Female pattern hair loss prevalent among postmenopausal women
28 Feb 2022
Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) appears to be highly common among postmenopausal women, which brings to fore the need to increase awareness of such a condition in menopause clinics, according to a study.
The study included 200 postmenopausal women aged 50–65 years. All of them underwent evaluation for FPHL according to Ludwig's classification with the use of standardized global photography in all six views and trichoscopy for hair density and diameter. Three dermatologists re-evaluated all images to confirm FPHL.
Researchers assessed the time since menopause, levels of scalp sebum, serum testosterone, oestradiol, thyroid stimulating hormone, and haemoglobin. They also evaluated family history of hair loss, as well as the self-esteem of the participants. Women who underwent recent hair loss treatments were excluded from the analysis.
A total of 178 women were evaluated for hair-loss patterns. Their mean age was 58.8 years, while time since menopause was 9.2 years. FPHL had a prevalence rate of 52.2 percent (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 44.6–59.8). Severity of FPHL was grade I in 73.2 percent (95 percent CI, 62.9–81.8), grade II in 22.6 percent (95 percent CI, 14.6–32.4), and grade III in 4.3 percent (95 percent CI, 1.2–10.7).
Logistic regression analysis showed that FPHL was associated with age, time since menopause, and body mass index (BMI). However, when controlled for age and family history of FPHL, only BMI ≥25 kg/m2 remained significantly associated with FPHL (adjusted odds ratio, 2.65, 95 percent CI, 1.23–5.70).
The findings suggest that early detection and proper treatment of FPHL may raise the quality of life in postmenopausal women.