Beauty is an important asset to women in our modern society. Outer female beauty plays an important role in interpersonal relationship, marriage and social activities. Disproportionate views and treatment to beautiful women can be seen easily in daily lives. This is the reason which causes women to spend large amount of money willingly to go under the knife, enhancing their physical appearance. Hair, the crowning glory of women defines the most significant element of female beauty. Bad hair days never fail to turn women into the doldrums and statistics show that women spend most of their time on mirrors adjusting and styling their hair. As a result, female pattern balding is a fear to many women causing them to panic at the sight of even a few strands of hair on their comb after styling. However, these fears are not unfounded as female pattern balding is affecting a lot of the female counterparts nowadays. Female pattern balding is caused by several factors such as grooming, emotional stress, pregnancy and genetic reasons.

Understanding the hair growth cycle is instrumental in identifying the causes of balding. Hair exists in three phases known as anagen, catagen and telogen phases. Under the anagen phase, hair follicles are in active growing phase which last between 2-6 years. During this phase, the cells at the root of the hair are dividing rapidly, lengthening the hair shaft. The hair will grow about half an inch every month. At the end of the anagen phase, the hair will enter the catagen phase which lasts for two weeks. During catagen phase, the hair will gradually be cut off from blood supply before entering the telogen phase. During the telogen phase, which is also called the resting phase, the hair follicles are at rest. This phase lasts for about 90 days and telogen hairs are shed at a normal rate of 25-100 strands each day with new hair beginning to replace them. At any point of time, 85% of the hair is in the anagen phase while the rest are in telogen or catagen phase.

Factors such as grooming, emotional stress, pregnancy and genetic reasons can disrupt the hair growth cycle causing female pattern balding. Consistent grooming and styling can cause hair breakage, dandruffs and oily hair. Oily hair blocks the hair follicle and disrupts the hair growth cycle. Emotional stress, usually associated to an individual undergoing a traumatic experience, can cause more hair to enter the telogen phase. However, this type of baldness is temporarily and usually the hair will start to grow back. Hormonal changes during pregnancy also contribute to hair loss. It is normal for women to lose their hair during or after pregnancy and after the hormonal levels return to normal, the hair will start growing back. Finally, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is produced from our body shortens and degrades the hair follicle. Due to genetic reasons, hair with more androgen receptors where DHT are attached to is more likely to be affected.

In conclusion, female pattern balding is the greatest fear to women when looks are important in today’s society. Although there is no specific cure to female pattern balding, there are medications and hair solutions that are able to minimize or counter the effects. Alternatives range from cheaper Minodixil scalp spray to more expensive hair transplant. While a lot has been discussed and emphasized on the outer beauty, the inner beauty of women should not be neglected. Confidence and good character are the most important components of women’s beauty.