Women in the Military Lost Hair After Iraq Deployment

/by William Rassman, M.D./2 /


Hi!

I thought after 8 years,after being in the army and deploying to Mosul, Iraq. Me and my battle buddy were some of the only women to still be losing our hair. I’m now 32 and that happened when i was 23. My hair has almost completely fallen out. I now have to wear wigs probably for the rest of my life and I’m fighting the VA for some kind of acknowledgement and compensation that this is happening to military women after being in Iraq.

I have seen specialist many thing i was exposed to something but don’t know what so they call it Alopecia. But I know its something more, its time this has finally come out. Theres other women with the same problem. So soon the VA will have to pay us for this. Thanks

Women in militaryAlopecia is just a generic term for hair loss, so that doesn’t exactly pinpoint what is causing the loss.

I honestly do not know how being in combat would contribute to hair loss for this long. If there is extreme stress, one can argue that could be causing the hair loss… but that would apply both to men and women, and it would be reversible (unless it kick-started a genetic process that would’ve occurred anyway).

Many women who are not in the military or in combat have diffuse hair loss, and sometimes it may be due to genetic causes or to stress. In your case, you’ve been experiencing the loss for 9 years, so I’d expect the stress-induced loss would’ve regrown by now. I’m stumped on this one.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, combat, military, female hair loss

Whenever I Eat Red Meat, The Next Day I Have Scalp Hair Loss and More Body Hair!

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

Hi, I’m a 22 years old male. I have a very strange situation. I didn’t have MPB before, at least it wasn’t noticeable. I was a vegetarian for some time, but then I started eating meat again, but not red meat. One day I decided to eat red meat again, then the next die I noticed some balding on my temples and increase in body hair.

Everytime I exercise or eat red meat, the next day I wake up with more hair lost and thicker body hair. It’s not a coincidence.

But why? I started taking Proscar, and I get the same effect as eating red meat the next morning: more hair loss and thicker body hair.

What can I do? Every solution for hair loss just comes back and bites me from where I least expect it. If it’s because of testosterone, does this mean that I had low and stable levels until I started eating meat again?

SteakHair loss or growth does not happen overnight. For that matter, the texture of your hair does not change overnight either. Your body just does not work that way. The biology of hair cycling is in the order of weeks to months.

If you decide to abstain from red meat that is your prerogative, but I do not believe there is an overnight correlation with eating meat and the changes in your hair.

Tags: body hair, hairloss, hair loss, red meat

My Hair Was Pulled Out in 2 Separate Incidents

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

Hello,

I got in a fight w. a girl and she pulled out a lot of hair from my roots. A few months after that incident, a group of girls tried to jump me and one of them pulled my hair out from the roots.

I have searched this site and I understand that “generally, hair that is pulled out once will return almost 100% of the time.” However, in my case, it was not a one-time thing. I would really like to know if my hair will grow back after 2 separate incidents or hair pulling?? Please help me, thank you.

I have similar incidents of violence reported by others (see here).

Generally, one or two pulling incidents should still see the hair return in 6-12 months. No guarantee, of course! All you can do at this point is wait it out.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss

Can I Cause Traction Alopecia From Pulling My Hair Back or Using a Comb Obsessively?

/by William Rassman, M.D./1 /

Can frequent, obssesive pulling back of the hair cause traction alopecia at the hairline? I’m a 20 year old male who cannot go past a mirror without pulling my hair up to look at my hairline. If there is a comb available, I use that as well. I do this to the point where the left side of my hairline in particular feels sore. Would you have any pictures to illustrate this sort of traction alopecia?

Hair combingIf you have an obsessive compulsive disorder to constantly pull on your hair, that may cause permanent hair loss to the area (depending on the severity and length of the offending habit)… but just looking at yourself in the mirror and combing your hair back will likely not cause traction alopecia.

It may seem like a chicken/egg conundrum (which came first…), but most men who have frontal recession are likely experiencing male pattern baldness. Particularly men around your age, which is when it wouldn’t be uncommon for genetic hair loss to begin.

If you are indeed worried about your possible hair loss or an obsessive compulsive disorder, you would establish a diagnosis with your doctor.

Tags: traction alopecia, comb, hair loss, hairloss

Should I Stop Using Minoxidil When I Start Propecia?

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

Hello Doctors

I am 20 years old and Ive been using 5% Minoxodil foam for 4 months now (on a recommendation from my practitioner), and im seeing little in the way of progress (been losing hair and receeding since I was 18). I am going to see my practioner next week about getting a prescription for Propecia (im not worried about the side effects).

Would you recommend continuing the use of 5% Minoxidil along with Propecia, or stop using the foam whilst using Propecia?

Many patients use minoxidil (foam or liquid) while taking Propecia. If your doctor prescribes the Propecia, you can continue the minoxidil daily. There is no problem with this. Keep in mind that if you see positive results, you won’t know which medication was the reason (or if both were) — so you’ll need to continue using both for life or risk losing the benefits by stopping one.

I wouldn’t have expected much progress at only 4 months of minoxidil use, particularly if you’re looking to treat a receding hairline. These medications work best at the crown.

Tags: propecia, finasteride, minoxidil, rogaine, hairloss, hair loss

So Nothing Can Be Done for Alopecia Universalis Patients?

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

Is Alopecia Universalis a dead end?? hair cloning and transplant isn’t beneficial at all in this stage ?

Thank you

There is no medical cure for alopecia universalis patients. Cloning isn’t available and transplantation isn’t an option, since alopecia universalis patients don’t have hair to harvest.

There is an alternative option — Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP). We have had one alopecia totalis patient treated with SMP. Look for Client 26 here (4th one down on the right).

Tags: alopecia universalis, hairloss, hair loss