Hair loss in women.
Up to 100 hairs a day is normal. When the ponytail gets thinner or the parting wider, a systematic look at the causes is worthwhile – before treating.
Diffuse hair loss, thinning parting, hair loss after childbirth or in menopause: the most common causes in women, which blood values matter, what minoxidil
First the cause, then the therapy.
The most common causes: (1) androgenetic alopecia – hereditary, hormonal, thinning parting with preserved hairline, affects up to 40 % of women over a lifetime. (2) Telogen effluvium – diffuse shedding two to three months after a trigger: childbirth, surgery, infection, crash diet, iron deficiency, stopping the pill, thyroid disorder. Mostly reversible. (3) Rarer: alopecia areata (patchy), scarring alopecias, traction alopecia from tight hairstyles.
Diagnosis: history (since when, triggers, family), look at pattern and scalp, trichoscopy, pull test. Blood values: ferritin (iron stores, should be above 40–70 µg/l), TSH, vitamin D, zinc, hormones if suspected (androgens, prolactin). Without a diagnosis any therapy is guesswork.
What the evidence supports: minoxidil (2–5 %, topical, daily, ongoing) for androgenetic alopecia – first visibility after four to six months. Correcting deficiencies (iron, vitamin D, thyroid). With a hormonal cause, anti-androgen therapy via gynaecology or dermatology.
PRP (own blood) for the scalp: growth factors from your own blood are injected into the scalp; studies show more hair density and thicker hairs in androgenetic alopecia, especially as a supplement to minoxidil. Three to four sessions four weeks apart, then maintenance. Of little use in scarring forms and active effluvium.
Micronutrients: effective only with a proven deficiency. Biotin does not help without deficiency and distorts thyroid lab values. High-dose supplements 'for the hair' without a blood count are a waste of money.
Patience: hair grows one centimetre a month; every therapy needs six months before it can be judged. Photos every three months in the same light help more than the feeling.
The essentials.
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This text is general information. It replaces neither a medical examination nor the consultation required before any treatment under German law (§ 630e BGB). Whether and which treatment is suitable for you can only be said after examination and consultation. No treatment results are promised.
Frequently asked questions.
Hair loss after childbirth – do I need to do something?
Mostly not. Postpartum effluvium begins two to four months after birth and settles within a year. Have iron and thyroid checked.
Is PRP useful for diffuse hair loss too?
Only after the cause has been excluded and treated. As long as iron deficiency persists, little regrows even with PRP.
Sources and further reading.
- NHS: hair loss
- DermNet – dermatology reference
- NHS: non-surgical cosmetic procedures
- Medical Association North Rhine – patient information
- § 630e BGB – duty to inform before treatment (German Civil Code)
- DGBT – German Society for Aesthetic Botulinum Toxin Therapy
- AWMF – German clinical practice guidelines
External links open in a new window; their operators are responsible for their content. Medical responsibility for this page: Katayoun Mostaghimi, specialist in general medicine. Last updated: 2026-10-15.
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