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Iron Deficiency, Birth Control, Hair Loss

Is it true that iron deficiency in women can cause hair loss that may appear to be AGA? If so, does supplementation actually help?

Also, do you know if oral birth control pills (Ortho-tricycline lo) can cause progressive hair loss while on them. I am not refering to hair loss after discontinuing but progressive loss over time.

Iron deficiency with or without anemia has been reported as a cause of hair loss. Hair loss seen in iron deficient patients is typically more diffuse. In patients who are prone to male pattern baldness, iron deficiency can speed up the hair loss process.

Birth control pills or medications that manipulate the estrogen balance can cause hair loss as well. Although any medication containing estrogen may cause hair loss, the opposite also occurs and in some situations estrogen may be protective. Excessive hair loss (telogen effluvium) could be often seen in withdrawal from estrogen, or in postpartum phase and can last about a year after the baby is born.


2006-11-29 15:40:09Iron Deficiency, Birth Control, Hair Loss

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4 months finasteride & minoxidil (photo)

This is a wonderful result from 4 months on finasteride + minoxidil with a return of the corner & center hairline shown in both after photos


2020-05-18 11:44:094 months finasteride & minoxidil (photo)

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Is Avodart Making Me Angry?

Since taking propecia for three months then switching over to avodart for a further six months, i seemed to be very agrivated all the time and angry to the point were i was arguing and getting into fights. Is there any connection with this and taking avodart.

Why the switch to Avodart (dutasteride) from Propecia (finasteride)? Propecia is the only FDA approved oral medication for the treatment of hair loss. Avodart is not. If the Propecia was working well for you and had an acceptable side effect profile for you, you should go back to using it. Avodart has not been shown to help with male pattern baldness better than Propecia unless the dose is three to four times higher than recommended dosages and even this information is suspect. Since it may be causing you severe emotional issues, you should strongly consider stopping this medication. We do on rare occasions see personality changes with these drugs. You may also consider talking to your doctor or therapist about your anger issues if in switching, your anger has not subsided.

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Is Finasteride Evenly Distributed in a Proscar Tablet?

I would like to thank you for this very useful resource, and your consideration of submmited questions. I have a question about Proscar- since Proscar tablets are not scored four ways- is the finasteride distributed equally throughout the pill, in other words could their be more potent peices of the pill. This was a concern I had about switching to proscar. Are you aware if the pills have an equall distribution of finasteride? It seems like they may not since they are designed to be halved not quartered.

I can not imagine why Merck would weight the active ingredients in a tablet of Proscar (finasteride 5mg). I can’t say with 100% certainty, but I’d believe the distribution is fairly even throughout, particularly since the pill is likely homogenized. If it’s not perfect, it would probably be within a very small fraction of a percent difference. The Proscar isn’t scored, so you will likely get a little more of less each day anyway unless you somehow manage to get a perfect cut on an odd-shaped pill (see image at right). It’s a good question and although I did a little bit of research on it, I couldn’t find the absolute answer for you.

There’s an interesting thread at Drugs-Forum.com about splitting pills and ingredient distribution that you might find useful.

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Prolactin levels and hair loss

Can Prolactin in a Male, Like a Spike over 6 months caused by a medication cause some loss? I’m curious. I still have a full head of hair, but was wondering about that.

Elevated prolactin levels in association with diffuse or androgenetic hair loss can be neglected as causative for the hair loss, because there is no evidence that they have an influence to the pattern

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Is My Melasma Caused by Finasteride?

Since beginning Finasteride 1mg daily 13 months ago, my skin has become very sensitive. I’ve developed light brown spots on my forehead that my dermatologists states are melasma. After doing some research, I’ve found numerous online threads connecting melasma and finasteride. I have a few questions that I hope you can answer regarding this issue.
1. If I were to stop taking finasteride, do you think these conditions will continue?
2. I’ve read of a connection between oral medication and melasma, do you think topical finasteride would produce the same problems?
3. If you think topical finasteride would be a better option, do you still sell it?
Any help would be appreciated.

There is no way to determine if the melasma will go away when you go off the finasteride without trying to do so. There are a few reports of a connection between melasma and Finasteride. One article suggests: “We hypothesize this could be related to the effects of finasteride on estrogen and progesterone concentrations in the skin. J Drugs Dermatol. 2014;13(4):484-486”

If you took topical finasteride, there is some absorption of it into your body through the skin. I don’t know if it is safer, but that risk will be on you if you get a doctor like me to prescribe the topical finasteride for you.


2020-04-19 09:19:33Is My Melasma Caused by Finasteride?

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47 Year Old Female with Hairline Problem

I’m a 47 year old female. About 7 months ago, I noticed a thin spot on right side of my hairline, then a few months later, the left seemed thinner. It’s my underneath area, temple up to the sides of my widows peak. It seemed to be rapid because last summer I had full hair there. I’m so upset. I don’t know if it’s from my father or hormones. I have no prior hair loss. I don’t know when it will stop or if I need minoxidil. I’m taking stinging nettle and pumpkin seed oil. My thyroid seems ok but I have not checked my iron levels but because it resembles a bit of a male pattern. I wonder if it’s too much DHT. Please help.

Women are complex when it comes to hair loss as there are many causes that require an expert to evaluate. It takes many blood tests and a good examination by someone like me. As women get close to menopause, hair loss problems increase as estrogen levels in your body drop. Estrogen is the protector for good hair, so when menopause occurs, some women experience genetic hair loss. See an expert.


2018-10-10 12:18:4947 Year Old Female with Hairline Problem