Feminine hair loss, or thinning hair, is actually quite a commonplace problem. The technical term for a woman with hair loss is female pattern alopecia. The hair loss can be distributed all over the head, or it can be localized in certain areas much like male pattern baldness. It's more typical to see female pattern hair loss in women after they have gone through menopause and has the potential to affect over 30% of women with a genetic predisposition to female pattern alopecia. Usually, the hair loss is seen as a gradual thinning. Speaking in genetic terms, hair loss can come from either side of the family.

The pattern of female hair loss is usually a gradual thinning of the hair by hairs falling out and being replaced by progressively shorter hairs, leading to a large degree of thinning or complete baldness in the affected area. The most common area of the head affected by female baldness is both the front and top of the head, with the potential effect being quite dramatic and devastating to many.

Though the hair loss occurs most commonly after menopause, you can have hair loss after pregnancy or following the discontinuation of birth control pills and it may occur as early as puberty. There are even cases in which female pattern hair loss can occur in relation to illness or severe psychological stress. The hair loss related to illness or stress may be temporary and hair growth may return without intervention. However, this can take some time to happen.

Right now, the sole pharmaceutical treatment approved by the FDA for female hair loss is Rogaine (minoxidil). Rogaine is applied topically to the skin on a regular basis. Studies on other medicinal treatments remain inconclusive. Propecia has thus far proved to be ineffective for women; Aldactone may assist in slowing hair loss but it requires a lot of use before it starts working and it is most effective in pre-menopausal women. Some hormone replacement therapies after menopause appear to be promising, but results are inconclusive. Hair transplant, through drastic, is also an option for some women.

The treatment's effectiveness is not certain. Other approaches like perms, dying, etc. can make the effect of hair loss less noticeable. These days there are great quality in wigs and hair additions. A woman's appearance can be greatly improved through any of these methods. If you are suffering from hair loss it is best to check out all of the options available to you before you commit yourself to one treatment.