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My Diet Has Become More Healthy Over the Past 2 Years, But My Hair Improves So Slow

I’m a 27 year old male. About 3 year ago, at the age of 24, I went to work abroad for a year. At the time of leaving home I had a full head of hair.

When I was abroad my diet deteriorated. During this time my hair became very unhealthy. It became brittle and it stared to fall out. I returned home 2 years ago and my diet has returned to normal. My hair’s condition has improved and it has stopped falling out.

Though it has improved, progress is very slow and it has not returned to its former condition.

Could you help me, please?

A normal diet should not have any significant impact on hair loss. If you were malnourished during your travels abroad, it may have had some impact. However, once you start the hair loss process, I have found that it is difficult to stop the hair loss process. Some have explained this phenomenon by analogizing to a light switch that is turned on, but can’t be turned off. You should have your scalp hair mapped for miniaturization to see it there is a pattern to this hair loss. You have a component of genetic hair loss which may not be related to the diet issue.


2007-05-22 11:33:07My Diet Has Become More Healthy Over the Past 2 Years, But My Hair Improves So Slow

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Can a hair line mature unevenly?

Can a hairline mature unevenly? My hairline hasn’t been totally straight since I was about 14. Every man in my family is sort of Norwood 1.5 or 2, my dad is 60 with Norwood 2 but he is thinning a bit. Nobody except my maternal grandfather has ever gone bald. I’ve really freaked out about my hairline since I noticed it at the beginning of this year. It’s changed very slightly since I was about 14, however it has remained unchanged for about a year. It’s about a norwood 1.5. My forelock is still where it’s always been, which makes my temples look far more receded than they are. One temple seems to be a bit higher than the other, just slightly. Is it possible that the front of my hairline will mature too, making it look less dramatic? Or will this stay the same? I don’t really think it’s MPB, but I’ve had a lot of grief over it. I’d love not to worry about it anymore. I’m 18 by the way!

Yes, hairline maturation can be asymmetrical but eventually it evens out if you give it time.


2020-11-04 08:36:14Can a hair line mature unevenly?

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My Doctor Said I Wasn’t Programmed to Have Crown Loss, So Propecia Wasn’t Necessary

First, I can’t thank you enough for maintaining this resource–it’s alleviated a lot of my anxiety about hair loss simply by giving my a place to find answers to my questions.

I recently had a consultation with a surgeon about reshaping my temples. I’m 29, and probably a NW2-3. (I’ve had relatively high temples since high school, though the spaces have expanded slowly since though then.) He ultimately recommended 1100 grafts to fill in my temples and create a relatively straight hairline.

I have two questions:

1. He told me that diet has a significant impact on hair loss, second to genetics. He advised a vitamin regimen of L-Lysine, Vitamin E, Saw Palmetto, MSM, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, and Ester-C. In addition, he recommended that I stop consuming creatine, and eat a sulphite/nitrite-free diet that’s rich in antioxidants and low in refined sugar and bleached flour. I realize that much of this might be good health advice generally, but does it have any non-negligible connection to hair loss? I appreciate interest in my general welfare, but this had me a tad skeptical.

2. After examining the entirety of my hair, he told me that I’m “programmed” for hair loss not beyond a NW3. He did not conduct a miniaturization study; this was a “naked eyeball” examination. Because he didn’t think I’m “programmed” for any crown-area loss, he said Propecia wouldn’t be necessary. Should I take this pronouncement with a grain of salt, or could he accurately reach that conclusion via the type of examination he made?

Many thanks, and all the best. If it’s at all relevant, he did not recommend any type of hairline lowering, but simply filling in the temples and leaving the forelock as is.

While it is possible that you won’t advance beyond a Norwood class 3 hairline, I don’t trust doctors who give eyeball opinions for predicting hair loss. There are some good tests (miniaturization mapping and better yet, bulk analysis) that will tell you with some certainty if you are balding.

The decision to take drugs like finasteride should be based upon clinical evidence of balding. You might want to consider getting a second opinion, hopefully from a doctor that can give you a more thorough analysis of your hair. If you aren’t balding, Propecia isn’t necessary (though you should consider it to prevent shock loss from any hair transplant you may have). If you do have early balding, now would be the best time to start the medication.

As for the recommended vitamins, I am not a nutritionist, so your doctor’s suggestions may be good ones for your overall health. I wouldn’t expect to see lush hair growth upon taking them, though. None of those have satisfactory evidence linking them to treating genetic hair loss.

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Can anyone easily pull out strings of hair?

You should not easily pull out normal hairs, but miniaturized hairs easily come out. For people with Telogen Effluvium (mostly women) we call this a ‘Pull Test’ where the number of hairs that come out are quantified.

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My Doctors Are Experts and Have Differing Opinions

Hi,

I am a 41 year old female and have been thinning for several years. My hair loss was triggered by the removal of an ovary and a tubal ligation of the other. I have visited many doctors over the years with no success. Two have indicated that I have androgenic alopecia, the rest indicate I have telogen effluvium because my hair loss has a diffuse pattern and I show no miniaturization. I had the HairDx test done and the results were high androgen sensitivity and low risk of AGA. Both my physicians (an endocrinologist and dermatologist) are considered experts in their field and have a different set of opinions based on the results. One indicating no treatment needed and the other indicating I should go on finasteride. What is your take on this result?

I can not possibly form an opinion one way or the other based on what you wrote. I would need to examine you and make a determination based upon my observations and measurements.

Female hair loss is not as clear cut as male hair loss, so differing opinions are not unusual. Finasteride is not FDA approved for treating female hair loss, but your high androgen sensitivity (as revealed by the HairDX test) means there could be some benefit from the medication. It would have to be prescribed off-label, and is something you and your doctor should discuss in depth.

Ultimately, you may have to go with your gut feeling on this one.

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What Can Be Done? I’m Likely a Future Norwood 7 with the Family History I Have.

I’ve been told by several doctors that Fin isn’t a good idea because I have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Finasteride should not impact Irritable Bowl Syndrome. It might be worth a try. There is a balance between benefits and risks which only you can assess.


2018-06-22 09:04:09What Can Be Done? I’m Likely a Future Norwood 7 with the Family History I Have.

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My Girlfriend Is 5 Months Pregnant, Any Problems With Birth Defects With Me on Finasteride?

I understand you probably get plenty of messages so thanks for taking time to read this. My girlfriend is 5 months pregnant and Ive been on Finasteride for 7 months. I’m just wondering if I can contribute to take Finasteride whilst she is pregnant and also continue to have sex with her without the use of a condom. Will this lead to birth defects?

There are no problems with birth defects caused by you being on finasteride.


2020-01-13 09:45:40My Girlfriend Is 5 Months Pregnant, Any Problems With Birth Defects With Me on Finasteride?

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Can finasteride cause hair loss?

because i always see posts on hear of people saying they loss density on fin cuz of the shed and it didnt get better is this possible because im worried that may happen, Ive seen other ppl say its impossible to lose hair on it.

In my practice, I have never seen finasteride cause hair loss but I have seen genetic hair loss move rapidly evolve while a person is on finasteride.

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My Hair Is Growing Slower — Is This a Sign of MPB?

Hey Doc,
I’m a 21 year old white male, my father is 42 and has a full head of hair. I know my mom’s father was balding but only met him in his 50’s and didn’t know when it began. I’ve noticed a decline in the thickness of my hair. There’s no balding at the crown but there is thinning and receding at the hairline. I’ve always had a naturally high hairline, but I do notice my hair used to grow quicker and be thicker all around. At my age is this a sure sign of MPB? Or can you experience these effects without having the gene? Thank you

Hair that is miniaturizing grows at a slower rate and the more miniaturized it is, the less it grows… until it eventually just stops growing. For those people who miniaturize all of the hairline, for example, their hair will not grow at all and sometimes it takes up to a year to fall out completely. Some men will change the thickness of their hair as they go from childhood into adulthood. The way you tell the difference between changes in hair thickness and miniaturization as an early sign of balding is to:

  1. Use a micrometer to measure the thickness of your hair in the back of your head and at different areas in the front and top.
  2. Have your hair mapped out for miniaturization to see if there are differences between the hairs in any one area which reflect miniaturization.

This way you will know what is happening.


2008-03-26 14:56:45My Hair Is Growing Slower — Is This a Sign of MPB?

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Can Folliculitis Cause Hair Loss?

Hello Doctor!

I have a question about hair loss. I have been diagnosed with “folliculitis”. I’ve seen several dermatologists, and none has helped. Moreover, I am losing my hair. Can folliculitis cause hair loss? Is there any drug that can help me?

Thank you very much.

Folliculitis is an infection of your hair follicles. It can clear up on its own or your dermatologist can prescribe you medications to treat it. You shouldn’t lose hair from folliculitis unless it is chronically infected. Keep in mind though, the most common cause of hair loss in men is genetic hair loss.


2008-06-23 15:00:10Can Folliculitis Cause Hair Loss?