Looking to restore your hair?
We know hair thinning and hair loss can be concerning. Dr. Ken Williams can diagnose and treat female hair loss or restore it leveraging his decade of experience utilizing a wide range of techniques. Schedule a consultation today with Dr. Ken Williams.
Hair Restoration for Her
At Orange County Hair Restoration, we recognize women suffering with hair loss require a different approach than men when considering hair and eyebrow restoration. Compared to men, hair loss in women manifests in different patterns, generally is more diffuse, and can occur at any age. In men, there are similar balding patterns, whereas in women the pattern is non-uniform and other underlying conditions play a role in thinning of the hair.
Hair loss in women is a devastating disorder that can be treated medically or surgically. For women, a thorough disease specific medical evaluation is necessary in treating hair disorders. Women typically notice hair loss during the menopausal period with reduced hair density usually in the middle of the scalp that thins laterally. The hair is often miniaturized because of a longer resting telogen phase and genetic causes. Hair loss or thinning can occur in all regions of the scalp.
The great news for women is female patterned hair loss can be treated successfully medically or surgically. This fact is confirmed by recent research conducted by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. In their recent studies they estimate more women are being treated for hair loss than in the past decade.
When should I consider hair transplantation?
A thorough workup is necessary to undergo surgical restoration of thinning hair or alopecia. It is a common understanding by hair restoration surgeons, that women with thinning hair and alopecia benefit from hair transplant surgery.
Patients must consider that an accurate diagnosis is necessary, and after the diagnosis and work-up are completed, therapeutic options vary from patient –to-patient. Medical stabilization includes treatment with Rogaine, DHT inhibitors, Laser Light Therapy, and regenerative therapies like stem cells and PRP.
Hair Transplantation can be attempted after the diagnostic work-up is completed. The ideal harvesting technique is the strip excision, but FUE can also be done. The final harvesting technique results in naturally appearing frontal hairlines and increases visual density.
Establishing the Correct Diagnosis
Every patient evaluated in our office undergoes a routine medical evaluation for hair loss. The work up and evaluation of female hair loss is quite different from men. Dr Williams takes your hair loss seriously by performing a disease comprehensive specific medical evaluation. A complete history and physical is the first step in evaluating women with hair loss, and this is done at your initial consultation with Dr. Williams.
Diffuse hair loss is caused by a variety of conditions other than “hereditary balding.” A disease specific work up is important because it establishes whether hair loss treatment is managed by medical, surgical, or a combination of both treatment options. The final decision to have surgery is dependent upon whether your hair loss has stopped, the scalp biopsy pathological tissue results, and the patient’s motivation and desire for greater hair density and appearance.
Want to Diagnose your hair loss first?
Speak directly with Dr.Williams during your consultation.
Who Is a Candidate For Hair or Eyebrow Restoration?
- Some women with thinning scalp hair and virtually all women with thinning eyebrows
- A person who has lost some but not all hair as a result of burns or other scalp injuries.
- Women who want to restructure their hairline.
- Women who have suffered hair loss due to mechanical or traction alopecia (non-hormonal).
- Women who have a distinct pattern of baldness, similar to that of male pattern baldness-hairline recession, vertex thinning (on the crown or top of the scalp), and a donor area that is not affected by Androgenetic Alopecia.
- Women who suffer hair loss due to trauma, including burn victims, scarring from accidents, and chemical burns.
- Women who have had previous cosmetic or plastic surgery and are concerned about hair loss around the incision sites.
- Women diagnosed with traction alopecia or alopecia marginalis.
- Women who want to thicken or restore eyebrows.
- Women who experienced hair loss after face lifts or other cosmetic procedures.
Hair Replacement Procedures
Hair grafting, also called hair transplant surgery, is an outpatient surgical procedure performed in a hair surgeon’s office. Gone are the days when a hair transplant made a scalp look like a field of newly planted corn. New technology and improved surgical techniques are transforming the hair transplant industry.
Dr. Ken Williams is among prominent hair surgeons that is deeply involved in hair loss evaluations for women. For our patients who suffer from hair loss, the most important decision for you is to have a proper diagnosis and appraisal from a specialist of hair disorders. After the correct diagnosis is made, about 10% of patients elect to go on for surgical hair transplantation.
There are basically two types of surgical procedures available for women who desire thicker hair or fuller eyebrows. For those women who are eligible to have surgery, the harvesting procedures available are the Strip method and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).
There are strengths and weaknesses for both procedures. No one procedure for female hair transplantation is best. Ideally, a surgical consultation is completed and a full examination of the hair and scalp is made before making the decision for hair surgery. FUE is a desirable cosmetic procedure because it does not leave a large linear scar at the back of your scalp for men with short hair styles. For women who have naturally longer hair, strip donor harvesting might be more ideal.