Why diagnosis comes first
Hair loss in women is not one condition. Pattern loss, postpartum shedding, alopecia areata, traction from tight hairstyles, low iron and thyroid disease can all thin the hair. They are treated differently, so they must be told apart before any plan is made.
Suitability depends on the cause and on whether follicles remain, not on your age. This guide is general information. Our female hair loss treatment page covers the options in more depth, and your own plan depends on an examination.
Female hair loss treatment Singapore: the common causes
| Cause | What it looks like | What is usually done |
|---|---|---|
| Female pattern hair loss | Gradual thinning over the crown and parting, with the frontal hairline usually kept | Medicine, laser and other layers, as assessed. See treatment page |
| Telogen effluvium | Shedding after childbirth, illness, crash dieting or severe stress. Follicles are resting, not lost | The trigger is confirmed. Nutritional support may be added alongside medicine |
| Low iron or thyroid disease | Found on blood tests | The medical cause is corrected first |
| Alopecia areata | Round, smooth patches | Referred for dermatology assessment |
| Traction alopecia | Loss from tight hairstyles | The hairstyle is discussed as the cause |
| Scarring alopecia | A separate category of loss | Prompt dermatology review, often with a scalp biopsy |
Tests and grading
Treatment options
A medicine used for pattern hair loss in women. See our page on anti-hair-loss medications.
Used in selected women. Oral DHT-pathway tablets are not used in women who are or may become pregnant.
A non-ablative 1540 nm laser aimed at scalp circulation and the follicle environment. It is a drug-free layer used alongside medical care.
A low-level laser protocol with calibrated energy at the dermal papilla.
A small sample of your own scalp is processed and returned to thinning areas at the same visit.
Topical preparations used as an adjunct. Evidence is early.
How the options are layered
Medicine and laser are often used together, not as rivals. For significant pattern loss, the Luminescence Laser is usually considered first, and H2LT may build on it depending on the degree of loss. H2LT is rarely used alone. Exosomes and nutritional support are adjuncts, and they sit alongside medicine. A plan does not need to include every layer.
Postpartum shedding
Postpartum shedding is the main example of telogen effluvium. It typically appears some months after delivery. The follicles are resting, not lost. Even so, it is worth being assessed, because low iron or thyroid disease can also play a part. Pattern loss can also be unmasked at this time. Pregnancy and breastfeeding affect which options can be used, so each is assessed individually, and some medicines are not used at all during this period.
Who it may suit
Treatment may suit you if you have pattern thinning with surviving follicles, or shedding after a trigger once the cause has been confirmed. It may also suit you if you prefer a doctor-led, non-surgical plan. A poor response is more likely with long-established loss and few surviving follicles, scarring alopecia, or a medical cause that has not been corrected. Dr Sin Yong does not perform transplants. Bare zones where relocation is the realistic option are referred on.
Who should wait or be assessed individually
Pregnancy or breastfeeding, with each option assessed individually. Scalp infection or inflammation should settle first.
Thyroid or iron problems found on blood tests.
Photosensitising medicines or an implanted device are reviewed.
Keloid tendency, bleeding disorder or blood thinners are reviewed.
Scarring or rapidly progressing loss, and thyroid or other medical causes.
What treatment cannot do
Treatment works where follicles survive.
Thyroid disease or low iron needs its own treatment.
This needs prompt dermatology review.
Micrografts are not for areas with no follicles.
Treatment does not stand in for finding the cause.
Risks, recovery and reviews
After laser, mild warmth, redness or scalp tenderness settles. After micrografts, soreness, swelling and bruising are expected, given the tissue sample and injections. Minoxidil can cause an early increase in shedding and unwanted facial hair. Less often there is infection, allergic reaction or scalp irritation. If your scalp is tender, avoid harsh washing, styling heat and scratching. After micrografts, avoid saunas, strenuous exercise and swimming until advised. Protect an exposed parting from the sun. Hair cycles slowly, so progress is judged at planned reviews, and session numbers are set individually. Contact the clinic the same day for increasing pain, swelling, pus or fever, a spreading rash, sudden patchy loss, or new symptoms after a medicine.
How fees are worked out
Fees are not published. A written quote is given at consultation, after your scalp is examined and before any decision. Cost depends on the cause found, the options combined, the area of scalp involved, and whether blood tests are needed.