Postmenopausal Alopecia (Hair Loss)

The 2017 document reports that 41% of postmenopausal women experience hair loss, primarily due to female pattern hair loss (FPHL). It outlines the clinical diagnosis of FPHL and telogen effluvium, the latter often being a temporary condition following stress. The only FDA-approved treatment for FPHL is topical minoxidil, with spironolactone and finasteride as off-label options, despite finasteride showing no improvement in hair loss at a 1 mg dose. Other treatments include hair transplant surgery, low-level laser light therapy, and systemic agents for alopecia areata. The document includes a case study where a patient with telogen effluvium and FPHL saw improvement after one year of treatment with 5% minoxidil foam and camouflage powder. It concludes that FPHL is common, progressive, and incurable, with treatments focusing on halting progression and potentially thickening hair.