Tendency to Underestimate the Severity of Androgenetic Alopecia: Reply From Authors

The authors of this paper respond to a study that found women with female pattern hair loss (FPHL) tend to underestimate the severity of their hair loss. The authors found that only 16% of boys with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) were under medical observation and receiving treatment, while 35% of young women with reduction in hair density had asked for help. This suggests that AGA is more distressing for women than for men. Women tend to consider alopecia as a medical problem, while men consider it as a genetic state and do not need to make their hair look better. The authors suggest administering further questionnaires testing psychological attitude and lifestyle behavior in young people affected by AGA. Women tend to underestimate or under-report their hair loss due to denial and dismissal by professionals. It is crucial that professionals acknowledge that women are acutely aware of what is normal for them. Public awareness needs to be raised regarding the prevalence and nature of FPHL so that women noticing hair loss will be encouraged to seek treatment sooner rather than later.