While physicians conduct many different tests and procedures to determine what is going wrong in the body and in order to find the root cause of hair loss in women, the Ludwig Scale of female-pattern hair loss is used as a tool and charts the patterns of women's hair loss with images. It can assist doctors with discussion of hair loss and may also be shown to the patient in order to explain what is happening to their hair.  

Charting the Patterns

The Ludwig Scale of female-pattern hair loss displays photo shots of a woman's head. On the chart are three columns and three rows of the female head. The nine different shots of each head are all positioned in the same manner and tilted forward in order to reveal the crown or scalp area. Each image shows evidence of the affected areas with different patterns of hair loss.

Starting with the first row of patterns, the Ludwig Scale shows the female hair parted in the middle, with the first picture barely showing any hair loss at all. By the seventh frame, the parted hair is no longer recognized as parted because of the hair loss pattern; and the scalp is incredibly naked. At this stage of hair loss, there may be a few straggling hairs, thinly covering a bald spot at the crown. In the eighth image on the Ludwig Scale, there is literally no hair on top of the head, however, hair is growing on both sides of the female head. Photo number nine is the last image on the third row on the Ludwig Scale and it displays frontal thinning of hair.

Frontal thinning is a classified front region of hair loss and is in the area where forehead meets the female hairline - where hair usually frames a person's face. It is unlike the rest of the Ludwig Scale's female-patterned hair loss images, which show loss on the very top of the female head.

Since the Ludwig Scale illustrates degrees of hair loss, each pane of the nine shots are labeled and classed with numbered types, except for frame eight and nine. Type I displays four degrees of hair loss and are labeled in frames as I (1-4). Type II measures two more patterns of hair loss and are marked II-1 and II-2. The seventh shot of the female hair loss pattern is labeled Type III and is the only photo in its category. It clearly shows hair loss shaping its future as a bald circle on top of the females head. Frame eight as mentioned earlier is charted as Advanced and visibly needs no explanation to how much hair has been lost. This stage is where the vertex and frontal area of the scalp shines. And the last frame on the scale is labeled as Frontal and charts hair loss around the frame of a female face, at her forehead area.

In view of the fact that the American Hair Loss Association links female hair loss to testosterone, they also share statistics on the subject. One figure given is that forty percent of American hair loss sufferers are women. The most gripping stat made available by the AHLA, is that ninety-nine percent of all hair loss products on the market are entirely unsuccessful for those who use them. This leaves a very small margin of success for hair loss sufferers to ever grow new hair.

At this low rate of ever growing hair, why wouldn't anyone sing 'Hair' by The Cowsills? Singing can have a healing effect on hair loss sufferers, notes The Healing Music Organization. THMO suggests that sound and music heals the body, mind and spirit. And since The American Music Therapy Association practices therapeutic use of music in rehabs, hospitals and clinics to accomplish individual and certain group's goals, based on clients needs; why not use it for hair loss therapy if there are no products available to promote hair growth?

As a matter of fact, in 1969 and at number two, the 45-hit-record was at it highest billboard chart ranking and would be a good song for hair loss sufferers. The lyrics can be therapeutic to sufferers who want to lift their spirits and are sung like so:

Gimme head with hair Long beautiful hair Shining, gleaming, Streaming, flaxen, waxen Give me down to there hair Shoulder length or longer hair.

Here baby, there mama Everywhere daddy daddy Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair Grow it, show it Long as I can grow it My hair.

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