Female Hair Loss – Page 39

September 29, 2008

I Have Female Hair Loss and Was Told to Wash My Hair Every 3 Days – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi,

Recently at age 31 I have been diagnosed with female pattern baldness, although both of my parents have a lot of hair. I was told to wash my hair every 3 days because i lose a lot in the shower and then brushing it. My scalps starts to get really itchy after 2 days and then i shed a lot of hair, why is that so? I do not have psorasis and scalp seems to be in good condition. Is it cause I have too much dht? Also have you heard of any good results with laser hair treatments?

I have not heard of or seen any good results with laser hair treatments. In my opinion laser hair treatments do not work.

Washing your hair less will not cause you to lose less hair unless you are rough in the wash. There is no relationship between washing hair and hair loss. You can wash your hair as you like. Your itchy scalp might be looked at by a local dermatologist.

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September 25, 2008

Doctor Offers 4000+ FUEs in One Session – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi there… I am a female who has had a 1600 graft transplant using the strip method and am considering a second procedure of 1,000 grafts with a different surgeon. I am very concerned about shock loss, which I did have after the first transplant. Below is an extract from a doctor’s website. I would be grateful to hear your opinions on this.

Thanks

“[FUE] allows for the extraction of 4000+ follicular units in a single day session. Removing individual follicles with a microscopic instrument allows the skin to heal quickly and naturally. Patients receive greater freedom regarding hair styling choices and a diminished healing time, allowing them to return to the normal activities of life sooner.” [note: quote edited]

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Firstly, 4000 FUE grafts in one session without damage to the grafts during extraction is something that I simply don’t believe. I would have to see it and judge the transection rate under this surgeon’s hands. As for this doctor discontinuing the use of the strip harvesting method “due to its highly invasive nature” as his site states, well, this is more a marketing ploy than anything else. If the doctor could successfully do the amount of grafts using FUE that he claims, that’s great — but as I said, I highly doubt 4,000 FUEs can be done in one session with minimal transection rates. Plus, if you were to have this done, you would have to shave your head. I don’t know that most people would be prepared to do that. You’d have good reason to be skeptical.

In your case, shock loss will probably happen again. Shock loss in women often happens on the second and third procedure, but it usually grows back. Even the anesthesia can cause it in some women.

September 23, 2008

Female Hair Loss Concentrated on Front and Top – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

(female)
My hair loss is concentrated on the top and front of my head, and is happening slowly. Does that mean it must be androgenetic alopecia (as opposed to telogen effluvium)? Also, I noticed the loss about 10 months after moving (from the US) to Korea. Life in Korea isn’t stressful – is it possible that something else about the change or Korea could cause hair loss? For example, the water?

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You may have a variant of female hair loss that impacts just the frontal area, not the back of the head. This genetic condition can be triggered by stress. Get your hair mapped out for miniaturization and then the diagnosis should be evident. Telogen effluvium does not behave this way.

September 22, 2008

Woman with Hair Loss After Taking Prednisone – When Will it Stop?! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

(female)
I have been on prednisone for seven months for eustacian tube dysfunction. My hair started falling out when I weaned down to 5 mg of prednisone. I have been off the pred for four weeks and my hair is still falling out a lot. I have no other medical conditions and my primary checked my blood for anemia, thyroid etc. All very normal. My hair is so then only a few weeks away from a wig. Is there any way to stop this and will my hair grow back?

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You may have a telogen effluvium and this may reverse in time with hair regrowth in 6-18 months. The use of minoxidil may help, but better do this under the direction of a good doctor.

September 18, 2008

Blocking DHT in Post-Menopausal Women? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

What is the best form of DHT blocking for post menopausal women. Is it safe to use propecia in my case?

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) does not usually cause hair loss in women. As mentioned before (Female Genetic Hair Loss Is Different From Male Genetic Hair Loss), the common causes of women’s hair loss are different than typical causes of men’s hair loss.

Although the DHT blocker Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is not approved by the FDA for use in women, there are doctors that will sometimes prescribe it for women, but these are highly individualized cases that require patient education and informed consent. First, the woman should make sure that they are not carrying the breast cancer genes. If they are not, then there is little downside that I know of. Many, many doctors are prescribing Propecia for post menopausal women because the protective effect of estrogen is reduced. The reports, however, are anecdotal and not trustworthy.

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September 15, 2008

Yaz, Drospirenone, and Female Hair Loss – Balding Blog

I am officially confused!!! I have been researching oral contraceptives that are said to help improve conditions such as acne and thinning hair, and thought that Yasmin and YAZ were good candidates for these conditions. Did I misunderstand, or is Drospirenone(the progestin used in these OC’s)said to have nonandrogenic effects thus blocking excess testosterone which may lead to acne and hair loss?

Yaz Testosterone is generally not a cause of hair loss in women, but it may be in special types of medical conditions such as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Drospirenone/Estradiol can cause hair loss (see Drugs.com). In fact, many drugs (if you read the label carefully) state in their side effect profiles that hair loss is a possibility. I’ve seen that Yaz’s list of rare side effects does say “increased hair growth, or loss of scalp hair” — so I guess it means that you could see more hair growth (not specifically on the scalp) or lose your head hair. You should not be choosing medications (birth control) based on improving your hair condition.

There are few drugs that are associated with hair growth, but unfortunately none of them will help your cause. For example, minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine) can cause hair growth all over your body when taken orally, not just on your scalp — but please, do not drink minoxidil. I was referring more to the minoxidil oral pill called Loniten, a blood pressure medication. Also, finasteride (Propecia/Proscar) when taken orally, can help with genetic male pattern hair loss (not female hair loss).

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September 12, 2008

Women Using Rogaine Foam for Men? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I recently bought Rogaine Foam for men, because I wanted foam. When I got it home and thouroughly read it, it said not for women. I can’t find foam for women. My question is, is there any health side effects from the active ingred.and can women use the foam for men. My beautician told me she heard about good results with the foam.

Thank you.

If you are a woman losing hair, you can use Rogaine Foam (even though it says “for men”). In fact, I generally inform my female patients that they can use the “for men” brand. The only difference I have found is the “blue” vs “pink” color in the packaging and the concentration of the minoxidil. The “for men” stuff is usually 5% and the “for women” is 2%, though women can use the 5%.

The higher the concentration, the more of a potential for unwanted facial hair growth in some women. That being said, if you are a women that wants to use Rogaine Foam, that doesn’t mean the foam will guarantee you wake up with a moustache and beard. Just something you should watch for.

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September 10, 2008

Anorexia and Bulimia and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi. I’ve been recovering from an Anorexia/Bulemia for about a year. I’ve been losing hair the whole time. For a while it was really bad, then got better, then got worse, then better to where i really thought it was actually going to stop but now it’s been worse AGAIN for a few weeks. I am taking birth control and an antidepressant which i understand both may cause hair loss. I was just curious if there is anything else that may be causing the hair loss. Note: i have recovered SUPERBLY from my eating disorder and have a great relationship with food. I eat healthy but indulge once in a while. Is there anything that can “help” with the hair loss? Please let me know. The problem is stressful and embarassing. It would be great if you would respond to my question. Thank you.

Hair loss from anorexia/bulimia stems from malnutrition and malabsorption. If you are eating healthy you should eventually recover unless other medications you are taking are causing the hair loss (antidepressants are common causes of hair loss). This process can take several months to over a year. Regretfully, sometimes you may not regain all the hairs that were lost.

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September 9, 2008

Future Issues for Young Woman Taking Finasteride? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello,

Thanks in advance for your time. I am a woman with PCOS who has experienced a great deal of hairloss in the past year and a half (my only symptom of PCOS is hairloss — I am on the pill to regulate my cycle). My doctor recently prescribed finasteride (5mg I believe?) but I am afraid to take it because of the harmful effects it is supposed to have on children. Could taking it now be harmful down the road? Is it a bad idea for a woman of my age to start on a drug she can never get off of, like this?

Desperate for answers.

Thank you.

If you are pregnant while you are on finasteride, the chances are high that your baby will develop a sexual differentiation problem. That includes accidental pregnancies, which is something that you must consider. That bit is strictly for women that take finasteride while pregnant — for men reading this, simply taking Propecia while trying to conceive a child should not be a concern. The word from Merck (pharmaceutical company) is:

“Available data indicate that the level of PROPECIA in the semen of a man taking PROPECIA does not pose a risk to an unborn child. Accordingly, a man can take PROPECIA while conceiving a child with his partner, or have sexual intercourse with his partner if she is already pregnant.”

Just a reminder, finasteride is not FDA approved for treating women, and your doctor prescribed it to you off-label. On its own, the drug is not harmful to women, that is, unless they harbor the breast or ovarian cancer genes. The good news is that once you are off of the drug, it is out of your blood stream in 1-2 days and out of your system in 1-2 weeks. Still, it is not recommended for use in women that could become pregnant. I assume you’ve asked these questions to your prescribing physician, as well?

This page has some good information on finasteride use in women — Finasteride for the treatment of female pattern hair loss.

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September 8, 2008

Will Nioxin Regrow Hair Lost from Medication? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

(female) When hair loss is caused by a medication, in my case Abilify – an antipsychotic I’m using for bipolar disorder – does medication such as nioxin work to prevent the loss or promote growth? I’ve started to notice large amounts of hair loss which began soon after starting Abilify. One of the rare side effects mentioned in Abilify literature is unusual hair thinning, apparently I’m experiencing this rare side effect.

I do not believe that Nioxin will help regrow your hair. Minoxidil might be worth a try, but be sure to read the warnings on the packaging. At this time, minoxidil is the only FDA approved medication for treating female hair loss.

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