Female Hair Loss – Page 84

March 13, 2006

Lyme Disease and Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi there….I am a female with diffused hair loss for almost 19 years. Eventually it will all be gone. I have been tested for all the diseases that cause hair loss. Could Lyme Disease cause hair loss? If so what kind of hair loss is seen with the disease? Hopefully you can help me, thanks!

Block Quote

You should be evaluated by a qualified hair transplant doctor or a dermatologist. You may have a condition known as diffuse alopecia areata , a variety of conditions (search women’s hair loss on this site) and you may have DUPA.

With respect to Lyme disease causing your hair loss, you would have many other medical problems if you had this disease for 19 years. It is conceivable that Lyme disease may cause hair loss, but it would be very non-specific, as many other disease states and stressors can affect hair loss. Therefore, I suspect your hair loss of 19 years is not related to Lyme disease.

From my nine years working with Dr. Rassman, he has taught me a simple way to approach any cause of hair loss. Hair loss can be divided in to five causes:

Genetics – such as male pattern baldness
Stress – such as emotional, disease states, or trauma
Hormonal – such as hypothyroidism
Age – we all lose hair with age
Medical diseases including unexplained weight loss

By Dr. Jae Pak

March 13, 2006

Heater Causing Female Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 69 year old retired female. I live in a one bedroom apartment in a block of 12 apartments. Unfortunately my apartment is situated over the boiler unit that heats this entire block of apartments. Last winter I began noticing my hair falling out in February. This continued throughout the early Spring. Testings have eliminated thyroid and testosterone problems. I’ve been diagnosed with female allopecia. However, during the warmer months and summer I stopped losing hair and regrowth began. However, two weeks after the boiler unit was restarted in November, I experienced more hair loss during every shower and combing. I now have to wear a wig due to huge losses. I do have an appointment with a Dermatologist next week. However, I do not think it a coincidence that my hair falls out only during heating season. I believe it is related to the combustion process of this boiler or a malfunction of some sort. Management will be no help without proof of some sort. Any info would be extremely helpful. Is the chemical Chloroprene involved in this process? Thank you

Humans have asynchronous hair cycling, which means that we do not shed hair like other mammals that lose hair in the summer and grow their hair/fur in the winter months. In your case though, it sounds like the heat of the boiler running in the winter is contributing to your hair loss, despite what I have just said. Sorry, but a visit with a good doctor is needed to evaluate the many causes of hair loss in women. This is one of those situations where too many factors which could lead to female hair loss might be in play, preventing me from giving a more specific response.

March 13, 2006

Low Iron and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi, Im am 35 Female. Last summer I started to have a swollen feeling near my tonsils. I have difficulty swallowing. I always use couph drops because its a relief for my swollen feeling. It doesn’t hurt, just feels swollen. A few months later around Sept, I noticed my hair getting really really dry. Now its falling out and has been since Dec. It falls out in handfulls everyday. I lost over 100 hairs in one day and this is a daily thing now. I went to the doctors, My ferriton level was the only thing out of range. Everything else is within normal limits. My ferriton is at 7 So Im on Iron suppliments as well as B12 and a Multivitamin. I had rapid heart rates, but I think its calmed down since the Iron therapy. The doctor told me to gargle with peroxide. She didn’t really focus too much on my throat problem, and actually she didn’t even look in my mouth. Could this be something else other than anemia? And could throat thing be the main reason that caused my hair to fall out? and why Im not getting the Iron I need?

Thank you for your time

Low iron indicates anemia may be present, a known cause of hair loss. Being sick brings on phyical and emotional stress which could lead to hair loss as well. The cause for iron deficiency could be from improper diet or even by worms and other blood born parasites (unlikely in North America). I can not comment on the topic of your throat problem and its relationship to hair loss.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

March 10, 2006

Eyebrow and Pubic Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Can I grow eyebrow hair by applying Rogaine (minoxidil) to the minimal eyebrow hair that now exists?

Also, would I bring my concerns about eyebrow hair loss (I also have completely lost my pubic hair which doesn’t bother me) to a dermatologist rather than internist? What related lifestyle, medical, physical, emotional information should I note to give the physician the information needed to make a proper diagnosis? Do you recommend any physicians in the Boston area who are experts in the area of eyebrow hair loss in women and corrective transplant?

I really appreciate being able to ask questions based on the information you provide on your website. Thank you again. I look forward to your guidance with this matter.

Rogaine should not grow eyebrow hair where there is none. A dermatologist would help you with the correlation between pubic and eyebrow hair, if any. The physician will know what to ask you to help make a diagnosis.

March 10, 2006

Lost Hair at Hairline After Damaging Hair With Bleach – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am female and recently bleached my hair and then dyed it. The problem is that I lost track of time while bleaching and left it on way too long. Not realizing the extent of the damage, I then put a color on it. A couple of days later, when I pulled my hair back I realized that my hair line had receded noticeably in certain areas leading me to believe that I melted my hair to the scalp in those places. My questions are: will my hair grow back in those spots and will I continue to lose my hair? I am seeing a stylist in a couple of days to have it cut very short to try to minimize more damage through breakage but would like to know what kind of fallout I can expect — unfortunately, I have no one to blame but myself in this situation and realize that your forum is for those experiencing some very devastating conditions and although my situation seems vain in comparison any answers you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

The good news is that your hair will likely grow back. The bad news is that you will have to be patient and wait until the hair grows back. In the mean time, I suspect you will come up with a new creative hair style — you have little choice.

March 8, 2006

Avodart and Female Genetic Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

One of my friend’s doctors has prescribed Avodart for her thinning hair. Is this effective? If so, why do I not hear more about it? Can I get your to prescribe it as I am in Los Angeles?

See Effective treatment of female androgenic alopecia with dutasteride

One case does not say much about this process, but it may provide a little hope. There is no significant documentation for breast, ovary, or uterine cancer predispositions with DHT blockers. That is worrisome without a good controlled study in hand. We know that one side effect of this medication in men is breast enlargement (one in about 300 men), so the question of safety is paramount in the decision to provide this drug to women. Even for men, there are no long term studies to suggest that this drug is safe for the younger men. Any woman taking this medication while pregnant runs a high risk of producing a hermaphrodite baby (without a normal penis or vagina). This tells you a great deal about what we do not know. I will not prescribe this medication for women, and I have been very forthright against using it without adequate safety issues addressed in the proper way. I worry that articles like this, which show a single example that could be a chance occurrence having little to do with this medication, can be ascribed to the drug. Please don’t rush to your doctor or the internet and use this as a panacea for your hair loss problem, for it could just open a Pandora’s Box. I would be happy, on the other hand, to have you visit me for a diagnosis and an opinion.

March 8, 2006

Homeopathic Medicine, Birth Control, and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dr. Rassman – I am a female and have just turned 40yrs. Last year, some time in May of 2005, I stopped taking the birth control pill, Yasmin. I initially started the pill about 5 years ago with Orthotricyclin, then changed to Levlin (due to insurance no longer covering Ortho) and then Yasmin (as I was told was not as potent and wouldn’t cause the nausea) Anyhow, I am Mexican/American and always had a thick set of hair. In the past, my hair would always fall out but still always remained thick; however, after I stopped taking the pill (for which I never consulted my doctor before stopping) I realized my hair was still falling out but after seven months later, realized that the thickness and volume were gone. I’ve always had thicker hair than my older sisters (now 41 and 43) but now theirs still has thickenss & weight whereas mine is literally thinner & has a featherlike feel to it. I’ve been a Kaiser dermatologist who says it’s just part of aging and that my hormones are normal (blood testing was done) however, after seeing a homopathic doctor (without me mentioning my symtoms) she advised that my hormones are not balanced. I have not yet been treated for this imbalance thus far.

My question to you is if I go back on the pill — Yasmin — will my hair slowly come back? As you can see, I’m still off the pill but very tempted to start up again. Had I known the side affects, I would never have discontinued use.

Please reply at your earliest opportunity.

P.S. In the meantime, I am using Nioxin Cleanser and Scalp treatment for thinning hair. Also, I do have lots of fine baby regrowth around my temple area & some wiring hair coming down the center of my head. Does this mean my hair is coming back and will it ever be as thick again?

First off, I am not a homeopathic doctor. We here are allopathic medical doctors. So, if your homeopathic doctor says your hormones are not in balance, I cannot comment on the homeopathic doctor’s opinion or diagnosis. I can only comment on the fact that if your medical doctor has done all the appropriate blood work and states that your hormone levels are “normal”, the cause of your hair loss may be coming from other sources such as age. Having said that, you may be going through early menopause and other hormonal changes which are “normal” parts of the aging process. I cannot tell you that starting Yasmin will help your hair grow back. More importantly, starting and stopping any hormone treatment (such as birth control pills) should be discussed with a medical doctor that has been following your health.

As far as your question on Nioxin, it is a popular shampoo and the company sells other products that are talked up by my readers. We still put forth a buyer beware position, and if you are asking if such products do what they claim to do, I do not have the answer (as you have read many times in this blog). Minoxidil (Rogaine) is the only FDA approved topical treatment for hair loss.

Finally if your homeopathic doctor has a solution to grow hair then he/she will be a rich man/woman if the treatment actually works. Please let us know the results if you take the olive branch and try to get into the balance that your homeopathic doctor recommends (particularly if it succeeds).

March 7, 2006

Hair Loss InformationScarring Alopecias in Women – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,
I’m a 30 year old African-American female with hair loss on the entire top of my head. I was diagnosed 9 years ago with scarring hair folliclelitis and since that time my hair loss has escalated. I’ve worn weaves, wigs and the hair piece that you have to use a special tape to wear it. I feel that by using these methods to cover up my hair loss, i’ve made it worse. I was interested in hair transplant but do not know if I would be a candidate. Can you please tell me?

Block Quote

Weaves, wigs and the hair pieces cause hair loss. This is common in the African-American female community where balding (hidden by wigs) may be the norm in some communities. As you have already seen a dermatologist, I would suggest that you go back to that doctor. Scarring alopecias are a special case diagnosis which your doctor can put into perspective for you. Hair transplantation in a patient with active scarring alopecia do not go together. An alternative to a biopsy may be a test transplant of 10 grafts into the bald area. If they grow in 6-8 months, then the disease may be inactive and you may be a candidate for a hair transplant. Hair transplants for African hair tend to do very well provided that the skin in healthy.

March 6, 2006

Menstruation and Hair Loss in Women – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am a 30 year old mother of 2. For the past 2 years I have experienced hair loss mostly in the frontal part. In this area my hair is thin, fragile and uncombable. Totally dry. Although my hair fall is under control now, the hair in the front and crown area still falls out, especially the regrowth. I am taking supplements and iron and that has improved the texture of hair elsewhere on my scalp but the problem area. Could it be a hormonal problem as my periods are late and heavy and my hair falls more specially just before and during my periods? I also suffer from eyebrow loss. They grow back and then fall out again. My main problem is keeping the regrowth. Please help.

Block Quote

With irregular periods, there may well be a connection with the hair loss you are reporting. It is critical for you to get a doctor involved. Please refer to this past blog entry to find a list of tests that should be included in your work-up, which you can show to your family doctor as a start.

March 6, 2006

Hair Loss in Young Teen Girl – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I’m female and 14 with fine shoulder-length hair and recently i’ve noticed abnormal amounts of hair falling out all the time. i haven’t told anyone yet, but i’m scared it’s something serious. I’m thinking maybe it is the drugs i’ve been taking to clear up a bad ear infection, sinusitus, and conjunctivitous, which has just cleared up and i’ve finished the treatment. Maybe it is because i have a very irregular menstural cycle, having my first and second period over a year. What is wrong with me???

You need to be evaluated by a good doctor. This type of question would be too difficult for me to provide an answer to over the internet, especially without knowing your medical history or even being able to see you in person. There are many causes for women’s hair loss, including hypothyroidism, eczema, alopecia, dieting, malnutrition, autoimmune, drugs, infection, genetics, etc.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):