(female) I lost a lot of my hair due to an iron deficiency, after 2 months on iron pills it stopped falling. Now 5 months after it stopped falling I still have no noticeable regrowth. When do I start to worry. Do I need more Iron to get it started. I am at 31 which is in the normal range 20-160 thanks
If you corrected the problem, you will have to wait a full year to find out if the hair loss will reverse. It may not, but in a year with good nutrition, you will probably know.
At the recent ISHRS medical meeting in San Diego this past week (October 18-22), there was a suggestion that women who lose their hair from chemotherapy and do not treat the loss with medications such as minoxidil, may recover with better hair in the long term than those who are aggresssively treating their hair loss. The rationale for this appears to be interference with the normal growth cycling. If the chemotherapy causes the hair to go into its normal telogen cycle (rest) and the cycle completes itself, the hair is more likely to grow fuller than if the cycle is forced to be curtailed with these drugs. This is an interesting view of the chemotherapy hair loss problem.
Hello,
I have 2 scars on the top of my head from a chemical burn. During the healing process I noticed hair underneath the skin that looked like stubble. I was wondering if there was a chance of my hair growing back because of this. It’s been 2 months and my wound is healed but no hair. I have been looking into tissue expanders and hair transplants but wondering if I should wait to see if my hair grows. Friends are saying that the hair might not grow until the wound heals. Is that true? and if it is do you think I should wait because it has only been a week or two since my wound completely closed?
This is not an easy question to answer. If the burn was second degree, then the hair loss will probably return by the end of the induced telogen cycle that the burn may have caused. A second degree burn does not go through the entire skin below the dermis. Some elements of the hair shaft remains and these often grow new hair, to a varying degree depending upon the depth of the second degree burn. The less deep, the better the hair growth will be. If the burn went through the entire skin below the level where the bottom of the hair follicles are, then the hair will not regrow. Full thickness burns are relatively easy to diagnose as the skin is very tight and tissue like. Most full thickness burns form large wounds (sounds like what you are talking about) and the growth of the skin comes from the healthy skin around the burn. It takes months for such wounds to close on their own and some require surgery to get them closed. I do not know how big this burn was (size is very important), if it is really uniformly third degree or not, to what depth it went, and whether it is combined with a second degree component to it. I will assume that it must be eary serious if you are looking into tissue expanders. As you are in Los Angeles, I would be pleased to give you a second opinion if that suits you. You can call my office at 800-NEW-HAIR if you’d like to setup a free consultation.
My daughter’s hair has been falling out since mid July. She is 7 years old, and other than her hair falling out seems perfectly healthy. Her pediatrician referred me to a dermatologist who said it was telogen effluvium. I cannot think of any event that could have triggered this. She had the flu in mid April and the hair started falling out in mid July. Could this be a cause? Does hair typically grow back? Do I have any options for her other than just waiting it out?
Sincerely,
A very worried Mom.
There is much written on the subject. You need to understand that there is much we do not know. The acute phase of the disease entity may disappear in about 3-6 months from the time of onset. If there is a chronic form present, it may last a great deal longer. Read the material below. Good luck!
how would you recommend rogaine for black women? could i get by with washing my hair only 2-3 times weekly with its use?
I am not sure I understand your question. Rogaine (minoxidil) does not discriminate between races. Use it as directed. You should use it daily, but I would try to wash your hair to remove the residues at least 3 times a week.
Hi,I hope this get to you because I’m at a desperation state for help!! I’m 22, female and have been taking diane-35 for 5 years, as well I have done alot of bleaching to my hair in the past,and just this past year I have been losing massive amount of hair, I’m constantly shedding throughout the day,especially after showers. I know this is not genetic because no one in my family is bald. Do you think this pattern of shedding is due to the pill? and what do you recommend I do?
Thank you for your time
Hair loss can be genetic without anyone in your family being bald. This is because hair loss gene does not follow a predictable Mendelian genetic inheritance pattern.
Hair loss in women is more complicated than hair loss in men, because it does not manifest itself in a specific pattern. While birth control pills and extensive hair coloring/bleaching may have a contributory factor in your hair loss, there may be other medical issues that should be expored before blaming a pill or a hair treatment. You should see your family doctor for a good physical exam and rule out any medical causes.
Hi,
I am a ‘young’ 50’s woman who has lived with Sjogren’s for 20 yrs. along w/the medications to control its symptoms. I’ve had fairly normal hair loss until the last 5 yrs. Since then, the loss has increased at an alarming rate. The biopsy revealed chronic TE. My dermatologist thinks it’s due to 3 of my meds; amantadine, aricept & adderal. I’ve taken these meds forever. I’m going to ask my Rhuematologist to change them. Meanwhile, he told me to discontinue the minoxidil because he doesn’t think it works, but I thought it was helping w/the shorter hair along the face, but… is there anything that helps with the itching that goes hand-in-hand w/the minoxidil? That is almost unbearable on top of the itching from the TE.
When you get a symptom like chronic itching when you are using a medication like minoxidil, your body is telling you that it is not good for you (it could be that you are allergic to the medication). Sounds like you have good doctors, so focus your questions to those who are treating you. Hair loss is complex in your situation, as it coexists with your other problems and treatments.
I am a 39 year old female. I have been experiencing hair loss over the past two years. I’ve seen two different dermatologists and was told the hair loss was due to teleogen effluvium . I’ve also had blood work done. Everything came back normal. My scalp is itchy all the time and it’s very oily. I did have dandruff for a while but it’s gone now from using over the counter dandruff shampoo, like Selsun Blue and Head and Shoulders. How long does teleogen effluvium usually last? I really want to see an expert in female hair loss and see if it is genetic female hair loss and check for miniaturization. Could you please recommend a good doctor? I live in the Los Angeles area. I appreciate your time and your help. Thank you.
We are doctors in Los Angeles. I hope that we are good ones and we certainly do miniaturization mapping as part of our routine treatment. I look forward to meeting you. You can call 800-NEW-HAIR to setup an appointment, or visit this page if you’d like to be contacted to setup a consultation.
Hello I am a 25 yr old female and I took accutane two years ago and a couple of months ago for two months only due to a money run out. I have been experienced some hair loss more than normal. Is it possible to recieve a hair transplant for this problem or drugs such as avodor or proscar.
Accutane is known to cause hair loss in some people. To date, there are no FDA approved oral medications for female hair loss. There are many, many risks for women taking finasteride (Proscar/Propecia) or dutasteride (Avodart), and it is highly recommended that you do not do this, particularly at your age. Furthermore if Accutane was the cause of your hair loss, drugs would not help. You should wait at least a year to see if your hair grows back. If your loss is not Accutane related, minoxidil might help.
My 62 year old wife had heart valve replacement surgery over a year ago. Since that time she has been steadily losing hair — not in clumps, but rather over her entire head. Her dermatologist advised that this may well be due to the stress of the surgery.
a) Do you agree? if so
b) then what can she do about this,and how long should it last before the hair
grows back?Thanks
I agree with the dermatologist that the stress of the surgery may be causing your wife’s hair loss. We know that those people who carry the genetic hair loss genetics, can precipitate hair loss from stress. Furthermore, certain medications that your wife is probably taking (after the valve replacement) may also be contributing to the hair loss. There is not much you can do about this type of medication induced hair loss if these medications are critical to your overall health. Explore the medications with your dermatologist. You should never change or stop any medication without discussing it with your doctor first.
There is a good chance that the hair will return after the hair goes through its sleep (telogen) cycle. That generally takes 3-6 months. Minoxidil may help as well.
I have written before, forgive the repeated question (I have not seen it answered to date). I’m 36, female, thin hair. Is there a certain amount of thinning hair that should have taken place to be on Minoxidil (generic Rogaine-women)? It’s over the counter, and I’m having hair shedding now, due to either childbirth (I had a baby 5 months ago) or medications. My hair is thin and my dermatologist recomended I take minixidil for three months, tapering off it at that point, to get hair jump-started growing. I’m scared to not stay on it once I start it for fear of losing hair again, and want to know if there’s anything wrong with being on Minoxidil if you are not really thin-haired or balding? What constitutes the need for it? Is it up to the consumer?
If you have lost hair from the pregnancy, chances are that your hair loss will reverse over the next 6 months or so. You might want to hold off on the minoxidil, just for the reasons you suggest. If the hair came back and you were on the medication, you might ascribe it to the drug rather than the normal reversal which you will probably experience. If after 5-6 months, you still have not had your hair loss begin reversing, then consider the drug at that time.
I am a woman and have been prescribed a dose of 5mg of finasteride daily for hair loss. It is working, but I am concerned about the high dosage. Since I am not of childbearing age, do I need to be concerned about side effects?
This is a question best asked of the doctor who prescribed it. I am always concerned when something is prescribed outside the normal FDA approved channels, where the drug is approved for safety and effectiveness. Both are up in the air when it comes to women and finasteride at the 5mg dose.
Hello, and thanks for the informative site. I am a 35 year old female and losing hair rapidly. I have no children and as far as I know I am not in menopause. I have no idea why I am having hair fall out in clumps, I have been for a year. I have been to my doctor twice he tested me for Lupus which I do not have and when I returned and said my hair is still falling out he said he could not help me. So I am here, I want to find out the root (pardon my pun) cause of this problem so i can solve it. I live in LA and I cannot find a doctor. They all want to talk about transplants etc? Dermatologists seem not to care. Do you know of anyone who can help me and who is willing to do tests on my hair etc. i really would like to figure out the true problem and fix it as I feel if my hair is suffering there is something wrong.
Thanks for your time.
In a society preoccupied with appearance, balding is a cruel and almost random fate for 50% of men and women. It does not discriminate race, ethnicity, or social boundaries. Hair loss is genetic, but it is not readily predictable. There is no scientific reason why we lose hair. What we do know is that there are many options such as hair restoration surgery, oral medications, and topical medications to treat hair loss.
Before you consider any of the treatment options available, you must find the cause for your hair loss and establish a diagnosis. Unlike male pattern hair loss, women’s hair loss is very difficult to treat. Your first step is to look for any curable causes for hair loss such as thyroid disease, iron deficiency, etc. In order to do this, you will need to find a good doctor who can do blood tests. I am sorry to hear that you have had bad experiece with some doctors, but any primary care doctor should be able to do these tests. If clinically appropriate, the following disease processes should be considered or ruled out: anemia, thyroid disease, connective tissue disease, gynecological conditions, and emotional stress. It is also important to review the use of medications that can cause hair loss, such as oral contraceptives, beta-blockers, Vitamin A, thyroid drugs, coumadin and prednisone. The following laboratory tests are often useful if underlying problems are suspected: Estradiol, FSH, LH, SHBG, Prolactin, T4, TSH, ANA, Iron, TIBC, Ferritin, Free and Total Testosterone.
Aside from ruling out any medical cause of hair loss, you can also have your scalp hair examined with a densitometer (special microscope) for signs of miniaturization. Not all doctors conduct miniaturization studies. At NHI, we conduct miniaturization studies on a regular basis as part of a physical exam. It is our goal to standardize the measurement of hair growth and hair health by subjectively recording the state of hair.
If you are in the Los Angeles area (as I believe you indicated), you can always schedule a free consultation by calling 800-NEW-HAIR.
(female) why would the hair on my legs just stop growing at my age of 58?
Our bodies do change with age. In women, after menopause, there are lots of hormone changes and some of these may impact your leg hair, as would the genetics you inherited. Count your blessings, you don’t have to shave your legs anymore if you are an American (culture pushes shaved legs), but in some European countries, hairy legs are better, so there you would be an unfortunate woman. I think if you could find the cause of your problem, I think that I could sell it in North America and we can make millions together.
Dear Dr Rassman:
I just read the article about the fifty eight year old woman who was losing pubic hair. She had gone through menopause at forty six and was wondering why she was losing (pubic) hair suddenly. Your suggestion was a good one…see a physician. God only knows what medical problems she may have.However, as an herbalist, I find that most women do lose hair after menopause. (pubic hair not the norm) Quite obviously after menopause there is a significant decline in estrogen. Vaginal areas do become somewhat dry and lubrication during intimacy sometimes becomes necessary.
If after a proper medical examination nothing significant shows up I would recommend taking 800 to 1,000 mcg of BIOTIN daily. Biotin (a simple water soluble B vitamin) does promote growth of hair on the scalp. It also stimulates the growth of both finger and toe nails.
My ninety-six year old mother had mild dementia she proved allergic to ARICEPT. (She had spots on her chest and back!) I started her on a regime of 400 mcg FOLIC ACID and 1,000 mcg BIOTIN daily. Her memory has greatly improved and boy does her finger and toe nails grow. The hair on her head looks nice as well.
I hope you look into this approach after menopause. It is a more natural way of bringing the body some of it’s natural B vitamins. (plus promoting mental agility) As with any medications, this should be followed up with blood work. (between 2 and 4 weeks). Best regards
I appreciate your insights. I do not know a great deal about the impact of folic acid and biotin on pubic hair loss, but I can not see a problem with their use. Unfortunately, the formal medical literature does not give us clear scientific information to prove value of these natural vitamins with hair loss.