Hair loss in women has different patterns and causes than in men. Understand how it is assessed and when a transplant may or may not be appropriate.
About the procedure
What this procedure involves
Hair loss affects a large number of women and has patterns and causes that differ from male hair loss. Dr Jassim Daood assesses female hair loss at the Bankstown clinic in Sydney, reviewing the likely cause before discussing whether FUE transplantation, non-surgical management through your GP, or simply monitoring is the appropriate next step.
Recovery
Where a transplant is performed, recovery follows the usual FUE pattern: short-term tenderness, swelling or scabbing, shedding of transplanted hairs in the first weeks, then gradual regrowth over many months. Longer surrounding hair can often help cover the treated area during early recovery.
In depth
More about this procedure
Detailed information about this procedure. Select a section to read more.
Hair loss in women usually looks different from hair loss in men. Rather than a receding hairline or bald crown, women more often notice a widening part line, a thinner ponytail or overall reduced density across the top of the scalp, while the hairline itself stays in place.
Because the pattern differs, the assessment and the range of appropriate treatments also differ. What helps one type of hair loss can be unsuitable for another, so an accurate picture of what is happening comes first.
Thinning in women can be driven by genetics, hormonal change (including after pregnancy and around menopause), thyroid conditions, iron deficiency, significant stress or illness, some medications, and traction from tight hairstyles. Some of these are temporary or treatable without surgery.
For this reason Dr Daood reviews your history and may suggest investigations through your GP before any procedure is discussed. A transplant performed while the underlying cause is still active is unlikely to serve you well.
A hair transplant moves hair; it does not create new hair. It can help when the thinning is patterned and stable and the donor area at the back of the scalp is dense and unaffected. In diffuse thinning, where the donor area is thinning too, transplantation is often not appropriate.
Where a transplant is suitable, the same FUE technique used for men is applied, with grafts placed to increase density along the part line or to rebuild specific areas such as temples or a traction-affected hairline.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Sometimes. It depends on the pattern and cause of the loss and on the strength of the donor area. Patterned, stable loss with a healthy donor area can respond well; diffuse thinning often cannot. This is assessed individually at a consultation.
Yes. A GP referral is required for the consultation, and your GP can also arrange tests for common contributors such as thyroid conditions or iron deficiency. Treating an underlying cause sometimes improves the hair without any procedure.
Where the loss is stable and the donor area is strong, grafts can be placed to add density along the part. Whether that applies in your case can only be judged after your scalp is examined.
Traction alopecia can respond to transplantation once the traction has stopped and the loss is stable. Continuing the same styling after a transplant risks losing the new grafts, and this is discussed at the consultation.
