Female hair thinning, explained

Roughly one woman in three meets meaningful thinning at some point — and it looks, and is caused, differently to male loss.

Women rarely go bald in the male pattern. Female hair loss is usually diffuse — an overall thinning across the top of the scalp and a part that widens over time, while the front hairline is typically preserved. Because it is spread out, it can be well advanced before it becomes obvious, which is why a scan that measures density is so useful early on.

The causes are also more varied than in men. Genetics play a part, but hormones, iron deficiency, thyroid function, post-partum changes, menopause, stress and crash dieting all commonly contribute, sometimes together. That is why our female assessment starts by ruling these in or out with the right tests rather than assuming it is genetic.

The good news is that a lot of female thinning responds well once the actual cause is addressed, and shedding triggered by childbirth or illness is often temporary. We build a tailored, hormone-aware programme around what we find and track it against your baseline so you can see it working — rather than relying on the mirror and the worry.