Category: Hair Loss Causes

Hi,I am a 26 year old female and need your help desperately. About 7 months ago I had 2 small patches of scalp that was itchy and flaking on each side of my head, but the rest of my scalp was fine. Over time it spread everywhere except the top and back of my head. Now my hair is falling out on the sides of my head. I have tried every over the counter dandruff shampoo but nothing has touched it. What does this soundlike to you? I have read that scratching can make your hair fall out, but will it grow back if I stop scratching? Thank you so much for your time.

You should seek the services of a good dermatologist to examine your scalp. Unfortunately, I can not tell much just based on what you’ve told me.

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Dear Dr Rassman, I am a 22 year old male a few months ago I noticed I was receding around the temple. To be sure I went to see my GP and he agreed there was some thinning particularly around the sides. To be safe he sent me for a couple of blood tests and found out that I have a vitamin B12 deficiency. I started a program of vitamin replacement therapy about a month ago. As I understand things vitamin B12 deficiency can sometimes cause hair loss, but it could also be a coincidental in my case. My question is generally how long does it take before I would notice any regrowth as a result of my treatment? I am asking mostly because I am considering using Regaine if hair regrowth does not occur.

I would want to perform a mapping of your scalp hair to determine if you have male patterned balding. The question is reasonable, but treating the B12 problem is the right thing to do. If you don’t have male pattern baldness, then maybe the B12 will reverse your hair loss in a year or so.

Hello! I would like to ask a question about rogaine. I have understood that sideeffects like change in texture and color may occur. This is rare but it does happen according to the information i have got by reading about rogaine. Now I haven´t had any signs of hairloss but I tried it for a while anyway. Stupid I know but that I already know. What I don´t know if this is the same as what you describe as DUPA. You see since I quit rogaine after using it for a month the texture and color changed slowly the following six months. Now more than half of the hair is lighter not as dark in color as before and it grows in a different direction and I have a mix of thin and thicker hair. Could that be that all my hair is changing to a different density? It´s ok I can accept my stupid mistake but do you think it´s DUPA where it´s an ongoing process created by rogaine where the density is decreasing more and more like DUPA. Or do you think I just got a new density and that´s it case closed? I would really want to know if I will keep my hair since there is no male pattern baldness in my family or if rogaine started a DUPA process. ´Please if you could make time to answer this question that is so important for me I would be very greatful.

I have heard no similar history, so I couldn’t begin to guess at what you are experiencing, especially over the Internet without an exam.

You need to be examined by a professional. If you have diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA), it will show on the mapping of your scalp hair for miniaturization.

Hi Dr Rassman

Im a 18-year old boy having male patterned hairloss. I started balding when i was 16 and am a full norwood 3. Since the last year a have felt some tingling feeling when i run my hand trough my head,all of it except on the sides. I dont feel pain nor do i have some disease of what i know but just the tingling feeling. Its like i know what my hairloss pattern will be a (norwood 6) wich i can tell from the feeling.I have looked trough the internet to see if anyone has experienced the same thing and interestingly alot of people have. I was wondering if you heard about this? And if you have please tell

Tingling on the scalp does not mean you will lose hair. While people who are balding may experience these symptoms, people who are NOT balding also experience these symptoms (they just don’t write about on the Internet hair groups). You may consider dandruff, head lice, scabies, or other conditions (not related to hair loss). Or you may having nothing at all! I really can’t say what you are experiencing, but you may want to see a doctor if the problem persists.

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Dear Dr. Rassman

What do you think of the new (hypothetical) concept about hair loss called “Alopecia contentionalis”, i.e. high scalp tension causing less blood circulation?

Wouldn’t the risk of getting this condition increase by the number of FUT’s (strip extraction)?

If you are suggesting that a tight scalp that undergoes strip excision will get tighter, I believe you are correct. I do not believe, however, that a tight scalp causes hair loss.

Hi,

I have been using rogaine for many years. I have never been close to bald, but I started using rogaine as soon as I noticed small amount of hair loss. However, I am now shedding hair fast. In fact, at the current rate I will be bald within a couple of months. Is this normal? I am thinking that I have developed a tolerance to rogaine, maybe?

I moved from sea level to high altitude to live about one year ago. The excessive hair loss started about a month after moving to high altitude. Could living in high altitude (5000 feet) cause the hair loss? When I moved here my hair was very thick but one year later I am close to being bald.

I highly doubt high altitude has to do with your hair loss. Otherwise, being a pilot may be a risk for balding. I’ve read nothing about this phenomena (you’re the first person to ask this question) and I’ve yet to experience this in my one-on-one with patients over the years.

The most common cause of hair loss in men is genetic male pattern baldness. It is in your genes and it can happen relatively quickly. While it may be possible that you may have built some tolerance to Rogaine (minoxidil), the hair loss should not be as drastic as you describe it, especially if you are still using the medication.

I’ve noticed lately that the sides and the lower back of my hair have gotten a little thinner in density. However, the front and top and upper back (crown) have remained the same density. Also, I there isn’t any receding in the front of my hairline or any loss in density there either. Looking through your website I saw something about DUPA and I was wondering is it possible I have DUPA? Is the loss of density on the sides of my hair a sign of balding ? Because the top and front and crown look fine and I thought balding occurred there first. I also recently lost a lot of weight and am continuing to lose weight could hair loss on the sides be because of that?

Thanks for any help you can give.

Typical male pattern baldness does not occur on the back and sides of the head, but I couldn’t say what you have going on without seeing what you’re talking about. To get that diagnosis, you absolutely need to get your scalp hair mapped out for miniaturization. This can be a serious problem, so do it right and have a good doctor manage you.