The Mysteries of Female Hair Loss And if Rogaine Really Works

Androgenetic alopecia, also called female pattern baldness, is not a rare condition and many women experience it, and often more than men do. It can be a hard hit to a woman's self-esteem because beautiful, thick hair is synonymous with being beautiful or being feminine. For men, hair loss is more socially accepted. Celebrity males have receding hairlines but celebrity women are held to much higher standards of beauty. This makes it difficult for any woman to openly discuss her experiences with androgenetic alopecia. It can be extremely frustrating, difficult to deal with, make the woman feel unattractive and powerless. Not to mention that this is not a rare condition for females to experience. 75% of females will experience some sort of hair loss in their lifetime.

Firstly, it is possible to regrow hair if a woman is experiencing this condition. What is crucial is catching the hair loss in the earliest of stages before it's too late and restorative treatments need to be way more aggressive than they would have been if the female had started treatments at the first onset of symptoms. It's important to understand that the follicles are very sensitive. And pulling on the hair, hormonal changes or stress can all have affects on the body and the follicles. Once the sufferer determines the direct cause of the condition, whether it's genetic or if it's happening for some other reason (women who are pregnant can also have thinning hair, or stress can cause it as well as wearing hair extensions that pull too much). A lot of women inquire about certain hair loss treatments such as Rogaine - does it actually work? This depends, as it can work for some and not for others.

The way Rogaine works is with the chemical minoxidil. Minoxidil is a antihypertensive vasodilator medication that slows the process, and can even help with regrowth. It must be used "indefinitely" to get the best results - meaning you have to stick to a regimen with the treatment for it to really work. Minoxidil contains the nitric oxide chemical moiety that may act as a agonist. It is also a potassium channel opener causing hyperpolarization of cell membranes. But with Rogaine and minoxidil, it is less effective if there is a significant amount of baldness on the scalp. Which is why it is very important to start a hair loss treatment the moment you notice the condition.