Dr Lam's Hair Restoration Forum

[Veronica]

I am a 44 year old female and I am suffering from thinning hair on the crown of my head extending to the front. It started at least 10 years ago and now it is very noticeable. From what I've been told from different doctors, although my dad and my brother are both balding, and were at a very young age, if my hair loss were genetic, it would not come from a male but would genetically come from a female. My mother who is 68 yrs old has thick & course hair, but has started thinning a little over the past few years but is nowhere close to the extent mine is thin.
My OB has done a pretty extensive blood workup, checking thyroid, hormones, anemia and many other things that I don't even know and all came back normal. She referred me to one of her associates, and she really didn't have any advice except to check out your website.
From your website, reading information you have and reading forums and your answers to questions, I'm really not seeing any options other than a hair transplant. Is there anything I'm missing? Would you have any other recommendations?

[dr. lam]

hi,
1. first, the genetic thing is all wrong. it is "multifactorial" meaning that it comes from many different family members and we have not located one genetic locus. in short, it comes from both sides of the family.
2. hair transplant really is the only option for a permanent correction (minus further hair loss). however, several things:
a. definitely start rogaine for two reasons. it might help with some of the loss (but not much) but it will help me do a transplant by minimizing temporary shock loss that women are prone to have after a procedure. you need for at least 6 weeks if not longer. start now and keep going until a transplant is planned. you may shed a little at 3 to 4 weeks but that is normal and not to worry. if you do not see that, that is fine too.
b. you can use toppik or dermmatch which are topical cover ups. that can help a lot until you are ready for a transplant.
c. although not a good option for everyone, a wig can obviously cover it up too.
hope that helps.
best
sml

[Veronica]

One more question. After a hair transplant, is it likely that I would continue on with the hair loss pattern? I guess I'm wondering what would keep transplanted hair from being lost, same as my own hair. I know that you can't answer 100% but, long term, what is the chance that I would keep the transplanted hair.
Thank you for your help.

[dr. lam]

very high because hair is coming from an area that is not genetically susceptible to hair loss. hence the term we use donor dominance. however, you still could lose some of your other hair if that is still going on but that is what happens with men. i do a great transplant then several years later they may need another one because they continue to lose hair. women's hair loss tends to be slower and i tend to need fewer treatments than men over time. oftentimes just one or two rounds.