Why women lose hair
Common reasons include female pattern hair loss and telogen effluvium, which is shedding after a trigger such as childbirth. Low iron, thyroid disease, alopecia areata and traction also play a part.
Each needs something different. So the cause is found first, and options are only added where the diagnosis supports them.
How a female hair loss assessment works
What each test is for
These look for low iron stores and anaemia-type problems. Thinning from low iron is a medical issue to correct, and scalp treatment does not fix it.
Thyroid disease can cause hair loss. If found, it is managed first, and you may be referred on.
These are added only when your history suggests they are needed.
These show what is happening at the follicle, and help separate pattern thinning from shedding.
Options that may be considered
| Option | What it is | Its role |
|---|---|---|
| Topical minoxidil | Medicine applied to the scalp | The main medical option |
| Anti-androgen therapy | Hormonal medicine | Selected women only |
| Luminescence Laser | A non-ablative 1540 nm laser aimed at scalp circulation and the follicle's surroundings | A drug-free layer, usually alongside medicine |
| H2LT | Low-level laser protocol using calibrated energy at the dermal papilla | Drug-free and needle-free |
| Exosome scalp treatment | In-clinic preparations with a home serum between visits | Adjunct only, with early evidence |
| Regenera Activa | Your own scalp sample, from the hormone-resistant zone, is processed and returned to thinning areas at the same visit | For thinning with follicles remaining |
| Nutritional support | Used in shedding after pregnancy or illness, and alongside medicine | Not a stand-alone treatment |
Who it may suit
Treatment suits pattern thinning where follicles survive. It may also suit shedding after a trigger, once the cause is confirmed. Suitability depends on the cause and whether follicles remain, not on your age. Nutritional support is used for shedding after childbirth or illness, while pattern thinning usually calls for medicine. It helps to come with an open mind about which option is advised, because options are added only where the diagnosis supports them. The word hair loss covers very different problems. Thinning at the parting, general shedding and sudden patches each lead to a different plan, so please describe when you first noticed the change.
Who should wait, or be assessed first
Pregnancy or breastfeeding, until each option has been assessed at consultation. Scalp infection or inflammation. Thyroid or iron problems found on blood tests, which are corrected first.
Photosensitising medicines or an implanted device are reviewed.
Keloid tendency, bleeding disorders or blood thinners are reviewed.
Long-established loss with few surviving follicles, scarring alopecia and uncorrected medical causes.
Scarring or rapidly progressing loss, thyroid or other medical causes, and bare zones where relocation is the realistic option.
What treatment cannot do
It cannot regrow a follicle that has been lost. It cannot correct a medical cause such as thyroid disease or low iron stores, which need their own treatment. Scarring alopecia needs a prompt dermatology diagnosis, and the options here do not treat it. Laser does not replace medical treatment for pattern loss, because it is used alongside it. These options do not help a smooth, bare zone. Dr Sin Yong does not perform hair transplants and refers these on. No result can be promised. Evidence for exosomes is early, so please treat them as an adjunct. If your diagnosis points to a condition that needs another doctor, you will be referred on. Regenera Activa also needs follicles to work with.
Risks and side effects
Mild warmth, redness or scalp tenderness that settles.
Soreness, swelling and bruising are expected, because of the tissue sample and injections.
An early increase in shedding, and unwanted facial hair.
Infection, allergic reaction or scalp irritation. Medicine side effects are explained before prescribing.
Increasing pain, swelling, pus or fever, spreading redness or a rash, sudden patchy loss, or new symptoms after a prescribed medicine.
Pregnancy and planning a family
Oral DHT-pathway tablets are not used in women who are or may become pregnant. Women in this group should also avoid handling finasteride. Each option is assessed individually in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Whether the Luminescence Laser or exosome treatment suits a breastfeeding patient is confirmed at consultation. Shedding after childbirth is assessed in the same way as any other trigger. It is sensible to mention future pregnancy plans at your first visit, as this affects which medicines are discussed.
Sessions, reviews and aftercare
No fixed number, interval or duration applies. These depend on your diagnosis and on what is combined.
Hair cycles slowly. Progress is judged at planned reviews against baseline photographs and trichoscopy.
Declare all medicines and supplements, and avoid scalp sunburn before laser.
Avoid harsh washing, styling heat and scratching if the scalp is tender. After micrografts, avoid saunas, strenuous exercise and swimming until advised. Protect an exposed parting from sun and use a gentle shampoo.
How fees are set
Fees are not published. A written quote is given at consultation, after your scalp has been examined and before any decision. It depends on the cause found, which options are combined, how much scalp is involved and whether blood tests are needed. That visit also decides whether treatment is advised at all. Read how we quote, or see the hair loss treatment overview. Please bring any recent blood results, so tests are not repeated without need.