Category: Hair Loss Causes

Snippet from the article:

For many cancer patients, losing hair during chemotherapy can be especially hard during an already tough time. A new device is being tested on breast cancer patients at UCLA Medical Center and it may save their hair.

DigniCap is a cold cap that cools the patient’s scalp during and after chemotherapy, which researchers say restricts blood flow and reduces hair loss.

“I think the hardest thing for them is losing their hair, because they lose part of their identity,” said Dr. Sara Hurvitz, director of UCLA’s breast oncology department. “If you can keep your hair, look in the mirror and don’t look sick, it’s very important for feeling better.”

Read the rest — UCLA Tests New Device That May Save Patient’s Hair During Chemotherapy

We’ve written about cold cap therapy quite a few times, and have even posted a patient’s wife’s experience with using it.

Hello!

I’m a 23 year old male experiencing a thinning hairline, specifically down the centre of my scalp and the front 2 inches of my hairline. My scalp is generally more red than the rest of my skin, and I constantly feel bumps that remind of pimples on my scalp. My doctor told me that this is just alopecia, but I don’t believe the redness of the skin and the pimple like bumps are indicative of alopecia. What could be wrong with my scalp and how can I treat it?

Chronic folliculitis can cause hair loss, and the bumps you are describing sounds like it could be folliculitis. Redness and pimples are not a normal part of genetic hair loss. I would see another doctor and get a second opinion. This may have to get treated.

Hi Doc,
19 male… I recently went to a hair loss specialist to get examined for what I consider DUPA-like symptoms. She looked at me and assumed that my diffuse hair loss of miniaturized hairs all over my head was simply caused by my severe anxiety and poor diet. While it is true that I have had horrible anxiety for a very long time and eat like a pigeon, it seems farfetched to me that anxiety and diet could lead to miniaturized hairs falling out everywhere, even in the permanent zone. Can I trust her, or should I seek out another specialist?

You always have the option of getting a second opinion if you don’t trust your doctor’s opinion. I have not seen a case of diffuse unpatterened alopecia (DUPA) caused by anxiety and diet.

I think I am losing my hair, but don’t know why. The only reason that would lead me to believe that I have male pattern baldness caused by genetics is the fact that my dad is indeed bald. I have read that MPB is triggered by DHT production..which the amount of it is determined by your testosterone in your system. I myself do not believe that I have very much testosterone, just based like body hair and the pitch of my voice. Does the amount of testosterone one has determine the amount of DHT they have??? Is this so??

I am also not losing my hair in any one area of my scalp, such as hairline or crown of head…it just seems to have thinned itself out all over. I am hoping I am experiencing just hair loss due to changes, not genetics.

Is there a blood test or hair strand test that can be taken to determine the amount of DHT present in ones system…and the medicine one would take to block this production..is it possible to regain hair with this??

How does one officially positively determine what type of hair loss they suffer from?

Yes, the amount of DHT reflects the amount of testosterone you have, however the impact of the DHT on hair loss is not proportional to its quantity. Testosterone and DHT can be measured in a commercial clinical lab, but the significance of the lab values as it relates to hair loss does not correlate. Thus, we do not recommend having lab tests done for treating hair loss.

If you think that you are thinning, you should see a doctor for a comprehensive exam. Some objective tests would include having a microscopic exam at different areas of your scalp (miniaturization study), and even having your hair bulk measured. These tests then should be repeated in a year to compare the results.

That said, considering your family history of male pattern baldness, chances are good that your hair loss is due to genetics. If you’re in the early stages of hair loss, a pattern may begin to emerge soon. Medication like Propecia (finasteride) might be able to halt the loss and possibly regrow some hair, but you’ll need to talk to your doctor about that.

I have a question regarding miniaturization in follicular units. I know hair can grow in a single unit (one hair) and also grow in groupings in 2,3, and sometimes even 4 hairs per follicular unit. My question is during the course of the hairs miniaturizing, do all the hairs miniaturize at the same time or will some stay full and vibrant while the other hair(s) become thinner, shorter, and more translucent?

Example: A unit of 3 hairs have two thin miniaturizing hairs and the third hair full, thick, and vibrant. Is hair miniaturization amongst the hairs in one follicular unit synchronous?

Each hair miniaturizes separately within the follicular unit. I see this all of the time as I examine people with thinning or balding.

I am a 64 years old African American female. I had a Esophagogastroduodenoscopy procedure with general anesthesia on Jan. 13, 2014. Two weeks ago I noticed that my hair has started to thin so much that you can see right through it. My hair is already cut short because of Alopecia, however it was not thin in the places that grows. Now it is very, very thin all over. I am so disappointed because I already keep it barber cut in order for the thinner patches to be hidden. The last couple times I went to the barber, it took him 45 minutes to cut it because he had to take the time to try to get it blended enough to look decent.

Is there something that I can do to stop the thinning before I get bald patches again? Thank you for your help.

General anesthesia causing hair loss is unusual, but it does happen for some people. The hair loss could also perhaps be caused by the stress from the EGD procedure, which has been known to produce a temporary thinning called telogen effluvium.

You should really see a doctor who specializes in hair loss for an examination and a diagnosis.

Snippet from the article:

Some spices contain ingredients you won’t find in any recipes. The Food and Drug Administration recently found that spices entering the U.S. are nearly twice as likely as the average fda-regulated foodstuff to contain Salmonella pathogens or unacceptable amounts of filth. Roughly 12 percent of spice imports, which make up the bulk of the U.S. supply, exceeded federal limits on the “maximum levels of natural or unavoidable defects,” such as insect body parts and animal hair. In sufficiently small amounts, the fda reasons, such defects “pose no inherent hazard to health.”

Read the rest (and see the nifty visual aid) — Spice Imports Carry Lots of Filth

Around 170 insect fragments or 25 rodent hairs is the level required to be recognized as adulterated. I guess we should think twice before eating spice imports.

I am just curious to know because I have heard and read about this before, once a mans temple points are gone that is when the final balding pattern is achieved. Is there any truth to this or is it just internet rumors?

Cheers mate.

Seems to be just internet misinformation.

Traditionally, there is a pattern to men’s hair loss (which is why it is known as male pattern baldness), and the Norwood classification chart shows those various patterns. The Norwood chart is not meant to be seen as a progression of hair loss from 2 to 7. In most cases, men will fit into one of these patterns.

If your temples are gone and there is no other evidence or pattern to the hair loss under a microscope (via a miniaturization study or bulk analysis), then you can assume you are not undergoing traditional balding. Temple peak loss is a separate balding characteristic from male pattern baldness.

Dear Dr. Rassman,

According to this article (see link below), premature baldness is the equivalent of the syndrome of polycystic ovary, which is, as you know, a medical condition, a sign of messed up hormones. Furthermore it is stated in this article that men with premature balding have an abnormal/unhealthy hormonal profile. Would you go so far as to say that premature balding is a hormonal disorder?

Link: Hormonal profile of men with premature balding

Male pattern baldness is a genetic disorder and is impacted by one of the byproducts of testosterone catabolism: dihydrotestosterone (DHT). With that in mind, a more recently published study of 50 Indian men that had severe balding start before they turned 30 years old concluded:

“Though altered hormonal profile may coexist in some of men with premature AGA it can’t be considered as male equivalent to PCOS in female or the metabolic syndrome.”

Snippet from the article:

Bradley Cooper rocked a hilarious perm for American Hustle, but in real life, RadarOnline.com has learned, his hair situation is no laughing matter.

According to a source, Cooper ”is so anxious about his receding hairline that he’s turned to [balding remedy] Propecia.”

Cooper, 39, “has a lot of bald guys in his family, so he’s been on Propecia for a couple of years,” the source claims. “And to his delight, it seems to be working.”

Read the rest — Bradley Cooper’s ‘Hustle’ Against Hair Loss! Actor Has ‘Turned to Propecia’ To Battle Baldness

It works for celebrities and non-celebrities alike.