My hair is getting old. But unlike other body parts that remind me constantly of my age, thinning hair is hard to hide.

No one can see aches and pains, but the whole world can see scalp peeking through the hair on top.

I am far from alone. Millions of women share my struggle with thinning hair, known in the medical field as alopecia.

An entire industry has sprung up to address this problem, because most women will try almost anything to camouflage or reverse excessive hair loss.

Thinning hair is considered a social stigma among women. In our society, thick and shiny hair is considered an essential part of feminine beauty.

Men have it a bit easier. Thinning hair is more accepted among males. Some guys even shave their heads to camouflage balding. They’d rather be totally bald.

A few women shave their heads, too, but this is not a feasible choice for most women I know.

So what are we to do?

In our quest for a solution to thinning hair, the first visit should be to a dermatologist, not a hairstylist.

It is important to determine the cause of hair loss and only a medical professional can make that diagnosis.

Like other physical maladies we experience in our lives, genetics plays a major role in hair loss.

And there is no truth to the old myth only genes from our mother’s side of the family determine hair loss. Both male and female pattern hair loss can be inherited from both sides of the family.

I have read approximately 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States have heredity hair loss.

Other causes may include certain medications, trauma, illness, autoimmune conditions, nutritional disorders and hormone imbalances.

After the doctor orders laboratory tests and identifies the cause, appropriate action can be taken to combat hair loss.

Fortunately, in most cases, hair loss in women is not as obvious as it is in men. Rarely does a woman with thinning hair develop a receding hairline or become totally bald on a large section of her scalp.

Usually there is an overall thinning on top and the individual hairs become thinner.

Although normal hair loss is around 100 hairs a day, those with female pattern hair loss will see an increase in the numbers of hairs falling out.

Even if blood tests reveal no underlying medical cause for alopecia, several options are still available. A physician’s advice is recommended.

Some women, as well as men, take prescribed oral medications, such as finasteride or spirolactone, that can stimulate hair growth.

Women of childbearing age should not use either medication, because of a risk of birth defects.

Other folks apply topical products, such as minoxidil, to the scalp to promote hair follicles to grow.

Neither option works for everyone, and both must be done daily, forever.

Hair transplants are another possible treatment, as are laser light treatments. Both involve several sessions and can cost thousands of dollars.

Saw palmetto is an herb that can reduce genetic hair loss in some men and women, according to reports by several physicians.

Low-tech remedies may include colored fibers or powders applied to the scalp to camouflage thinning hair and give the appearance of fullness.

Hairpieces or extensions, wigs and hats are also popular solutions that do not involve drugs or surgery.

Several friends have multiple wigs, not just to hide thinning hair, but to ease travel and banish dreaded bad hair days.

The right haircut, with layering at the crown, can create volume and disguise thinning.

I’m a low-tech (some would say no-tech) person, so wigs, hats and good cuts are appealing to me.

Above all, I will keep my sense of humor. Thinning hair is not going to kill me.

And if something has to leave me, I’d rather it be my hair than my husband!