Hi L.,
I understand your situation. This is the case with me, and it may apply to you.
If you're over 20, and I assume you are, and your hair is thinning, the culprit is probably hidden in your family tree. In most cases it is attributed to a hereditary condition called, as you already know, Androgenetic Alopecia.
Hereditary hair loss affects all ethnicities and can be inherited from either the mother's or father's side of the family. Because baldness is determined by a number of genetic factors, it may or may not skip generations. In my case, my sister acquired the full thick head of crowning glory. I was not so blessed.
Male and female-pattern alopecia are not only very common, but evidently very treatable. I'm skeptical but they say both surgical and medical hair loss treatments have high rates of success.
One treatment I used involved applying the ever popular lotion, minoxidil, (Rogaine) to the scalp twice a day. However, you must stay with it in order for it to work. I used it when it was by prescription only. You can now purchase this freely at Walmart. I stopped because I didn't like being locked into the regimen, but it works!
Because hereditary hair loss is gradual, the sooner treatment is started, the better the chances of results. Checking your family tree to see if you have a possible genetic predisposition to hair loss might help you recognize the symptoms early enough to slow the progression.
This not for woman but I wish it was. Another hair loss treatment for men is a daily pill containing Finasteride, a drug that blocks the formation of the active male hormone in the hair follicle.
Marked by a progressive miniaturization of hair follicles, hereditary hair loss is caused by a shortening of the hair's growth cycle. As the growth phase shortens, the hair becomes thinner and shorter until, eventually, there is no growth at all.
So, at the risk of blowing yourself up (LOL), stay away from the mixture/medley blend of wacky concoctions to devise the perfect solution. There isn't one. However, you are a hair stylist and should know how to work around this better than anyone. Style, mousse, gel and volume up with the simplest of hairstyles and you'll do fine. I deal with makeup, but good with hair also. I do have wigs and pieces, but lately I haven't felt desperate enough to need them.
As for your health, SCA causes a lot of symptoms and some that you may not even have. It is different for everyone and hair loss falls into a lot of categories.
Good luck with this and please speak with your dermatologist (I assume you have one since you were diagnosed with the alopecia) for the latest in hair loss remedies because they are working on it.
Sincerely and God bless~