DHT in women

[Marie32]

I am 32 and considering a hair trnsplant becasue I am losing the hair on the top front rapidly now. I do have a high testosterone level as the high level is common with the women in my family. The rest of my hormone levels are normal.Am I still a good candidate for hair transplant? If I am understanding it correctly the DHT in me is the problem?

[Bill - Seemiller]

Marie,

 

You very well could be a candidate for a hair transplant if your hair loss is DHT related. However, I'd consider consulting with a dermatologist to rule out any other possibilities as well. They can also do hair miniaturization tests to see if other areas of your scalp are affected.

 

Keep in mind too that hairline recession, especially in women can be due to traction alopecia, hair loss caused by excessive pulling from wearing ponytails too tightly, etc. This may or may not apply to you, but it's something worth checking out.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Dr. Paul Shapiro]

Marie32

 

From your description of your hair loss it does sound like you have female pattern hair loss accelerated by a hyper-androgen (high testosterone) state. We do transplants on many women like you. The reason hair transplants work in women is the same as in men. The hair we take from your donor area is not affected by the genetic factors which are causing your female pattern hair loss. So when we transplant that hair onto the front of the scalp, it is permanent.

 

Prior to considering a hair transplant I would recommend you have a thorough medical work up and possible medical treatments for your condition. There are medical treatments that can help lower your testosterone level, but most are not FDA approved. There is some evidence that porpecia which blocks the formation of DHT may help slow down some women with hair loss, but it is very dangerous to take if you are considering pregnancy. I usually do not give propecia to pre-menopausal women. Have you seen an endocrinologist? There are some medical treatments for hyper-androgen states which may help slow down your hair loss.

It is also recommended that you make sure your Thyroid hormones are normal and the your Ferritin level (which measures the Iron in your blood) is in above 70.

 

We are seeing more women come in for hair transplants and I would say 10 to 15 percent of my patients are female. Hair transplants in women are very different then men. The sessions are usually smaller and what we can achieve in one session is limited. If you are considering a hair transplant it is important you see a doctor who is experienced with female hair transplants.

 

I have attached a previous thread so you can see some examples of what you can realistically expect to achieve in one transplant.Female hair transplant