I had a hair analysis due to thinning hair. I am a 57 female who is menopausal. My report indicated a very, very high level of tin in my hair samples. Good, bad or not related to hair loss? Thank you.
There is no clear relationship between tin levels and hair loss to my knowledge. I would want to know why your tin levels are high and have a doctor find out if it is impacting any organ system in your body. High tin levels could be toxic.
I am 29 and female. My hair is thinning since I started creating dreds on my hair. What should I do?
Your braids may cause traction alopecia. To find out about this, you need to get a diagnosis with a good dermatologist or hair doctor (you can use the physician search at ISHRS.org to find one in your area). Without more information, there is little that I can do.
I am a 20 year old black woman. I have an extended forehead that seems different form what other women have. Most women’s hair line is close to their face whereas mine is so back onto my head. It has never grown since childhood and i have a sister who has the same thing. I am thinking that maybe its hereditary but how can you be of any help to me? Would i be a good candidate for this procedure? and are there any tablets that i could take that might change it or foster the growth of hair there? Please help!!!!!
Women can have a hairline lowering procedure, which advances the hairline downward. If you are not a keloid former, you might be a good candidate for this. You need to be evaluated. There are no magic pills to fix this.
I’m 32 years old/female. I have recently been diagnosed with CAH and wanted to find out if there is any chance my hair will grow back if my condition is being treated and the hormone levels (DHEA-S and 17a-OH Progesterone) return to normal levels. Does hair loss in the pubic region, eyebrows, and eyelashes also occur in patients with adrenal disorders?
The scope of hair loss varies with individuals that have CAH. If you happen to have the genes for hair loss in women, then CAH could activate the process. If you get your hormones under control, chances are that your hair loss may grow back. You might have to wait one or two hair cycles (5-12 months) to know one way of the other. Hair loss could occur anywhere on the body, including the pubic region, eyebrows, and eyelashes. See eMedicine for more information.
Hi, I have 30 years old and i have a huge loss of hair in the top of my head… my question is./.. i don’t pretend be pregnant soon… like years… so can i take propecia?
Propecia (finasteride 1mg) has not been shown to be effective in women’s hair loss. Women’s hair loss is a different ‘beast’ than men’s hair loss, as it is not DHT dependent. As far as safety is concerned, I might worry about women who have the ‘breast cancer gene’ who are taking Propecia.
(female)
I have had chemotherapy and my hair never grew back in the top and crown of my head. It grew back around the sides and back, but not on top. My hair had started to fall out prior to chemo, and I was on blood pressure medication which may have started the fallout. But I don’t understand why it won’t grow in the top and crown of my head. Can you refer me to a doctor to see in central or Marion county of Indiana. If you could help me I would really appreciate it. I have even gone to the hair club, which just glue hair on your head. I did not want that. I need to know why my hair won’t grown in the top. I do have hair in the very front of my head.
Generally hair loss due to chemotherapy is reversible. Your hair should have grown back after chemotherapy. However, your hair loss may have a component of genetic female pattern hair loss. You should start by seeing your doctor to rule out any treatable causes for hair loss. The only FDA approved treatment for female hair loss is topical minoxidil (Rogaine). Most people just wait out the hair cycle to go out of telogen and into anagen. For more on hair cycles, please see Hairs Falling Out in the Shower, and How It Relates to Growth Cycles.
I am 31 and I have had thinning hair for the past 5 years and it is getting worse every year. My doctor whats to give me sapronolactose shots. Is this safe? I still want to have children
The use of spironolactone has been around for years. There is controversy in the medical literature on its effectiveness. Some people feel that women with hyperandrogenic hormonal influences may benefit more than those without. As this medication influences hormones in your body, I would be skeptical for its use in a woman wanting to get pregnant for if she did get pregnant, it will almost certainly impact the baby. There are also reports that there are side effects in women your age (cancer risk potential). Speak with your doctor about these issues.
I hope you can help me. My 83 year old mother has just recovered from Stevens Johnson Syndrome. While hospitalized and for 2 weeks after she got home (December 2006) she was on high doses of steroids. Her hair has been falling out. My question is…will this hair loss slow down? Will the hair that has fallen out grow back? Is there anything we can do? Your help is very much appreciated.
Any protracted illness can precipitate female hair loss. So can systemic steroids. To find out if it will grow back, one complete telogen cycle must occur (up to 6 months). If she is still sick, the clock on regrowth starts at the time that the illness is history. See WrongDiagnosis.com – Stevens-Johnson Syndrome for more.
I had a total hysterectomy 5 years ago. I immediately started HRT. I take Premarin and a testosterone cream. My beautiful thick hair is disappearing. It won’t stop thinning. What can I do?
Hormone Replacement Therapy can precipitate hair loss in genetically prone women. You might consult with the doctor who is prescribing the medications you are taking. The response to different medications vary with the person, so adjustments in the HRT may help.
Hello. I have been experiencing excess hair loss, which is making me very stressed out. I am scared to brush and wash my hair that its so bad. I am only a 13 year old female, and I really do not want to go bald by the age of 14. Yes, I do have a full head of hair, and no, it is not getting thinner. My parents set me up an appointment with a very good dermatologist. Nobody, on both sides of my family, have any hair loss problems. Everyone has extremely thick hair, including me. I have a few questions though:
- I have experienced major vaginal yeast infections, so could this be the problem?
- Can puberty cause hair loss? If so, is it permanent or temporary?
- When you say hair loss can be temporary, how long is temporary?
- Can the Hair, Skin, and Nails vitamins treat hair loss?
Please pleaseplease please help me, sir. I can not force myself to have fun, when I know I am losing 150-160 hairs a day. I’M SCARED! HELP HELP HELP! :(
Thanks for your time, and have a good day Dr.
You need to have a complete evaluation by a good family doctor as the cause of your hair loss most likely lies there.
What are the ways you can distinguish temporary hair loss (telogen) from a more permanent hair loss, such as due to genetics? I am in the process of losing lots of hair and there is a bulb at the end of all hairs I lose. I’ve had a baby a year ago and since gone on birth control and back off of it, all in hopes of the shedding ending. Are there ways of knowing the shedding may hopefully end someday?
I would do a pull test, which includes gently pulling the hair and counting the hairs that comes out with a white bulb on the bottom. If you estimate a percentage, anything over 10% of the hairs being pulled could be suggestive of telogen effluvium, which is often temporary in women postpartum. See:
Hi Dr. Rassman,
I’m a 24 year old female with African origin. I would like to lower my hairline through transplant. Would there be a problem for someone like myself with afro hair to get a hair transplant done? How much would it cost?
Women with African hair should not be a problem for hairline lowering procedures, providing there is no tendency to scarring. Costs of hair transplants will be about $6,000 (rough estimate) with possibly two procedures to accomplish the goals provided that the hair supply is adequate. The hairline lowering procedure costs can be found here and if any scar should show up, then transplants may be needed to address any widened scar.
I have been using ambien for like two years this past summer I got a bad color hair shed, broke off throughout. I got it cut to try to cut dead/damaged hair out and start over as of now my hair is thinning on the left side and it is sore., I have been wearing wigs to cover, Don’t know what to do I take more than the prescribed dose of the ambien because I have built up a tolerance. I also take a womens multi vitamin, ortho-tri BC and have a fairly balanced diet.I used to have long thick beautiful hair and I just want that back. What should I do first?
You should first see a good doctor and make sure there are no other medical conditions for your hair loss such as hypothyroid, low iron, etc. You history shows birth control pills, well known to cause hair loss. Female hair loss is very difficult to address, because there are so few treatment options. Get a thorough examination by your family doctor before going any further — then see a good dermatologist.
I haven’t read anything about Ambien causing hair loss. It isn’t listed as a side effect in the literature.
(female)
Hi there.
Right after I moved to TX from CA, I’m experiencing a great amount of hair loss. I’m losing hair in patches all over my head. I went to see a doctor and he couldn’t find anything in my blood to indicate illness. Could water be the cause of my hair loss? IF no, what else could be the culprit for causing my hair loss? My diet is regular, no medications, no stress, and it does not run in the family.
If the hair loss is in patches, there is something wrong and you need to get a good opinion from a doctor. I would not think the water is causing your hair loss, unless there is something in your water that makes it different from anyone else’s tap water in California. I’m not sure what area of the state you’re in, but we are located in both San Jose and Los Angeles (Beverly Hills area) and you should consider a consultation. If you can’t make it to one of our offices, a good dermatologist should be able to determine what is happening to your head that is causing your patchy hair loss.
I am 44 y/o and the hairs on my legs have stopped growing. Do you think that this is something to be concerned about? Is is possibly the start of menopause?
Thanks
I don’t believe that the loss of leg hair is a sign of menopause, but hair (even leg hair) does change as we age. One internet source about a lady who underwent surgically induced menopause, reported that there was loss of body hair immediately after the surgery. Also see Google Answers – Leg hair loss for an in-depth answer.