For centuries, hair has been a symbol of attractiveness, especially for women. If you look at successful women, they usually have beautiful hair and hairstyles—whether it’s Julia Roberts, Demi Moore, or Cindy Crawford.
Especially when women are affected by hair loss, this is often a psychologically difficult time for them. As long as hair loss remains within the normal range of about 80–100 hairs per day and there are no visible bald or thinning spots, there’s no cause for concern. However, if thinning spots gradually begin to form, those affected usually start to panic and fear total hair loss or going bald.
For actors and celebrities in particular—for whom appearance is essentially “their capital”—visible hair loss can actually lead to fewer job offers.
The Enormous Importance of Beautiful Hair
Incidentally, the desire to have beautiful hair isn’t just a coincidence. Study after study—in which men and women are shown pictures of people with beautiful or less beautiful hair and asked to rate their overall appearance—confirms that beautiful hair has a significant influence on the viewer and on how a person’s beauty is perceived. People with beautiful hair are generally considered to be significantly more attractive.
When hair begins to thin, it’s no surprise that those affected are eager to do something about it. For women in particular, there is added social pressure, as women with little or no hair tend to stand out more than men do.
Women also suffer from hereditary hair loss
Hereditary hair loss is generally thought to affect only men. However, many people are unaware that women also often suffer from hereditary hair loss.
The approaches here are similar to those for men, and in cases of hereditary hair loss in women, an excess of male hormones also plays a role. To counteract this, dermatologists often prescribe scalp hair tinctures containing estrogen or the active ingredient minoxidil, which is also applied to the scalp. Alternatively, hormone pills that are taken orally may also be prescribed.
Medications are only of limited help
However, the medications mentioned above can usually only help delay hair loss or, at best, stop it. New hair usually does not grow back.
Surgical Options for Hair Transplants
If hereditary hair loss has already caused bald spots, a hair transplant can still be considered. However, it’s important for women—especially those who want more overall hair volume—to know that a hair transplant does not increase the total number of hairs on the head, but only in areas where the hair was previously thinning. In the hairline area, however, the number of hairs will decrease, since the hair is surgically harvested from this area. The concept behind hair transplants is based on the fact that the hair harvested from the hairline will never fall out again—even after being transplanted to the thinning areas—and that, visually, the harvested hair in the hairline is not noticeable. Experts state that a maximum of approximately 50% of the hair can be harvested from the hairline before visible thinning becomes apparent in that area.
While a hair transplant is a good way to achieve significantly thicker hair in areas where hair is sparse, it does not increase the total number of hairs on the head.
Nevertheless, today’s hair transplant results are impressive, and thanks to increasingly sophisticated techniques, they have continued to improve in recent years. When performed by reputable and experienced specialists—so-called hair surgeons—the results are undetectable to anyone, not even to your own hairstylist.
