Fact: Female Pattern Baldness and Male Pattern Baldness are caused by the same process.

Even though men and women bald differently (not too many women sport a comb-over), hair loss caused by Pattern Baldness (or Androgenetic Alopecia) results from too much dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the scalp. Now you may be wondering why so many women (95% of hair loss in women is caused by Androgenetic Alopecia) have some form of testosterone present in their scalp. But the truth is, estrogens are made from testosterone, so all women need testosterone from puberty to menopause in order to create estrogen and progesterone.

Fact: Female Pattern Baldness is most likely to occur after menopause.

Menopause is characterized by a decrease in estrogen production. When less testosterone is being converted into estrogen, there is more testosterone available for conversion into DHT. Also, estrogen has been shown to have a protective effect against balding (hence why pregnant women often report having thicker and healthier hair during those nine months). The combination of less estrogen and more testosterone is what causes about 40% of women to notice thinning hair due to Female Pattern Baldness by age 50.

Fact: The pattern of Male Pattern Baldness is different from that of Female Pattern Baldness.

These differences in hair loss patterns – men balding from front to back while women thin most directly on top of their heads – have to do with the distribution of androgen receptors and enzymes in the scalp. The process of hair loss in Pattern Baldness is caused by the binding of DHT to androgen receptors on hair follicles. Testosterone is converted into DHT with the help of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. Another enzyme, called cytochrome P-450 aromatase, is responsible for converting testosterone into estrogen.

The concentration of cytochrome P-450 aromatase is roughly six times higher in women’s frontal hair follicles – i.e. more estrogen-producing enzymes near frontal hair follicles means less DHT and less hair loss. In addition, the concentration of 5-alpha reductase in frontal hair follicles is about 3 times less in women in comparison to men. Less DHT-producing enzyme means less DHT and less frontal line hair loss.

Fact: Female Pattern Baldness is not caused by external factors like perms, hair-dryers, excessive washing, or wearing hats.

While activities like frequent chemical treatment or hair-drying may cause the outer hair shafts to become brittle or hair to be frizzy in general, these factors have no effect on the inner hair follicle and therefore cannot cause balding. Hair loss is caused by death or deformation at the root, which is usually only affected by internal factors like hormones or general nutrition.

Fact: There are many natural treatment methods to promote hair growth for those suffering from Female Pattern Baldness.

Supplements containing vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed for normal hair growth can aid in the re-growth of hair lost from Female Pattern Baldness.

Whether you’re nearing menopause or are right in the heat of it, realize that Female Pattern hair loss is a completely natural process with natural treatment options.

Find a natural solution for hair loss here.

Sources:
http://www.hairlossinformation.com/hair-loss-in-women/androgenetic-alopecia-women.shtml
http://www.healthology.net/hair-loss/video2200.htm?pg=3
http://ezinearticles.com/?Natural-Hair-Loss-Remedies&id=7931