Aim: To identify the prevalence of female pattern baldness (FPHL), hair characteristics and associated factors in healthy postmenopausal women. Methods: Two hundred postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 years were recruited. Each participant was evaluated for FPHL according to Ludwig’s classification using standardized global photography in all six views and trichoscopy for hair density and diameter. Three dermatologists reevaluated all images to confirm FPHL. Time since menopause, levels of scalp sebum, serum testosterone, estradiol, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and hemoglobin; A family history of hair loss was assessed, as well as an assessment of low self-esteem. Women who underwent recent treatments for hair loss were excluded. We used simple and multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify factors affecting FPHL. Results: In total, 178 postmenopausal women were evaluated for hair loss patterns. The mean age and time since menopause were 58.8±4.1 and 9.2±5.6 years, respectively. The prevalence of FPHL was 52.2% (95% CI, 44.6-59.8). The severity of FPHL according to Ludwig grades I, II and III was 73.2% (95% CI, 62.9-81.8), 22.6% (95% CI, 14.6- 32.4) and 4.3% (95% CI, 1.2-10.7), respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, time since menopause, and body mass index were significantly associated with FPHL. After adjusting for age and family history of FPHL, only body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 was significantly associated with FPHL (adjusted OR = 2.65, 95% CI, 1.23-5.70). Conclusion:
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Both men and women are more likely to lose hair with age. Women also have the additional risk associated with declining estrogen levels during the menopause transition.
A new study sought to identify the prevalence of female pattern hair loss (FPHL), hair characteristics and associated factors in healthy postmenopausal women. The results of the study are published in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
Female pattern hair loss is the most common hair loss disorder in women. It is characterized by gradual thinning at the parting line, followed by increasing diffuse hair loss radiating from the top of the head.
Female pattern hair loss can develop any time between adolescence and the postmenopausal period. However, it is thought that the loss of estrogen during the menopause transition may play a role in accelerating FPHL because estrogen receptors are present in hair follicles.
Hormonal changes related to menopause have been shown to influence the scalp, reduce diameter and limit hair growth.
Hair loss can have a significant effect on a woman’s self-esteem and overall quality of life because it affects her appearance and confidence. Because women spend, on average, a third of their lives postmenopause, research into the causes and treatments of hair loss is essential.
In a new cross-sectional study involving 178 women seen at a menopause clinic, researchers sought to evaluate the prevalence of FPHL in healthy postmenopausal women and investigate postmenopausal hair characteristics as well as factors associated with FPHL.
- Of the women studied, 52.2% were found to have FPHL.
- The prevalence of FPHL increased with age.
- Low self-esteem was detected in 60% of participants and increased with the severity of FPHL.
The researchers also noted that a high body mass index (obesity) was associated with a higher prevalence and worsening of FPHL in postmenopausal women. More studies are needed to determine whether sex steroid hormones, especially estrogen and testosterone, and a history of polycystic ovary syndrome are related to hair loss in postmenopausal women.
The results of the study are published in the article “ Prevalence of female pattern hair loss in postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study .”
“Female-pattern hair loss was common and associated with lower self-esteem in healthy postmenopausal women in this small cross-sectional study. A better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for this common type of hair loss in women may lead to more effective preventive strategies and treatment options,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of NAMS.
