Category: Hair Loss Causes

Hi,

About a year and a half ago I went on a diet and lost over 100 lbs during the course of a year. After about 6 months my hair started to thin out all over my head. I got nervous and started taking a multi-vitamin and a vitamin for healthy hair. Most of the hair I lost gradually returned but it was much darker and thicker. My natural color is light brown/blonde. The hair that grew back had a straw like texture. It was black and wiry.

I visited my family doc and a derm and both said the color change and thickening was odd. They did a full battery of blood work but it showed nothing. Now after about six to eight months of having alien hair the dark, thick, black hairs are shedding like crazy. 90% are gone at this point. What is left is the hair that is my natural color and texture. It is much thinner than usual because of the shed the past few months. I can see some light colored peach fuzz sprouting up where the dark hair fell out but that just started in the last two weeks. Luckily, I had super healthy, thick hair before this so if I style it correctly I still have coverage.

When it turned black friends asked if I colored my hair. Now that it is going back, I’m getting the same question. Docs suggested hormones. I did have a stressful year and a half. They said I could use rogaine or propecia. I didnt want to start either of those because from what I read they need to be continued for life. Very nervous about propecia especially if my hormones were out of whack naturally and have recently returned to normal on their own. I doubt that would help make things better. No doctor would say for sure it is MBP, not even a local hair transplant doc I went to a consult with. He said give it 6 months and come back. He never saw hair get thicker and black before and couldnt explain it.

Everything I’ve read about MBP talks about receding and gradual thinning. My hair went from perfect with no signs of loss or family history on either side to thin to thicker and black back and now to normal color but thin in just over a year and a half. I do not have any bald spots just my normal hairline of the past but a general lack of density because of what I lost. I’m frustrated and out of options as far as I know. I’m hoping you could offer some insight. I just want to know what I’m dealing with so I can decide on a course of action. Thanks in advance for your help.

Hair color change and texture change are not likely related to dieting, but perhaps your hair loss was “triggered” by the extreme dieting (a common condition). I can’t explain the reason for the wiry, black hairs that you’re describing. It is a little odd, and I’m sorry to say that I don’t have any further insight.

Diffuse hair loss and patterned hair loss are generally two different things. For example, if your hair loss is deemed to be telogen effluvium, then your hair will likely grow back in a year. If you have another exam (find another doctor that can give you answers after an in-person examination) and can get the MPB diagnosis, then medication like Rogaine or Propecia would be helpful. If you don’t have genetic male pattern baldness, Propecia isn’t going to help you.

You need to figure out what is going on before you can figure out how to treat it.

hey doctor. I’m just wondering if I have a mature hairline or is it more? my hairline has certainly changed from when I was 18. also I cannot understand why one side seems to be receding more than the other and has been for years! I have naturally thin hair.

I have attached a picture that tracks my right side for over 2 years. a recent picture with my hair wet and also with a styling product in and then the left side which does not seem to change. you can use this for you site if you like.

Thanks for allowing us to publish your photos. I didn’t use all of them, but I think our readers will get the idea. Click them to enlarge.

Some men do not bald symmetrically, and in your case, that seems to be what is happening. The left side appears to be a mature hairline and the right side appears to be beyond just the mature stage. Propecia is a good drug to help slow down the process, though I wouldn’t expect regrowth there necessarily.

Since you indicated that you’re in the UK, I would suggest visiting a specialist like Dr. Bessam Farjo with offices in London and Manchester, so you can get an expert opinion on your hair loss situation.

I’ve experienced significant diffuse hair thinning/hair loss over my entire scalp and facial hair about 8 months ago.

Could this be anything else besides Androgenic Alopecia? I’m 41 and was slowly losing hair only on top since I was 20. Been on finasteride for 7 years. Should I see a dermatologist first?

You should just see your primary doctor to make sure you do not have any other medical causes of hair loss.

Androgenic alopecia is also known as male pattern baldness (MPB). As the name implies, there is usually a “pattern” to the balding. Diffuse hair thinning all over your scalp, including in the donor area, would not be MPB… but could point to something like alopecia areata.

Can antidepressants, antipsychotic, betablockers & more medications after years on and off using cause hairloss? different structure, color and even thinning like miniaturization thin? I found sometimes a very long thin hair in the back and side of my head with less pigment in my hairline i can found them to.

I also now have Telogen Effluvium for the second time. 6 months ago i had a big telogen effluvium shed overall on my head. The cause was dramatic stress and heavy dieting. Now i still have TE, 3 months ago i had a overdose of medication. The overdose really damaged my health now, how long do you think TE will continue?

I’m losing thick hair overall and also in the front, occasionally a thin hair. If i had have hairloss from medication that i have using for 7 years can it lead to permanent hairloss? Can TE make the hairline worse?

Thank you for helping, i really appreciate it

Let’s keep it simple. Telogen effluvium (TE) is not permanent hair loss. It is temporary and the hairs should grow back within a year. Stress (extreme stress – as you write about) can also cause some diffuse hair loss but most people generally recover and grow back their hair with in a year. Genetic hair loss for men is known as androgenic alopecia (AGA) or male pattern baldness (MPB). There is a “pattern” to the thinning / balding… like a receding hairline. A receding hairline does not usually happen with stress or TE.

I don’t know what medications you’re specifically taking, but it wouldn’t be unusual for some people to see hair loss from some antidepressants. I couldn’t say one way or the other if it was your medication that caused your hair loss, though. The reason for your hair loss could be from other medical or genetic causes.

Bottom line — if you are worried about hair loss, see a specialist or discuss it with your primary care doctor. There’s only so much I can offer online without an examination or proper medical history.

Hi my hair has been thinning when i was early-mid 14, its been almost an year now and my hairline is going bk more. I also noticed my hair gets really oily if i dont wash it for one day. I have been going to doctors but most of then said they cant do anything about it.

I’m currently using rogaine 2% for 4 months now but nothings really changing. I was wondering what can i do about this? Whens the earliest age to get hair transplant? I’m really scared to go bald as i’m still only 15.

At 15 years old, your idea for a transplant is likely not reasonable. Rogaine (minoxidil) probably wouldn’t do anything for your hairline, and at only a few months after starting it, I don’t think you’d even see any benefit at the crown (where it works best).

If you’re in the Los Angeles area, you can visit me at the New Hair Institute for a consultation. I will give you an opinion and not brush you off. You would also need permission from your parent(s) or guardian since you are underage.

Hello Doc,
I mapped my scalp for miniaturization (since no central European doctor or rocket scientist does). What I found was there was none in the front, crown, mid- anterior or top of my head, only as expected in my hairline corners. However, when I went further back at the temples, a narrow space between the sides and top of the head, going about half an inch to one inch further back than a Norwood 2 had also more fine hairs. (no recession up to there yet) This suggests Mpb, right?

Still I’m glad that after one year of hairloss it doesn’t look like I’m going bald soon, although at age 22 and a NW6 maternal grandpa one can not be sure (still all other male relatives are Class 1 or 2). I’m well aware that a self examination does not fully replace a medical one, so perhaps one day I’ll get it confirmed

After all, I wanted to thank you for your site, delivering infos, without which I would still not know about scalp mapping, mature hairlines or a master plan.

Thank you for the comments. While it may not replace a good medical examination, it is good to know that some readers can be empowered to take a proactive and objectively see the degree of thinning / miniaturization.

What you saw could suggest early MPB, but I couldn’t say for sure without seeing what you’re talking about.