Hair loss (causes of baldness)
Hair loss, Hair loss, Baldness
What is androgenetic alopecia?
Androgenetic alopecia means losing some of your hair. Both men and women can get androgenetic alopecia. In men, androgenetic alopecia is also called "male pattern hair loss. In women, it is called "female pattern hair loss.
How do you get androgenetic alopecia?
Predisposition plays a big role. When you are born, you may already have a predisposition to androgenetic alopecia.
What does androgenetic alopecia look like?
In men, the front of the head becomes progressively balder, with bald patches on the sides. Then the top of the head becomes increasingly bald. Baldness spreads until almost all the hair on top of the head is gone. A wreath of hair always remains. The picture on the last page of this leaflet shows what men's heads may look like.
In women, the hair in the middle of the head becomes thinner, making the skin of the head visible through the hair. Women do not get true bald spots. At the front, the hair remains.
How does your doctor know if you have androgenetic alopecia?
In men, androgenetic alopecia is usually immediately obvious. In women, further examination is sometimes required.
Do you need treatment for androgenetic alopecia?
No, because androgenetic alopecia is not a disease, treatment is not necessary.
Is there any treatment for androgenetic alopecia?
Yes, there are a few options, but it is not yet possible to solve the problem of baldness permanently.
What are the treatments for androgenetic alopecia?
There is a treatment with a liquid you have to smear on your head. There is also a treatment with tablets to be taken. Women of childbearing age should not take these tablets.
Liquid treatment
If your doctor prescribes a liquid to put on your head, you will be given minoxidil lotion. This liquid can cause less hair to fall out. You should apply the liquid to the skin on your head twice a day. Sometimes smearing the liquid can cause irritation on your head. You must rub your head with this liquid for six months. Only after these six months can you tell if the lubrication has helped. If you stop applying the liquid to the skin of your head, your hair will fall out again.
Treatment with tablets
Only in men do tablets help. Using these tablets should stop the hair falling out. In about a third of men, hair also grows back. If you stop treatment, the hair falls out again. In women, tablets have not been shown to work.
Other treatments
There are many other treatments used to treat androgenetic alopecia, but whose efficacy has not yet been demonstrated in studies. Examples include plasma injections and low-level lasers.
What can you do to cover bald spots?
Hair transplant
In the images below, you can see that in men, a wreath of hair always remains on the head. Women also retain hair on their heads. It is possible to have hair moved from the back of your head to the front. This is called a hair transplant. The hair replanted on your head in this way will not fall out. You must pay for this treatment yourself.
Wig
A wig is a good solution for some people. A wig is worn over the existing hair. It is also possible to have a small piece of hair (a hairpiece) applied to the bald spot. This hairpiece is then incorporated into the remaining hair. Usually your health insurance company pays part of the costs in the case of women. In any case, you must pay a portion yourself.
Camouflage
Coloring the scalp with hair dye can give good cosmetic results.
What else can you do yourself?
Some people experience less self-confidence due to the loss of their hair. If you experience this, it is important to talk to your doctor about it. Your doctor can further help you get the right help to better cope.
Learn more
There is a patient association for androgenetic alopecia patients: https://www.alopecia-vereniging.nl/
Men are becoming increasingly bald at the front of their heads. Bald spots also appear on the sides of their heads. After this, the top of the head becomes increasingly bald. Head baldness spreads further and further until almost all the hair on top of the head is gone. A wreath of hair always remains. In the picture below you can see how men's heads can start to look.
In women, the hair in the middle of the head becomes thinner. Because of this, you can see the skin of the head through the hair. Women do not get true bald patches. At the front, the hair remains.
If you have any questions or need more information, do not hesitate to contact us via the 'start treatment' button on 247dermatologist.
*Source Dutch Society for Dermatology and Venereology (NVDV).