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Although the Ludwig Scale is not as widely used as the Norwood Scale for Male Pattern Hair Loss, this scale is important for women to check and diagnose your Female Pattern Baldness condtion. Do follow me step by step as I will explain to you each stages of the scale.

The Ludwig Scale is divided mainly into 4 stages with stage 4 as advanced hair loss. Take a mirror and check whether you are having a hair condition similar to the scale.

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Scale 1

Stage 1 represents the early beginnings of Female Pattern Baldness where the diffuse thinning begins all over the scalp. In this stage, it's hard for you to notice any big difference or signs of baldness. The hair loss is evenly spread throughout the scalp and you might notice the hair at the top of your scalp is thinning.

If you notice that your parting is getting bigger and you are finding more hairs in your comb and sink, it's an indication that you are losing hair and it's time to take action quickly.

What You Should Do

The earlier you notice the problem, the better chance of treatment. Once you notice your thinning problem, it's time to start monitoring it and start making adjustments. A check up with your doctor and a blood test might be a great start to see whether there are any underlying issues that is causing the hair loss. Some of the common treatments that your doctor should recommend are

• Vitamin B Complex
• Iron supplements
• Minoxidil 2%

When you start your treatments early, it's highly likely you can prevent further hair loss and even reverse the condition. Cutting down on unnecessary hair treatments like perms, chemical straightening and hair dyes can help reduce unwanted hair loss. A good chemical free shampoo can benefit your hair in the long run too.

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Scale 2

When you hit Stage 2 of the Ludwig Scale, you have probably lost over half of your hair. The thinning at your parting are pretty obvious and your overall hair appearance might start to look fragile and thin. This is a part where your treatments should be pretty profound and focused if you ever intend to stop it.

What You Should Do If you haven't seen your doctor or a dermatologist, now it's definitely the right and most crucial time to do it. Pay a visit, get your blood test done and specifically check for hormonal imbalances. Most cases of Female Pattern Baldness are directly caused by hormonal imbalances and stabilizing them is your no. 1 priority.

Hair loss treatments like Minoxidil 2% for women is usually recommended for treating this condition and you should ask your doctor whether you are suitable for using it. As your hair starts to thin out, you might want to use a hair concealer to temporarily cover the thinning area.

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Scale 3

At Stage 3, your hair loss is pretty obvious and you can easily see through your scalp. At the very moment, at least 60-70% of your hair on top of your head has already thinned out and it's very hard to cover the baldness at any angle. The hair loss will even be more prominent if you have very long hair and if your hair has a high contrast with your skin.

What You Should Do

You should evaluate the options that you have. If medications do not work, you might want to reconsider other alternatives or realistic options. If going bald is possible for you, you should consider about it and shave your hair off. If not, then wearing a wig or other cover ups might also be good alternatives to consider. There are also hair loss concealers that you can use to hold up the balding areas.

You might even want to see a hair transplant surgeon to see whether you are suitable for undergoing a hair transplant procedure to cover the balding areas. In many cases, women with FPB are not that suitable for hair transplant due to the diffuse thinning all over the scalp which reduces the chance of getting ample donor hairs. However, a consultation might be worth a try.

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Scale 4 (Advanced Stage)

Getting your hair back or making hair loss less obvious is pretty much useless with medications now. By now, your hair loss has reached the advanced stage where you will see more scalp than hair. When you reached this stage of hair loss, the best remedies are always cosmetical. What You Should Do

It's understandable that you would probably feel hopeless and demoralized over your current hair condition but try not to. There are still many options that are available to you but you will have to make some tough decisions.

If treatment is not responsive at all, then let do with it and find a nice wig to cover up. There are many high quality and care free wigs that you can buy and most importantly, most people can't tell the difference! There are a range of high quality human hair or synthetic wigs with various styles and design that you can choose. It's the best and more rational options for women like you. In the mean while, a hair loss miracle treatment known as hair cloning might be your hope to recovery in the near future.

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