Category: Hair Loss Causes

I am a Pacific Islander who had dreadlocks for about 6 years. I noticed small, developing bald spots approximately a year ago. I recently cut my dreads since I noticed that the bald spot is growing. Is it abnormal for my scalp to be itchy? I have always had dandruff, could this be to blame? Sometimes it is particulary itchy at the bald spot? Could this be new growth or perhaps the cause of my baldness? Are there any treatments that can be sought for traction Alopecia?

Having dreads or braids can cause traction alopecia, which is not reversible unless it is caught early enough. For those who are lucky enough to catch it before it becomes irreversible and the dreads or braids were not in for extended periods of time, you may experience regrowth of hair. If this is the case, it could take up to year for hair to regrow.

Your scalp should not itch with new growing hair. I do not believe there is a correlation with itchy scalp and new hair growth. As you mentioned, this may be dandruff or other skin/scalp problem and I agree with that belief.

Hi
Im 53 years old. Always have had a full head of hair and VERY long bushey eye brows. Yesterday I noticed that the left half of my left eyebrow has almost dissappeared. I take .2 mg Levothyroxine, 10 mg Lisinopril, and 40mg pravastatin each day. I also take 3000 mg Flax seed Oil, 2000 mg Vitamin C and 1 Centrum Silver vitamin per day. any Ideals??
Thank You

If I was able to examine you, I might find some other areas (like in the scalp) that have patchy hair loss. If it did, then it would be easier to tell you what is happening. Some cases of alopecia areata, for example, will cause a patchy hair loss. Ringworm (tinea corporis), although unusual in your age, can also do it. Too much guessing on my part without seeing you. Although some of the medications are associated with hair loss, for a patch to appear, the cause may be more local than systemic.

I really have to give a shout out to the balding blog: YOU GUYS ROCK!!

Ok, i was wondering if you can explain (in a nutshell) how the balding progression works. Specifically of interest to me is how I, currently diagnosed as a 3V pattern can seem to be moving towards a 4 pattern, while. I know it sounds kind of silly, but i don’t understand how i can go from thinning in the crown to stabilization and now thinning on top. What do i have to look forward to? 5 pattern? 6? Please help me understand

I really cannot answer your specific problem, because I have not examined you or diagnosed you. In general, if you have the genes for balding, you will bald in a certain pattern as depicted in the Norwood chart (as follows):

You may look like a class 3V, but depending on your age, miniaturization pattern of the hairs on your scalp, and even family history, you may eventually progress to a class 4 or a 5, etc. Some men will stop with a 3V pattern while others progress to a 4 or 5 pattern. There is really no way to generalize and doctors are not fortune tellers to give you a prediction of what you will look like in many years to come. Drugs like Propecia (finasteride 1mg) can and usually will slow down this progression. Nevertheless, with a good examination and follow up you can generally get an idea of what your hair loss pattern resembles and by mapping out your hair for miniaturization you can follow the progression before it become apparent with the naked eye.

Hi,
I am using retin A for acne and because my skin is very oily it gives a very good effect. So i decided to use it on my scalp because i also have a problem of very oily hair. So it give me good effect on my oily hair. they are producing less oil now but after four or five days i noticed my hairs are falling a lot. So i dont know if i should carry on retin A or stop it but i really want to get rid of oily hair.

Well, the answer should be obvious. You put retin-A on your scalp and started seeing hair loss… so stop taking it. Retin-A is an acid and is probably burning your scalp. See a good doctor who cares about your problem, will take the time to examine you, and will render you an opinion on what is happening. I wish I could offer more, but the Internet it not the proper venue for this.

(female)
This is not so much a question but another thing to think about. I have suffered with hair loss for about the last 6years. I also suffer with itchy scalp and was told that it must be ezama. I have lost so much hair that you could see my scalp. I now am suffering with mood swings, fatige, night sweats and several other symptoms. I have been taking vitamins, iron, rogain 5% drinking pom & mangosteen juice along with expensive hair products,shampoo and so forth, for the last 4 to 5 years. Yet I still have hairloss.

I say all this to give hopefully some hope. After MUCH research I found that your thyroid (overactive & underactive) can cause hairloss alot of the time, also because of my age 49 hormones can also cause hairloss. Now for some that don’t know this, in 2003 the thyroid range has changed from 0.5 – 5.0, to 0.3 – 3.0, my range in 2006 was 2.80. I was told that my thyroid was perfect, but what I found out is on my lab work, the lrange was 0.5 – 5.0. I now believe that my range is high based on the new range. I am going to have my thyroid & hormone checked by a specialist. most lab work does not give very accurate results, that why we are told our blood test are normal. I found out that about 89 to 95 percent of people (both men & women)suffer with an imbalance thyroid, and don’t even know it. Something to think about.

I’m not sure where you are getting your facts, but to say that most lab work is inaccurate sounds… well, inaccurate. Different laboratories have different ranges of values they work with so your levels may have been fine. In other words, you cannot compare your lab results from one laboratory with the standards of another laboratory.

I do not know why you are losing hair. There is probably many factors affecting including thyroid or genetic or hormones, etc. I would follow up with a doctor and discuss your concerns and issues with him/her. Fatigue and night sweats are non-specific signs for possible serious illness.