Hair: A Review of Prominent Scalp Hair Changes Throughout a Female's Life

January 2014 in “ Journal of Pigmentary Disorders ”

Dalia Gamal Aly

TLDR Women's hair gets thinner and grayer as they age, with treatments available for hair loss and graying.

The document reviewed the changes in scalp hair throughout a female's life, highlighting that hair production declines with age, starting from the mid-thirties. This decline is characterized by changes in hair cycling, decreased hair density and diameter, and is more pronounced in conditions like female pattern hair loss (FPHL) and telogen effluvium (TE). Hair graying, or canities, begins around age 34 in Caucasians and 43.9 in Africans, with environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation (UVR) potentially contributing to this process. Treatment options for FPHL include minoxidil, anti-androgen medication, and hair transplantation, while TE management involves removing triggers and may include biotin, zinc, and topical minoxidil. The review also discussed the use of colorants for gray hair, the potential of systemic photoprotection through antioxidants, and the interest in anti-aging compounds for hair care. Future research directions may focus on the delivery of active compounds via the hair follicular route and tissue engineering for hair loss treatments.

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Research cited in this study

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South Korean women with hair loss have lower hair density and thickness compared to healthy women.

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research Lack of Efficacy of Finasteride in Postmenopausal Women with Androgenetic Alopecia

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Finasteride doesn't effectively treat hair loss in postmenopausal women.

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