Female pattern hair loss is the most common cause of hair loss in women and one of the most common problems seen by dermatologists. This hair loss is a nonscarring alopecia in which loss occurs on the vertex scalp, generally sparing the frontal hairline. Hair loss can have significant psychosocial effects on patients, and treatment can be long and difficult. The influence of hormones on the pat...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of oral finasteride therapy associated with an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol in premenopausal women with female pattern hair loss. SETTING Outpatient consultation for hair disorders at the Department of Dermatology, University of Bologna. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTION Thirty-seven women with female pattern hair loss were trea...

A 45-year-old healthy female presented to the dermatologic clinic with a 6-month history of diffuse hair loss and thinning but no relevant medical or pharmacological history. Scalp examination showed low-density hair in a diffuse pattern, which was more pronounced in the parietal and frontal areas ( fig. 1 a). The pull test was positive. Scalp dermoscopy revealed hair-shaft thinning and a lot o...

Fewer than 45% of women go through life with a full head of hair. Female pattern hair loss is the commonest cause of hair loss in women and prevalence increases with advancing age. Affected women may experience psychological distress and impaired social functioning. In most cases the diagnosis can be made clinically and the condition treated medically. While many women using oral antiandrogens ...