Category: Hair Loss Causes

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My Hair Loss Started When I Began Using New Shampoo – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hi doctor,
I am a serious victim of hair loss and I am really worried. I am only the age of 19. My hair started to fall since the time I started using the head and shoulder shampoo about a month ago. After I realise that my hair fall was because of the shampoo so I stopped using it 15 days ago. In this 15 days my hairs have fallen like a waterfall from my head. In my family only my grandfather is bald. Before using the shampoo my hair was quite thick. After avoiding using the shampoo my hair still falls. When the water is poured in my head I could really see my hairlines. I am really worried. Please help me. Will my hair grow once again?

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A few things that stand out to me:

  • You’re at the age where it wouldn’t be unusual to see the genetic hair loss process start
  • You have a family history of hair loss
  • You’ve diagnosed your problem as being caused by shampoo

Shampoo isn’t going to cause hair loss unless perhaps you have an allergy to an ingredient. There’s a thread on this site about Head and Shoulders shampoo with hundreds of comments from people, but I really wouldn’t expect this commonly used shampoo to cause the hair loss you’re seeing. See a dermatologist for an examination.

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Could the Topical Steroids Prescribed for My Foot Fungus Impact My Scalp Hair? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have a small fungus on my foot. Mr dr. gave me clotrimazole/ bethameth. could it impact mpb?

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I do not think a medication for your foot or a fungus can impact the hair on your scalp. Topical steroid on your foot should not affect male pattern hair loss. If there is long term / high dose skin applications with significant steroid absorption into your body, there might be a connection. Be sure to ask your doctor this question.

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If I Can’t Grow Facial Hair, Does That Mean I Won’t Have MPB? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have heard that hair loss is caused by excessive DHT. I have also heard that it is DHT that produces facial and body hair particularly in men. If I don’t grow facial hair (past stubble) does that mean I have less of a chance of exhibiting traits of early male pattern baldness?

I am 19 and my dad is the only person on either side of my family (maternal and paternal) who exhibited some form of baldness, but said that he showed signs at my age (I am not). Do I have good or poor chances of keeping my hair?

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I think we answered this question many times in the past in different variations.

Facial hair is not related to scalp hair or male pattern balding. You can have no facial hair or too much facial hair without it being related to the hair on your scalp.

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I Don’t Want to Spend My 20s Bald – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

First off, I am a 20 year old male who has been concerned with balding since I was a kid. My dad is almost completely bald but the men on my mothers side all have full heads of hair. When I was about 16 I notice the corners of my hairline are higher then the rest of my hairline. I’ve worn my hair long since I was a kid so I can’t tell if this is my natural hair line or if it is in fact receding. I compulsively check my hair and haven’t noticed any recession since I began checking 4 years ago.

What I am desperately wondering is whether or not a hair transplant can restore a mans hair completely? I know that doctors recommend waiting until MPB has stabilized but my concern is (1) I don’t want to spend my 20’s bald, waiting for mpb to stabilize and (2) if i end up nearly completely bald there won’t be enough donor hair to help me achieve the results I want. I’ve always maintained good hair care and styled my hair so the idea of losing my hair is devastating.

On a side note, I’ve read a bit about stem cells possibly leading to a better solution to MPB. Is there any truth or likelihood to this ever becoming a reality?

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In the pages of this blog, there are many examples of men being proactive about their hair loss. You need to get a Master Plan developed with a good, honest doctor who can help you through these traumatic years. Each case should be unique, so you and your doctor need to form a plan.

You might be a candidate for surgery or for medication. You might not even be going bald, but it’s just that your hairline is maturing. You might have nothing to worry about (as you said, your hairline hasn’t changed in years). Without an examination, I’m not sure what more I could say.

Stem cell research is ongoing, most recently mentioned here and here. I hope at some point new treatments become reality, but I’ve got no timeline for availability, nor can I promise that they will.

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Could My Hair Loss Be From Stopping My Thyroid Medication? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

(female)
I would like to know if my hair loss sides front and back are a result of my doctor taking me off of thyroid medication. I was on 50mcgs and after he took me off of it i sustained an incredible amount of hair loss.

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If your thyroid hormone levels are normal, I wouldn’t expect issues with hair loss. Usually people with high or low thyroid hormone levels experience thinning of their hair. Doctors generally monitor their patients thyroid levels and adjust the medication based on blood tests.

So stopping or starting thyroid medications is not the issue, but rather it is your own thyroid hormone levels that should be of importance.

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My Hair Loss Started at 24 Years Old and Comes Out Easily When I Pull It – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am 28 male with male pattern baldness which started at around 24 or so but last couple months has been thinning out very rapidly and I am not sure if this is normal. My front hairline on my left side is like a zig zag shape because the hairs are falling out and its uneven and doesn’t look natural.

Also, sometimes if I pull on those hairs some of the thick colored ones will slide out as if the follicle is dead and there is a black color where the root is. Why are these hairs coming out so easily with the black root and why is my hair loss/thinning all of a sudden happening rapidly? Thanks

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It’s possible your hairline is maturing or you’re transitioning to a balding pattern that you’re genetically programmed to have. Perhaps it’s something else entirely. I really have no way to know just based on your email. But for your loss to start in the mid 20s, it does sound like it could be genetic male pattern hair loss. See a doctor if you’re concerned.

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Hair Loss InformationPermanent Female Hair Loss from High Doses of Chemo? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

(female)
I am currently receiving chemotherapy for my synovial sarcoma. I have 2 more rounds of Ifosfamide to go (Cisplatin/Adriamycin in my previous rounds). I will have 6 total rounds of chemo. I’ve read everywhere that permanent hair loss can occur if there has been very high doses of chemo given. What counts as “high dosage?” Do you think 6 cycles of my chemo will cause permanent hair loss? I just want my hair back!! Thank you.

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The reason for hair loss with chemotherapy is because these drugs kill cells that are fast growing, and hair cells fall into that category. We may not know immediately if the hair loss is permanent or temporary, because some of the women who have had such treatments may also have genetic hair loss that is triggered by the drugs. Only time will tell.

Within a year, there is enough time to survey the hair loss. Doing bulk measurements on the newly grown out hair and then repeating such measurements over time will tell much about how the hair may or may not be recovering.

I suggest that you finish your course of chemotherapy and after 6-12 months, you might consider being evaluated by someone like me if you are in the Los Angeles area. At one year out, call me and send me photos so we can start a dialogue.

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Hair Loss InformationI Cut My Head and Had Stitches – Will Hair Regrow There? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi.

I cut the back of my head quite badly a few weeks back. I had stitches put in and now they have been removed. The cut is healing well but the problem is that there are 2 cuts with a gap in between. Currently I have a large-ish bald patch covering the whole area.

My questions are:

A) Will the area between the 2 scars ever grow back the hair

B) Is there anything I can do to encourage the hair to regrow.

Thanks.

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Without seeing you, I can not tell you the answers to your question. The scalp frequently scars and the scar can widen. If that is the case, you may end up with a bald area where the scar forms.

Sometimes there is an area around the scar which has temporary hair loss. If that happens, it usually regrows in about 6 months. Best to see a doctor who knows about hair for an examination if you’re concerned.

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Hair Loss Gene Regulation from Environmental Influences? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Doc,

Firstly thanks for the blog, very helpful and informative, have been following it for some time.

I had two questions for you,

1) First is regarding propecia. I have read many entries in your blog and you mentioned that complete reversal is extremely rare and usually seen in those under 21 (with use of propecia). My question is within your practice have you ever seen early to late norwood 3 patterns reverse to a norwood 2 (where balding is hardly evident). I know that regrowth is rare and should not be expected, but was just wondering if you had seen such changes in your practice.

2) You and other doctors (experts in hair loss) have mentioned that even if one is carrying a baldness gene it doesn’t necessarily manifest itself. Well I know that gene regulation causes genes to turn on and off during ones lifetime. Could it be possible for the baldness gene to turn off once it has manifested due to positive environmental influences (healthy diet, very low stress, exercise etc..)…my second question is just me wondering really, medically it might not make much sense, but I have heard of gene regulation (genes turning on and off during ones lifetime due to environmental influences) and was thus wondering if this applies to balding genes as well.

Thank you

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What more can I say about complete hair loss reversal from Propecia other than it is highly unusual.

There is little doubt in my mind that the balding gene has on and off switches that may be impacted by environmental factors such as diet, but I do not know what many of them are. I do know that stress is one of those environmental factors that can impact balding. As more research is done, we’ll continue to learn more.

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Teenage Acne and MPB? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Doctors,

Do you believe that there is a link between suffering from acne in early teenage years and male pattern baldness? Being as acne spots are based around the hair follicles and hormones also have something to do with it, I am curious.

Thanks for looking at my question!

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Changes in hormones are what is responsible for teenage acne and androgenic alopecia (AGA). In boys under 16, we rarely see patterned genetic balding being expressed, yet we see a great deal of acne in this age group. There is no direct linkage that I know of.