What is Alopecia? Your Questions, Answered by Musely Editors What is Alopecia? Your Questions, AnsweredDealing with hair loss can be a very stressful experience to go through, especially when like you’re losing more hair than usual in your hairbrush or down the shower drain. While losing about 50-100 strands per day is considered normal, excessive hair loss can cause you search for hair loss solutions. There are a few different types of alopecia and each type comes with different causes and symptoms. Let’s discuss the most common types of alopecia, causes, and options for treatment and prevention, including Musely's prescription hair loss treatments.What is alopecia?Alopecia refers to the different types of hair loss that exist, and is a common condition that impacts one-third of women in the world. Here are the most common types of hair loss:Anagen effluvium: Hair shedding that happens in the growth stage of the hair cycle and is likely to be caused by an infection, autoimmune disease, or chemotherapy treatment.Alopecia areata: An autoimmune disorder that can cause hair to fall out in clumps and leave patchy bald spots. This type of hair loss occurs when the body's immune system attacks the hair follicles by mistake. While there is no cure for this type of hair loss, it can often grow back on its own.Scarring alopecia: A type of hair loss that is permanent due to the hair follicles being destroyed or damaged.  Telogen effluvium: A form of hair thinning or excessive shedding that is temporary and is usually caused from the occurrence of stressful or traumatic events.  Androgenetic alopecia or female pattern alopecia: The most common type of hair loss in women, accounting for 40% of cases. Symptoms of this type of hair loss can include thinning hair, a widening part, or a receding hairline as one gets older.What causes hair loss in women?Female pattern hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors, such as genetics, menopause, and aging. The most common reason that women experience hair thinning is genetics, which is often is referred to as "female-pattern baldness." Menopause is also a contributor of hair loss due to the loss of estrogen and progesterone as the growth phase of hair follicles slow down and get smaller as we age. This often leads to women having thinner and finer hair as they get older.How do you treat female pattern hair loss?There are treatments available that can help treat hair loss and encourage hair regrowth. Currently, the FDA has approved two ingredients for treating female pattern hair loss and telogen effluvium, with Minoxidil being the primary ingredient. The Hair Pill and The Hair SolutionMusely offers two different products for treating hair loss - The Hair Pill and The Hair Topical Solution. The Hair Pill is an oral hair loss treatment that comes in different formulations of prescription-strength ingredients Minoxidil, Dutasteride and Spirolactone all of which are clinically proven to help promote hair growth and prevent further hair loss. It also contains additional supplements that support healthy hair growth including biotin, zinc, and vitamin C and D, The Hair Topical Solution is a topical treatment that also contains minoxidil, dutasteride, and spironolactone.Minoxidil is a topical medication and 1 of 2 ingredients that are FDA-approved for helping to treat hair loss. It works by increasing blood flow to the hair follicles, which promotes hair growth. Dutasteride works by blocking the production of DHT, a hormone that can contribute to hair loss. Spironolactone also helps block androgens that also cause hair loss.Biotin is a B-vitamin that is essential for healthy hair growth. Zinc is a mineral that helps to support the immune system and promote healthy hair growth. Vitamin C and D are antioxidants that help to protect hair follicles from damage caused by free radicals.The added supplements provide nourishment to hair follicles, helping to improve the overall health of your hair. This powerful combination is formulated to address female pattern hair loss, hormonal hair loss, and age-related hair loss. Minoxidil promotes hair growth by increasing blood flow to hair follicles, while dutasteride and spironolactone block the hormones that contribute to hair loss. The Hair Pill is easy to take and has been clinically proven to be effective in promoting hair growth in women.Sources:American Academy of Dermatology Association. (2022). Hair loss: Diagnosis and treatment. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/diagnosis-treatmentAmerican Academy of Dermatology Association. (n.d.). Telogen effluvium. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/telogen-effluviumAmerican Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. (2022). Autoimmune hair loss. https://www.aarda.org/diseaseinfo/autoimmune-hair-loss/Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Androgenic alopecia (female pattern hair loss). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15381-androgenic-alopecia-female-pattern-hair-lossHarvard Health Publishing. (2021). Treating female pattern hair loss. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/treating-female-pattern-hair-lossMayo Clinic. (2022). Female pattern hair loss. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/female-pattern-hair-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20372926National Institute on Aging. (2020). Hair loss in women. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hair-loss-womenUpToDate. (2022). Androgenetic alopecia in women: Treatment and prognosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/androgenetic-alopecia-in-women-treatment-and-prognosis