Iron supplements. In some women, iron deficiency could be a cause of hair loss. Your clinician may test your iron level, particularly if you’re a vegetarian, have a history of anemia, or have heavy menstrual bleeding. Iron supplements are recommended if a woman’s iron level is less than 70 nanograms per milliliter. However, there’s no reliable evidence that iron supplementation is helpful for female patternAnti-androgens. Androgen receptor–blocking drugs such as spironolactone (Aldactone) and finasteride (Propecia) are not approved for the treatment of female pattern hair loss, and there is little reliable evidence that they are effective. However, some case studies suggest that women who don’t respond to minoxidil may benefit from the addition of spironolactone. In the relatively uncommon cases where there is an excess of androgen, a clinician may prescribe 100 to 200 milligrams of an androgen receptor–blocking drug daily, together with an oral contraceptive for women of reproductive age. (A woman taking one of these drugs should not become pregnant because they can cause genital abnormalities in a male fetus.) Possible side effects include weight gain, loss of libido, depression, and fatigue.
hair loss