Senile Alopecia

I’ve been searching your wonderful blog for treatment information on what is apparently termed, “Senile Alopecia.” My still beautiful mother at 84, may be experiencing this. She has been having a rather sudden increase in overall hair loss. Her scalp is showing through mostly on top, but also in the back and sides. I’ve copied your suggestions for possible medical causes in younger women. Once those are eliminated, is there anything at all that might halt this fast progression to almost total balness? Thank you so much for your help.

Senile alopecia often refers to generalized thinning or alopecia. With women, the female hair loss that we see on over 50% of post menopausal women, is a diffuse alopecia. We see this condition in 1% of men in their 20s. If the medical causes are not there and blood testing has cleared your mom of the the various causes of hair loss, then female genetic hair loss is probably the diagnosis. When it is referred to as senile alopecia, it generally means that the victim is elderly. It’s bad terminology. In the case of your beautiful 84 year old mother, simply put, she may be outliving some of her hair. Also see NHI Frequently Asked Questions.