Female Pattern Hair Loss: Clinical Features and Potential Hormonal Factors

This document is a summary of a workshop held in 1999 to discuss hair loss in women and potential hormonal factors that could affect it. The workshop was attended by dermatologists, endocrinologists, and obstetricians/gynecologists. The article provides an overview of the basic science of ovarian and adrenal hormones, from production to cellular regulation and effects, without necessarily an obvious immediate application for female pattern hair loss. The hope is that this overview of hormones pertinent to women will stimulate fresh ideas on the pathogenesis and treatment of this important, but neglected, area of women's health.