Compared with male demand, there is a "gaping and inexplicable" contrast, according to doctors Ruiz Solanes and Mª José Fernández, of Clínica Esbeltia
There is a widespread belief that hair loss is an almost exclusive problem of men and that for that reason the presence of women in hair transplant centers is residual. However, scientific data categorically refute this idea. Female pattern alopecia is a very common condition whose prevalence increases markedly with age. According to a multicenter study by the European Hair Research Society (EHRS), between 29% and 38% of adult women in Europe present some degree of androgenetic alopecia. In addition, a review published in the journal Menopause (2022) observed that 52.2% of the postmenopausal women evaluated showed this type of hair loss.
The breakdown by age ranges confirms that alopecia accompanies women throughout all stages of adult life. Research published in reference journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and compiled by institutions such as the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) indicates that the prevalence of androgenetic alopecia in Europe and the U.S. ranges from 3% to 12% between ages 20 and 29, rises from 12% to 25% between ages 30 and 49, reaches between 25% and 38% in the 50 to 69 age bracket, and reaches between 40% and 56% in those over 70 years old.
Despite these figures, the overwhelming majority of affected women suffer the problem in silence or try to disguise it with cosmetics before seeking expert help. A Cleveland Clinic study led by Birch et al. revealed that less than 20% of women with alopecia went to a dermatological consultation in the initial stages.
For doctor Ruiz Solanes, a highly reputed expert and medical director of Clínica Esbeltia, "the number of women who come to our center is around 2% and we are concerned to observe this gaping and inexplicable contrast with respect to the male population. It is important to break this taboo: female alopecia has diagnosis, treatment and effective interventions that restore density and confidence. Consulting specialists in time is the first step to assess the case and find the most appropriate medical or surgical solution, without ruling out hair transplantation, as more and more men have been doing for years".