Category: Female Hair Loss

I am 51 years old and have been on a combi patch for hot flashes for about 7 months. I have noticed my hair is falling out at an alarming rate. Have you heard of hormone replacement therapy causing hair loss? I have been considering either going off the meds or tapering it down by waiting an extra day or 2 to change the patch. Will the hormone flucuation cause more hair loss? Thanks

Yes, any hormonal manipulation can cause hair loss, and we see this condition regularly. Imbalance of estrogen and progesterone levels can accelerate hair loss in some women. You can try to switch to different medications to see if it helps. Changing the frequency of hormonal replacement therapy can be helpful, but needs to be done under supervision of a physician.

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I’m a 21 year old female and I went through a serious about 6months ago deppression. I’m now loosing a lot of hair. I’m not taking any medication so, why is my hair falling, and what can I do to restore it? Thank you!

You need to get a good doctor who can map out your hair and scalp for miniaturization. There are many medical conditions that when combined with stress will produce hair loss. There are some blood tests that may have value as you need a diagnosis and then treatment. Please see my list of possible female hair loss causes here.

Hello Dr. Rassman, and thanks for your continuing work.

My “shedding” and permanent hair loss started in my early teens. Within about 5 years, my hair went from shiny, heavy wavy hair to coarse, brittle, curly hair (to this day). Everyone and my own mother too thought it was a perm.

What would account for this? I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, however, that was 20 years later after a baby and after enormous stress. My hair got even worse.

Could there be a connection between my teen hair loss and the hyperthyroidism in my thirties?

Thanks, and God Bless.

Female changes in hair texture that follows medical problems like hyperthyroidism will combine with your genetics to create a new hair (something different than what you had as a child). There may be a connection.