Category: Hair Loss Causes

Hello Dr. Rassman,

I am a 35 year old male with a Norwood pattern II hairline. I have tried Propecia and Rogaine with no success.

I recently made an interesting observation about my rate of hair loss that has me perplexed, but hopeful. Ever since my hair loss began serveral years ago, I have noticeed a very consistent 40-60 hairs on the shower floor after towel drying my hair following my morning shower. Interestingly, however, on days when I have consumed a large amount of alcohol the night before (especially multiple nights in a row) I notice an astonishing decrease in the number of hairs lost (sometimes the total drops to as low as 5). Based on my knowledge of the science behind hair loss, it initially seemed highly unlikely that there could be a connection here – but I can no longer argue with the facts. The decrease happens every time.

Clearly getting drunk every night is not a desirable solution to my hair loss problem – so I’m hoping you can help me determine what the mechanism of action might be – and if there are any other ways of achieving the same result.

I’m not going to suggest becoming an alcoholic to fight your hair loss, but I guess seeing less hair on the floor is a good thing. What you’re describing really makes no sense to me, though. There’s no basis for a relationship between a night of drinking and seeing less hair loss the next day. I wish I could pinpoint a connection for you, but I think we’re equally confused about this.

Maybe you just can’t count hairs accurately in the drain when you are hungover?

Question about ministurization. Can hair miniturize throughout growth or does it only miniturize after previous hair has fallen out. The hair that I lose I find some of them are really thick while some of them are thick but are thin near the root – is this miniturization? Thanks

Balding men lose mostly miniaturized (thinner) hairs, but they do lose normal thickness hairs. I believe it happens within the anagen (growth) phase and during the telogen (rest) phase of the hair cycle, but things are not always clear cut. Some hairs are partially miniaturized and can look thick, and the hairs you are looking at in a point in time may not be found again when looking anew. Usually the hair follicle that stops producing hairs will make the root of the hairs shrink and eventually the shaft of the hairs would also shrink (in a continuum).

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I read one of your articles that state clogged pores, poor circulation and excessive seb. oil does not contribute to hair loss. I am experiencing hair loss, I was diagnosed with seborreah dermatitis…..did my healthcare provider provide me with inaccurate information regarding my hair loss

“Seborrheic dermatitis is a common, inflammatory skin condition that causes flaky, white to yellowish scales to form on oily areas such as the scalp or inside the ear. It can occur with or without reddened skin.” (Source: Google Health)

Seborrheic dermatitis CAN cause hair loss when the scalp is scratched, but it is not the permanent type of hair loss from genetic (androgenic) balding. People who have seborrheic dermatitis sometimes have genetic balding so when these two conditions are present at the same time, the hair loss is always caused by the genetic component. This can also be confusing so that the affected person can think that the seborrheic dermatitis is the cause of the hair loss when it is not. Too many doctors and healthcare providers mistakenly link the dermatitis to the balding.

I’m sure that this question has been asked many times but are body hair and baldness related? My dad suffers from MPB and he inherited it from his maternal grandfather. He first noticed a receding hairline at 16. My dad also has a lot of body hair and matured quite early. I’ve been told that I carry a lot of my mother’s genes but I have a lot of body hair like my dad.I’ve noticed a very slight recession in my hairline and I asked my dad and he didn’t know if I was losing it and I went to my dermatologist and she wasn’t sure either. Any information that you can give me would be great.

Like your dad and your dermatologist, I am not sure if you’re losing your hair either. I haven’t seen photos or have any way to determine if you’re in the early stages of balding, your hairline is maturing, or if you’re just worrying about nothing. Since you’re worried about male pattern baldness, you should have your scalp examined for signs of miniaturization.

The the hard fact is, if you inherited the hair loss gene, you inherited the gene. It’s really not related to body hair. Body hair is another genetic trait as well in itself and to my knowledge, these two are not directly related to each other.

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Hi, my basic question is about stress and hair loss.

I do have alopecia, but when I started rogaine/propecia it was only on my temples. However, for the last two years, I have experience severe psychological stress. I used to have extremely thick hair on the back of my head. However, most of it has fallen out, along with the sides of my head.

I read that this could be Telogen Effluvium. When the stress is over, the hair is suppose to come back. In my case, my hair isn’t growing back at all, and it has been about seven months. One note, before I went through my stress period, the rogaine regrew hair. Now that’s not the case.

I’m wondering if my severe stress, along with alopecia, has permanently killed my hair follicles, even in the back and sides of my head.

Thanks

If we were to assume it was from stress causing a telogen effluvium, then the hair should grow back in a year or so once you managed the stress, but it takes a long time and patience. In men, however, the hair loss is most likely from genetic causes and a good doctor would connect the dots and find out what is a telogen effluvium or what is MPB. I can not do this remotely from just what you reported here, particularly since you mentioned hair falling out from the back and sides of the head (which is not generally part of the balding pattern).

You should meet with a doctor that specializes in the field and get an examination of your scalp and loss, and you can find such a doctor by using the physician search at ISHRS.org.

Does zinc deficiency cause hair loss in men? If so, how long after taking extra zinc will the hair go bak to normal? How much extra zinc is recommended? Thank you for answering my questions.

It is rare to have a zinc deficiency. Babies, people who are malnourished, and people with bowel disease are the ones that will generally have such a deficiency. Best to look up the extensive write up on zinc at Office of Dietary Supplements.

I have not seen any patients with zinc deficiency, so I can not tell you if the hair loss that comes about from it in an adult will reverse with treatment, but there seems to be optimism in some of the reports I have read.

This regards traction alopecia/scarring. As a kid, roughly around 11 yrs. old, I was over a friends house and another kid locked me out of my friend’s room. They pulled the old trick on me where I was pushing hard against the door to get it in and WHOOOOOSH – the flies open and Newton’s First Law comes into effect and ends with me tripping head-first into the corner of a wood dresser. An extremely large and painful bump emerged on my head, but no bleeding and no hospital.

Ever since then I’ve had a bald spot the size of a silver dollar on the impact spot and have noticed something interesting. The scalp there is not smooth/glossy and I can still see plenty of hair follicles or “buds” everywhere, but they produce no hair or very thin hair and have been doing so the last 13 years. I realize these follicles have become weak/dormant, but is there anyway to reawaken them? Guessing propecia would do nothing considering it responds to DHT, not some sort of scarring.

After 13 years, I would think that there is no medication that would bring the hair back. You might try Rogaine for a year or so on the bald area, but do not expect a miracle. A hair transplant or some other surgical procedure may work, but I would have to see you and draw my own conclusion (a good photo would help). The little “buds” you speak of are interesting, and I’d like to see what that is.