What is your experience treating women with androgenic alopecia using Vagifem?

Hello,Women are currently not FDA approved for the use of the ARTAS.  However, our use of the ARTAS does suggest that women who are experiencing androgenic alopecia may be good candidates.  As always, women should have a thorough workup including the following:
Trichoscopy- identify type of hair loss Extensive history and labs- rule out other forms of hair los As always, women should have a thorough workup including the following:
Trichoscopy- identify type of hair loss Extensive history and labs- rule out other forms of hair lossWe use ARTAS with regenerative techniques with women such as PRP and growth factors to help improve overall results.  Although ARTAS is not FDA approved, it can be used off label for this purpose.  
Best,
Anil Shah

Hair transplant doctors usually don't have experience with medications used for menopause.Ask your Ob/Gyn or family GP their experience in treating women with Vagifem or other hormone replacement drugs.  More specifically, ask your doctor if they noticed their patients complaining of hair loss after starting on the medication.Just because a drug has a potential side effect doesn't mean it will be a side effect you will experience.

The answer to your question is more complex than first glance. The starting or stopping of estrogen can give hair shedding. So yes, many women experience a temporary increase shedding. However, it's quite likely that the shed would occur once the vagifem is stopped rather than started.  The 10 micrograms of estradiol in vagifem is usually a bit growth stimulatory for many patients.  But, yes once it is stopped a shed "might" occur.   It's usually mild.  Estrogens are mildly helpful for post menopausal hair loss but only mildly. Other options appear superior. Speak to your dermatologist about low level laser therapy and platelet rich plasma.  Depending on a patient's response to spironolactone, options for other hormone blockers can also be discussed (finasteride, dutasteride).