Sometimes women who are affected by hair loss due to functional ovarian hyperandrogenism also develop metabolic syndrome, which is a combination of medical conditions that can lead to an increased risk of diabetes or cardiovascular disease. In this instance, Dr. Mercurio explained that dermatologists may diagnose a serious systemic problem where hair loss was one of the first visible signs of a problem.

"Dermatologists know that hair loss could be an important clue that something else is going on inside the body, such as a hormonal abnormality, lupus, or thyroid disease," said Dr. Mercurio. "That's why I can't stress enough the importance of getting an accurate, and early, diagnosis for hair loss."

While hair loss stemming from hyperandrogenism can be treated with minoxidil, Dr. Mercurio said that the course of treatment will depend on what other conditions are involved and how they are being treated.

Cicatricial Alopecia: Preventing Further Hair Loss is KeyAlso known as scarring alopecia, cicatricial alopecia is a form of hair loss in women and men marked by scarring of the scalp where the source of the hair follicle is destroyed. Unlike other forms of hair loss, cicatricial alopecia results in scattered patches of hair loss and is usually associated with redness and irritation on the scalp. While there is no known pattern for why this type of hair loss affects some women, it often occurs when patients have either lupus, an immune system disorder, or lichen planus, an inflammatory skin disease."Unfortunately, with this type of hair loss there is no potential for the affected hair to grow back," said Dr. Mercurio. "The goal with treatment is to catch the condition as early as possible to prevent further hair loss."Dr. Mercurio added that inflammation can be reduced with topical, injectable or oral medications, such as corticosteroids or anti-malarial drugs, and minoxidil is not used for cicatricial alopecia. Treatment will depend on the severity of the condition, and Dr. Mercurio added that patients with this form of hair loss need to be closely monitored by a dermatologist throughout treatment. "Hair loss is an important concern for a large number of women, and ongoing research in this area will continue to produce effective treatments," said Dr. Mercurio. "Some of the new laser and light-based therapies used for hair loss show promise in preliminary studies. We hope that these technologies will allow dermatologists to further expand our treatment options for all forms of hair loss in the future."

Source: American Academy of Dermatology (Academy)