Think Donald Trump. Real-estate mogul, rich N.Y. guy…comb-over. Male pattern baldness is an equal-opportunity offender. So is female pattern hair loss. What? Women have a hair-loss syndrome also? Yes, and it can be devastating to the self-esteem and confidence of that woman. In this society, men can do comb-overs for bald spots (sometimes to ridicule), but that doesn’t quite work for women who have different hair-thinning patterns.

Though hair growth patterns are different among women and men, most of the hair growth fundamentals are the same. Keratin is the resilient protein that makes up hair strands. The strand is anchored to the skin by the hair follicle which contains the hair bulb. This bulb is the place where hair cells divide and grow to create the hair shaft. It is in the hair bulb that blood vessels nourish cells and deliver hormones that modify growth and structure at different times of the hair’s life.

There are about 110,000 hair follicles in the scalp with the average loss of hair around 50 to 100 scalp strands a day. Hair has two main phases of growth: anagen phase and telogen phase. The anagen phase lasts anywhere from two to six years, and this is when hair is actively growing. The telogen phase is the cessation of growing, the hair is resting to be eventually shed and replaced with a new hair. Ninety percent of the time, hair is in the anagen phase with the resulting ten percent of time in the resting, telogenic phase. Normal hair grows about a half an inch a month.

Now everyone is familiar with male-pattern baldness. It’s when a guy’s hair growth seems to be forming a horseshoe about the fellow’s head. Well, female-pattern hair loss seems to have a strong genetic component, and it starts with a visible thinning of the hair at the crown of the head. This is because of the miniaturization of the hairs as their growth cycle is disrupted. These wispy hairs never reach their full potential of size and girth. This thinning then spreads backward and sideward until the back of the head is affected. A widening part line or smaller ponytails are signs of thinning hair.


If you find your hair is thinning, the sooner you do something about it, the better. Changes in hairstyle or color can be just that, good changes, as opposed to changes because of noticeably thinning hair.

1. There is still a place for comb-overs. If that thinning spot is of modest size, experiment with different styles to obscure it. You may be able to disguise a modestly sized bald spot and not do anything extreme with a comb-over.

Experiment with different hairstyles. If you are 25 or younger, you can pull off a radical haircut that would detract from thinning hair. Or if your hair is thick up front but thinning at the crown, keep growing it and then sweep it back and to the sides. Use bows, ties, wraps or headbands to keep that look.

Another trick is to employ layers in your hairstyle. Shorter hair doesn’t drag hair down, flattening out anybody the hair may have. Cut your hair so there are layers around your face and keep it naturally longer in the back for fullness.

2. Add volume to your hair. A first step may be to grab a volumizing shampoo from the store. Make sure it doesn’t have sulfates. Volumizing shampoo removes dirt and oil residue that makes hair flat. When drying one’s hair, add volume by blow-drying it to the opposite side of the head, e.g., blowing the right-side hair to the left. At this point, you can add one volumizing product like mousse or hairspray near the roots.

There are also volumizing products that promise instant hair fixes. Depending on your expectations, these products can either become part of your arsenal for combatting thinning hair or rubbish-can candidates. If your scalp is peeking through or your part seems to be getting wider, try one of those sprinkle-on hair building fiber products. Found either in a spray or powder form, fine fibers are dispersed over the thinning hairs. These fibers adhere to the hairs, thickening them, creating the illusion of a fuller head of hair.

3. Experts agree that coloring your hair has a couple of advantages. The chemicals used in coloring swells the cuticle, making it larger in diameter and resulting in extra volume. Also, aim for a color that is a couple of shades lighter than your natural hair so that visible scalp patches and part lines are better concealed.

4. Use a round, natural-bristle brush when you dry your hair to add volume. It is easier on your hair and won’t transmit the hair-dryer heat to the bristles where it can further dry out your hair.

5. Products like wigs, weaves and extensions are also available in the marketplace. There are two different types of wigs -- ones that cover the entire scalp and partial hairpieces that cover thinning spots only. There is a cautionary note with the use of weaves and extensions. Due to the weight of the hair or hair-like mass of extensions on the hair follicles, weaves may add to the problem of hair thinning.

6. Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. You can fold a stunning scarf into a head covering or headband, or wear a seasonal or team hat. There is a frictional type of hair loss that may be exacerbated by hat wearing, so watch for signs.

Another way to combat the bald look is to treat it. There are over-the-counter medications such as Rogaine for Women and Men, in their respective compound strengths. For women, the Federal Drug Administration approved a 2 percent mixture of minoxidil, which prolongs the growth stage of hair. For women, results show in about three to four months of twice-a-day applications. So patience and persistence are good traits for women who want to regrow their hair.