Massive Hair Loss in 15 Year Old Girl

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

im only 15years old (female) and every time i wash my hair its falls out in massive clumps, i used to frequently straighten my hair, but thinking this was the cause over the past fortnight i have not been straightening it. My hair is still falling out as bad as ever what could be the cause and the prevention as i really dread washing my hair now!? many thanks

For our American readers, a fortnight is about 2 weeks. Something serious is wrong. If you used something to straighten it in the past few weeks, that could account for chemical damage. If you can not account for it by something you did, then you need to see a dermatologist. Before you panic though, look carefully at what you might have done to damage you own hair. Chemical damage should reverse over a few months.

Hashimoto’s Disease in Women

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

I am a woman, 40 years of age, and having a hair loss problem for over 18 years. I used to have very straight and thick hair, but now very thin and fluffy. I tried too many kind of shampoos, vitamins and programs. One of them, 101product, was no help. I have had an autoimmune disease called HASHIMOTO for 16 years. I’m taking medication and everything is under control. My doctor told me after he did all kinds of tests that i don’t have any physical problem causing my hair loss. My question is what do you think could help me? My sister has the same problem and she doesn’t suffer from anything physically.Your replying back will be appreciated.
Thank you

You may have both female genetic hair loss plus Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and your sister may have the genetic element, which tends to run in the female line in particular families. The existence of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis or any auto-immune disease can precipitate hair loss. Medications that treat these autoimmune problems often have hair loss as a side effect. Woman’s hair loss is extensively discussed here and I suggest that you and your sister read my many answers to questions which will contain many bits of insights for you here.

Tingling Hair in Woman

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

My hair is tingling, thin and is coming out strand by strand. I haven’t change anything in my eating schedule or anything, what is the problem and how can I take better care of my hair?

Women do experience hair loss during stress (physically and emotionally), hormonal changes, and hair loss with new medication like contraception. It is normal to lose up to 100 hairs per day. You may want to see a dermatologist or a physician to examine you with a densitometer or a magnifying video camera in order to understand if your hair loss is really significant and if it is, find out what the hair loss pattern is telling us.

Transplanting Females with Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and Glaucoma

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

Hello I have several more question I need answers for before I consider a transplant procedure. Can you preform this procedure if you have diabetes or high blood pressure and glaucoma and if not do you have another kind of treatment for a candidate like me. Is there a medication in a different form? I am female.

I am assuming that the hair transplant is appropriate and you are concerned about the existence of the medical problems. These problems are not contraindications for hair transplants which are performed under local anesthesia. I have my diabetic patients continue to eat and take the same medications that they would normally take. I would expect that the blood pressure is under good medical treatment and that the glaucoma is also well controlled. In people like you, any problems have not been different than in people without diabetes or high blood pressure.

Lost All Hair from Back and Sides in the Past Month

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

Doctor,

Within the last 25 days I’ve lost all of my hair from mid back and sides and seem as though it is moving toward the top. I am a black woman 46 years old, I’m taking several medication along with vitamins. Such as Zocar, Zeta, Enulose and Flax Oil, One A Day women vitamin and Calcium. I’m under stress with adult sons and job and I’m planning our wedding with my fiance which that is a happy ordeal in my life. I am very stress now that my hair is coming out in comb full three times a day if I comb. One day I decided not to comb and waited to the next day, only to have two hand full of hair. I recently had blood work with my primary Doctor, who said my blood work was good and recommended me to see a Dermatologist. Which I did make an appoitment. My diet is not the worse, very little fruit but lots of vegetables,fish and chicken or turkey. Little fried food. Beverages is water or juices. Please give me your opinion, I know you cannot give me a diagnoisis. Maybe a suggestion.

Are you losing hair in the frontal and top area too? It is best to wait and see a dermatologist first so that he can map your hair loss pattern out and possibly biopsy your scalp for any inflammatory processes, if indicated. Genetic female hair loss can be made worse by stress and mediations like Zocar, which can cause hair loss as well. This is a multifactorial problem in you and a good dermatologist should be able to help you discern the contributing factors.

Top of My Scalp Is Sore

/by William Rassman, M.D./20 /, ,

I am 34 year old African American female. The top of my scalp is sore, thinning and I can not get rid of the dandruff. Is this part of Alopecia? Also, Why do I have soreness at the the top of my scalp and I believe thinning? What can I do for the soreness and thinning? I relax my hair approx every 4 Months. Please help. Thanks.

Chemicals that relax your hair for a long period of time, may cause skin irritation and/or hair loss. Drandruff treatment are found in every pharmacy and you need to experiment with each until you find one that works well for you.

Woman with Thinning Crown

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

I’m a 22 year old female whose hair started thinning around 17 years old. I had two children recently, a three year old and a one year old. Just recently my hair just started coming out everywhere. It’s very soft and as I run my fingers through it just keeps coming out, mainly in the crown area. There is an irregular shaped pattern and slight thinning on top. What might this sound like? thank you

You may experience more diffused hair loss than you think, but it is just more noticeble in the crown area due to its shape, location, and lighting. It is hard to judge unless I can map your head with a densitometer or magnifying video camera.

Kelly Osbourne Going Bald?

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

Kelly Osbourne

What do you think about the news that rocker Ozzy Osbourne’s pop-singer daughter Kelly has revealed she is going bald? The article is here: InsideOnline.com

The article shows what can happen when hair is abused. If the abuse stops and she is losing her hair secondary to the abuse, then it MAY return. If she continues abusing it (which is what the article implies), it may become a permanent type of negative balding, just the opposite of what she is trying to achieve.

Hair Loss from Hair Coloring

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

Hello
About 4 months ago I had some red/copper low lights put in my hair. Within about a week I developed several hives/blisters on my head, the worst of which was towards the back of my head where 3/4 seemed clustered together. About 3-4 weeks after this my hair fell out from that particular area (about 3-4 cms across). I’ve been to my GP who wasn’t very helpful and said it may or may not be an allergic reaction, and she did not know why the hair had fallen out. It’s now 4 months later and I appear to have some regrowth but it’s like baby hair, very fine and short. I can feel it with my finger but it doesn’t cover the bald spot as I have very dark brown hair. Will my hair return in time, and what process does it take? Is it normal that the hair appears like baby hair? It may be an impossible one to answer, but roughly how long before the bald spot is covered and looking like my other hair?

I notice that most sites suggests hair grows on average 1/2 inch per month. Is this growth rate the same for hair that has fallen out and is growing back? I’m desperately looking every month for signs of 1/2 inch growth but wondered if the rate was slower/quicker for brand new hair. Thanks

This is a tough hair loss question not only because it is tough for you to go through, but also because it is difficult to diagnose without an exam. You need to see a dermatologist or a hair loss specialist (but definitely an MD) so they can look at the spots with hair loss on your head. The reason is that the hair loss pattern and sequence that you describe could have been caused by many things including 1) a chemical alopecia (reaction to the chemicals used on your head) 2) an allergic reaction, 3) an infection of the skin on the scalp (by anything from a bacterial, fungal, or a viral source), or even 4) Alopecia Areata. Often, only a physical examination by a doctor and testing (sometimes including a scalp biopsy for microscopic analysis) will determine the cause.

The good news is that in most all the cases I have listed, the hair does grow back although it is impossible to predict how long it will take without a definitive diagnosis. In the meantime, see your dermatologist or hair doctor, stay away from the chemicals for hair, and take a photo to document for yourself how the growth is going.

Topamax, Low-Ogestrel, and Female Hair Loss

/by William Rassman, M.D./70 /,

I have been taking Topamax sprinkle capsules for my migraines for almost a year (onyl 45 mg per day). After the first few months on the drug, I noticed more hair on the floor in my bathroom and that it was falling out when I ran my fingers through it. In November of this year, I switched my birth control pills to Low Ogestrel,a low dosage monophasic pill so as to keep my hormone levels more stable and keep headaches at bay. After doing this, I noticed an increase in my hair loss. Now, in the shower, there is hair everywhere. Hair on my pillow, and hair on my clothes. I’ve noticed that my hair looks thin at my widows peak and on the sides of my head. It’s frightening. I got off the Topamax two weeks ago and the hair loss has continued. I am going off the birth control this month to see if that stops it.

Just wondering if you’ve ever heard of these drugs causing hair loss? Perhaps the combo of the two has wreaked havoc on my body for some reason? My doctors keep saying “It’s possible, but uncommon.” I’ve had all my bloodwork done and every checked out ok.. I just want this to stop. If it is the pills, how long before it will stop?

Thanks for any help!

Hair loss is associated with each and every one of the medications you use. I am sorry to report this to you, but these things have a cost in side effects and finding the balance can be difficult. Some people may be more sensitive than others. It may take months to see any regrowth after stopping or switching the medications. When medications are used in combination, it makes identifying the problem medication(s) more difficult.

Hair Loss in Woman After 2 Surgeries Months Apart

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

I am a 33 year old woman who just underwent 2 surgeries under general anesthesia in the last 5 months. The first was liposuction that resulted in sepsis, pulmonary hypertension, fat emboli etc. Various meds included lasix, decadron, antibiotics, cardizem, xanax, lexapro. The second surgery was to repair internal damage, lyse adhesions, and explore possible pancreatic duct damage, and cholecystectomy. Other meds included Dilaudid and valium. Luckily prior to this I had extremely thick hair and very healthy hair. I am now losing tremendous amount of hair and it is becoming thinner every day. I am worried. Will it return? Are any of these meds directly related? Is it the Anesthesia?
Thank you

Wow! You have been through quite a bit and you have my best wishes for a full recovery! You are experiencing a “telogen effluvium” which in simplest terms is a reaction of your body to the stress it has gone through. Many condiditons and situations can cause you to lose hair like this, emotional stress, rapid weight loss, a car accident, giving birth (for the women out there), and even a colonoscopy! It has little or nothing to do with the anesthesia or the meds, and the good news is that you will regrow your hair.

Woman with See Through Hair

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

I am a 30 year old woman and I have always had very fine hair, even as a teenager. I am almost 100% certain that its genetic (thanks Dad!). I am also a type 1 Diabetic. After a fairly serious diabetes-related illness about three years ago, I’ve noticed my hair coming out when i wash or comb it. I don’t know if its because I’m getting older, because of my health problems or that I am just noticing it. My hair is so fine even when it isnt coming out that its possible even normal hair loss is very noticeable. I have no bald patches as such, but when my hair is wet you can see right through it and when i put it up i have to arrange carefully so that my scalp can’t be seen.

I am confused about the options available to me, especially if I’m not actually losing hair but just have very fine hair. Which treatments are suitable and effective for someone like me? I’ve read about non-surgical replacement, but I don’t actually have anything to replace.

Thanks in advance

Fine haired people have see-through hair. I’ve written about see-through hair in men before. The same applies to girls with fine hair (more-so with very fine hair), but keeping the hair longer and often in pony tails, may have hidden the see through nature of the hair.

You need to have a good mapping of your scalp to determine if you have genetic hair loss, diffuse alopecia, or other general hair loss problems. With your very fine hair, a real expert is needed to make the distinction. A hair system (wig) or hair additions will give you a fuller look, but the cost in terms of accelerating hair loss may be a problem, especially if traction is applied consistently.

Stopping Rogaine for Women Use

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

You mentioned that:
“If you were to stop the Rogaine (minoxidil) and there was a benefit of it, you will go back to your ‘before’ status, plus losing whatever hair you would have lost prior to starting the medication. This may very well leave you worse off.”

What do you mean by worse off? Wouldn’t you just be where you would be if you had never started the minoxidil? Do you just mean psychologically, because you’d have to deal with all of the hairloss all at once upon discontinuing the minoxidil, rather than seeing it’s slow natural/drug-free progression?

I’m having a hard time deciding whether to start applying 5% minoxidil 1x/day, as my derm prescribed. (I’m 26, female, triggered AGA/TE from birth control pills).
Thank you!

Would you just be where you would be had you never started the minoxidil? — YES.
Would you have to deal with all of the hair loss at once upon discontinuing the minoxidil? — YES.

You sound like an intelligent person. The old saying, “Try it, you might like it”, may apply for you. If you start it and then do not see a benefit of it in up to 6 months, then you can probably stop it without too much risk.

Thin Hair in African American Female

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

african american 40 yr old female. I have thin hair with approx 1 inch of traction alopecia around my hairline. Tiny visible thin hairs are present on the hairline, had little growth over five year period but they don’t seem to grow long or thicker. please help. I can’t afford a transplant. will it ever grow back since hair is present? a dermatologist told me it may grow.

Other than hair transplants or possibly a hairline lowering procedure, there is not much that can be offered to you. These types of surgeries will cost possibly around $10,000. I can’t be more specific on pricing averages without seeing you first. Wigs of varying types are often the solution used for many women in your situation.

Hairline Lowering in 15 Year Old Female

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

I am a 15 year old female from Michigan. I have been dealing with the unfortunate inheritance of a high hairline. It has made me suffer through a lot of insecurities for most of my teenage years and I would like to learn more about hairline placement through the insertion of new hair follicles that weren’t present in the area before. I would also like the find out the average cost for both 1 and 2 procedures for future reference if possible. Thank you!

The hairline lowering procedure is a good one. The best way is probably the surgical approach where the actual hairline is lowered by up to an inch. The results of this are immediate (hair transplants take time) but there will be some minimal scarring in the frontal area for a while (most disappear over time) and these can be covered with bangs or other hair styling techniques. You must get your parents involved and there must not be a history of female genetic hair loss in the family. Cost for the hairline lowering procedure (one time surgery) is $9,000-$11,000 (there are no extra charges for anesthesia and the surgical room).

The cost for a hair transplant solution goes by the graft, so I would have to see pictures (with your forehead creased by lifting your eyebrows) both from the eyebrows up and full face as well (front and sides). Graft prices vary depending upon the circumstances; standby pricing is the least expensive at $5/graft, regular scheduling is $6/graft, and the fees are a bit higher if you request that I personally do the transplant procedure. Transplant estimates may range between 900-1300 grafts per session. Some people can get it done in a single hair transplant if their hair and skin color have low contrast and the hair shaft thickness is not fine. Send photos to the address on the Contact page and please reference this blog posting in your email.