and crown thinning.

Stage 5: A band of hair separates the crown thinning from a more severe recession of the hairline.

Stage 6: The hairline and crown areas become more bald-looking, and the hairline and band of hair separating the frontal and crown regions become narrower.

Stage 7: The most severe stage of hair loss, where only a wreath of hair on the sides and back of the head is present and the top of the scalp is bald.

It is crucial to remember that the Norwood-Hamilton scale is just one of many grading systems used to categorize hair loss, and other elements like hair density and hair diameter may also be taken into account when deciding on the right hair loss treatment.

Female Pattern Baldness

A popular grading system for identifying female pattern baldness is the Ludwig Scale. It has three stages, with stage 1 denoting slight thinning and stage 3 denoting substantial hair loss.

The Ludwig Scale lists the following three stages of female pattern baldness:

Stage 1: Moderate thinning of the hair on the crown of the head, frequently accompanied by widening of the part.

Stage 2: There is a moderate loss of hair on the top of the head, and the part is more pronounced.

Stage 3: Significant hair thinning on the crown of the head, with a very wide part or complete baldness.

It's crucial to remember that female pattern baldness can manifest differently than male pattern baldness, with women frequently noticing diffuse thinning throughout their entire scalp as opposed to just in certain regions. When choosing the right treatment for female pattern baldness, other elements like hair density, hair diameter, and the presence of miniature hairs may also be considered.

Types of hair transplant techniques

1. FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation)
   The most popular method of treating hair loss and thinning hair is FUT. With this technique, a strip of hair is removed from the scalp's back. The grafts are sterilized and separated into follicular units with 1-4 hairs each. To ensure graft survival, this procedure is carried out under strong magnification. Once the unit grafts are ready, they are inserted into the recipient site by making a series of tiny incisions on the recipient site's scalp.  The grafts are positioned and arranged by the surgeon with great care and precision so that the transplanted hair appears natural. Sutures are used to stitch the area where the strip is removed.

2. FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)
   To remove hair grafts, this procedure is carried out with a tiny punch. In the same manner as the FUT procedure, grafts are implanted. Instead of the fine line scar that results from FUT treatment, the procedure leaves very small punch-hole scars. When the hair grows back, both scars are hidden and have no visible impact on appearance.

To achieve results that appear natural, the surgeon carefully replants the graft at the appropriate angle and direction and strategically designs the hairlines. The hairs on the back and sides of the head typically have stronger hair follicles and are less likely to go bald. The average outpatient hair transplant procedure lasts 4 to 8 hours and is done under local anesthesia. Several hours after treatment, the patient is free to return home.

If one is looking for a hair transplant in Delhi, one can visit SB Aesthetics. 

FUT and FUE are the two hair transplant procedures offered at SB Aesthetics. Dr. Shilpi Bhadani selects the best surgery for the patient based on the severity of their hair loss condition. The transplanted follicles typically begin producing new hair 3 to 5 months after being placed. Initially thin, the newly growing hair gradually thickens and fills out. 

Book an appointment today to get the volumized hair back.