Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD “I am a 57 year old AA, and I am devastated that my hair thinned all over. It is especially thin in the middle. Is there truly any help for me?”
Hair loss in middle aged women is quite common. It happens in all women, no matter the race or ethnicity. In fact, about 21 million American women suffer from some sort of hair loss, and 80% of women experience some sort of noticeable hair loss by age 60. If you are suffering from hair loss, you are not alone. Hair loss can be devastating and can impact your self esteem and even lead to depression.
What to Do About Hair Loss
If you’re suffering from any sort of hair loss, don’t assume that it’s age related, and don’t assume that there is nothing that can be done for your hair loss. It’s important that all hair loss be evaluated by your dermatologist. Remember, the term ‘alopecia’ only means hair loss. There are many types of alopecia. Common types of hair loss in a 57 year old woman could be female pattern hair loss, hair loss from an underlying medical problem, or traction alopecia…just to name a few.
Thinning at the center of the scalp can also be a sign of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA). CCCA is the most common form of permanent hair loss in African American women, but when caught and treated early, the prognosis can be good. Sometimes there is associated tenderness and breakage of the hair at the top or middle of the scalp with CCCA, but not always. A dermatologist can make this diagnosis!
There can be many other causes of hair loss too, from autoimmune disease to other serious underlying infections or causes of inflammation. Even nutritional deficiencies or stress could be causing your hair loss. Your dermatologist will examine you, take a careful history, and may even do some blood work or a biopsy to try to find the cause of your hair loss.
Is There Hope for Hair Loss?
Many causes of hair loss are completely treatable. For example, bacterial and fungal infections can cause hair loss, and in most cases can be treated fairly easily by your physician. Other causes of hair loss, such as autoimmune diseases, traction alopecia, and CCCA can also be treated. The important thing is to get diagnosed as soon as possible. If you wait too long, the likelihood of being able to regrow your hair could be lower!
There are many over the counter treatments for hair loss such as minoxidil (which has great research behind it and can be very effective for female pattern hair loss) and newer medications like redensyl. Another cutting edge treatment for some types of hair loss is PRP (platelet rich plasma), which you can read more about here! So if you’re suffering from any type of hair loss, don’t despair. Just be proactive.
