As cases of hair loss among young women increase, interest in its causes and treatments is growing. In fact, according to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, 4 out of 10 patients who visited medical institutions for hair loss treatment were women. In particular, many young women experience hair loss at an early age due to excessive stress and irregular lifestyle habits.
Female hair loss is clinically characterized by thinning hair and a decreasing number of hairs in the crown area. It develops centered around the part line, and is characterized by the initial appearance of thin, weak vellus hairs, followed by a gradual decrease in the number of hairs underneath.
A decrease in the secretion of the female hormone estrogen can be cited as a risk factor that promotes female hair loss. Estrogen suppresses the function of androgens, the male hormones, but when the body's hormonal balance is disrupted for some reason, hair loss is promoted. In addition, nutritional imbalance from mono-food diets and the like, severe stress, and alcohol consumption have also been identified as causes of female hair loss. Frequent perms and hair coloring are also cited as factors that worsen hair health.
Experts emphasize that among these, extreme weight loss is the factor with the most adverse effect. The matrix cells located in the hair follicle grow 1–3 hair roots, and this requires key minerals, protein, essential fatty acids, vitamin B, and more. If food intake is excessively restricted, the function of the hair follicles may decline due to nutritional imbalance. As a result, hair becomes thinner and even the hair growth cycle shortens, leading to hair loss.
In addition, when a person suffers from stress, the sympathetic nervous system remains in an excited state, disrupting the balance of the autonomic nervous system and further promoting contraction of the scalp muscles and blood vessels. Moreover, as the stress hormone cortisol is secreted, the supply of nutrients to the scalp and blood circulation become impaired, which may reduce hair root growth.
Pregnancy and childbirth are also issues that accelerate hair loss in young women. Known as postpartum hair loss, it is typically characterized by the loss of 30–40% of total hair during the 3–6 months after childbirth. Hair loss gradually stops after 6 months, and normal condition is restored after 1 year, but in rare cases hair loss symptoms continue even after 1 year has passed. This is because estrogen levels drop sharply after childbirth, causing postpartum telogen hair loss symptoms to persist over a long period.
For women who are sensitive about their appearance, the psychological shock of hair loss is inevitably very significant, and if hair loss symptoms persist, social avoidance, depression, and the like can make it difficult to lead a normal daily life. Furthermore, some feel ashamed of the very fact that they are experiencing hair loss and resort to unverified folk remedies. Because this can cause side effects that actually worsen hair loss, it is advisable to visit a dermatology clinic for a detailed diagnosis and customized treatment.
If hair loss is not severe, improvement can be expected with medication and laser treatment. However, if the condition has worsened somewhat, thread lifting using poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) may be considered. This works by inserting threads made of 100% PLLA into the scalp to improve female pattern hair loss.
Yoo Hwa-jung, Director of Modi Hair Plant Clinic, said, "PLLA treatment is a method in which 100% PLLA threads are inserted directly into the scalp to produce a localized care effect," adding, "It is characterized by minimizing concerns about systemic side effects and a long maintenance period, with treatment effects lasting for 1–2 years."
She continued, "Above all, the PLLA procedure works by promoting microcirculation in the scalp to revitalize the hair follicles, and because it takes about 1–2 years to fully break down, it can somewhat reduce the inconvenience of repeat procedures."
Source: Segye Biz │ Published 2021.02.15