Clinical Evaluation Talk To Your Doctor
A laboratory workup for hair loss is commonly performed. Additional questions that you may be asked to help narrow down differential diagnosis are :
- When did the hair loss start? A sudden onset of hair loss may be suggestive of a disruption of the hair cycle.
- Where is the hair loss most prominent? Hair loss can be patchy, diffuse or patterned. Diffuse shedding may indicate disruption of the hair cycle, while patterned thinning could be attributed to hormonal dysregulation.
- What is the normal hair care routine? Certain hair care practices can have a tremendous impact on the loss of hair health.
With proper evaluation and appropriate testing for hormonal imbalances or nutritional deficiencies, help is on the way!
How To Manage Symptoms Of Hair Loss During Menopause
The good thing about menopausal hair thinning and hair loss is that it is not a permanent condition. Your hair will still grow back but it may take some time. Fortunately, there are ways that can help manage its symptoms and prevent severe hair loss. Here are some tips to keep your hair healthy during menopause:
What Causes Hair Loss During Menopause Why Could Hormone Replacement Treatment Help
During menopause, youre likely experiencing a lot of changes, from irregular periods to night sweats and mood changes. Thinning hair can also occur in post-menopause. Many women notice that hormone replacement treatment can help reduce hot flashes and may even help their hair. However, what is it about menopause that makes your hair more vulnerable? In many cases, its hormones.
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The Zrt Laboratory Blog
A symbol of femininity for so many women, our hair demands attention. Both deeply personal and superficially public, changes in the looks of our hair can inspire a range of emotions, driving us to willingly partake in its cutting, straightening, curling, bleaching, darkening, or other aggressive chemical treatments. Hair is part of who we are and how we present ourselves to the world. This is why thinning hair is kind of a big deal it can be a very frustrating topic for many women as there is no quick solution to getting more hair instantly.
Losing hair is utterly dreaded and distressing, and unfortunately something we all eventually come to face as we get older. As hair thins over the years and the shower drain clogs almost on a daily basis, the scalp becomes so vivid when hair is a dash too oily, and now the hair part has been moved over to a different spot, thereby concealing the thinned out patches next to the temples you find yourself on the internet in search of answers, bombarded with innumerable articles offering anywhere between 3 and 33+ helpful tips on how to get your luscious mane back. Some are obvious eat right and exercise to provide nutrients and stimulate blood flow, while others are less straightforward like sleeping on a silk pillowcase or wrapping your hair in a T-shirt. Whatever the suggestions may be, achieving strong and healthy hair extends way beyond keeping your locks away from heat and dyes.
Hrt For Hair Loss: Benefits And Risks
HRT is a very effective hair loss treatment for some women who are good overall candidates for the therapy. HRT has benefits for both general health and menopause symptom management, but also has side effects, which can include:
- Slightly increased risk of breast cancer
- Higher risk of dying if you do get breast cancer
- Increased risk of uterine cancer if estrogen delivered with progesterone
- Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
- Increased risk of blood clots
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Nausea and bloating
- Frequent headaches
- Sore breasts
Your doctor will take a full medical history, test your hormone levels and talk to you about the risks and benefits of HRT. If you are prescribed HRT, it is important to take the lowest effective dose and to only take the drugs for the shortest amount of time needed to control symptoms and get your crowning glory back in shape!
HRT can be effectively delivered through customized HRT creams. Birth control pills can decrease the production of ovarian androgens and can also be used to treat womens androgenetic alopecia in some cases.
Dont let thinning hair damage your self-esteem there are solutions! Contact the expert and compassionate team at Coyle Institute and well find the cause of your hair loss and help you get back your confidence! Call us today to set up your consultation!
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Low Estrogen And Hair Loss
Whilst elevated estrogen levels during pregnancy encourage hair growth, decreased estrogen levels in the body may contribute to hair loss.
This is most noticeable during menopause, when estrogen levels tend to drop and the hair follicles fall under the influence of the male hormone testosterone, shortening the growth phase.
The subsequent hair loss is usually gradual, but noticeable.
Hair loss caused by fluctuating estrogen levels tends to be diffuse , or may cause a wider part. It does not tend to cause patchy hair loss or baldness.
You may also notice hair loss if youre taking supplementary estrogen, then stop.
Case in point are women who come off birth control, only to find that their hair begins to shed at a rapid rate. This tends to be temporary, however, and usually corrects itself when the body rediscovers its hormonal balance.
The link between estrogen and hair loss can also be seen in women treated for cancer, when the ovarian function is destroyed, or in menopausal women whose ovaries are removed.
In either case, the bodys estrogen levels will drop significantly .
If no supplemental hormones are offered, the menopause-like symptoms such as hot flashes, skin thinning and hair loss will result.
And as we mentioned earlier the sudden drop in estrogen levels following pregnancy can trigger hair loss, although its usually the excess hair that was gained in pregnancy thats falling out, and the hair isnt actually any thinner than it was in pre-pregnancy days.
When To Seek Help
You should consult your doctor if:
- You are losing hair in an unusual pattern
- You are losing hair rapidly or at an early age
- You have any pain or itching with the hair loss
- The skin on your scalp under the involved area is red, scaly, or otherwise abnormal
- You have acne, facial hair, or an abnormal menstrual cycle
- You have additional symptoms which concern you.
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When Hormones And The Environment Conspire
While hair loss in men can be genetic, it may also result from an underlying hormonal imbalance. In men, a hormonal imbalance often means that testosterone levels drop while estrogen levels rise. But men can also ingest estrogen from their environment and from their lifestyle choices.
Air fresheners, birth control pills, canned foods, cosmetics, and plastic containers all contain foreign estrogens that contribute to a phenomenon known as estrogen dominance.
This form of hormone imbalance can contribute to hair loss.
Managing naturally occurring estrogen, also called oestrogen, and limiting or eliminating foreign estrogens is one of the strategies that can be utilized to limit or reverse hair loss.
Solutions For Low Estrogen And Hair Loss
If your doctor suspects that your hair loss is caused by a lack of estrogen then he may offer you supplementary estrogen known as Hormone Replacement Therapy either taken orally or applied topically as a gel or patch.
Some women are given the birth control pill to boost their estrogen levels.
That being said, estrogen supplementation is still somewhat controversial, with some sources pointing out that there are no controlled medical studies supporting its effectiveness, whilst others stating that
estrogen deficiency as a cause of hair loss has not found its way into medical textbooks, but this does not stop it from happening.
Some women report seeing a big improvement in their hair loss once their estrogen levels are supplemented, others not so much.
But its worth bearing in mind that different people react in different ways to supplementation based on all sorts of factors.
Its best not to decide upon YOUR plan of action by comparing yourself to others rather, we recommend discussing the situation with your doctor or even better endocrinologist.
We also recommend ensuring that it really IS low estrogen thats causing your hair loss.
Later in this article well look at other ways in which estrogen and hair loss are connected ways that may explain why supplementary estrogen doesnt work for everyone and may even make hair loss worse.
Source: WebMD
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Outlook: Is Menopausal Hair Loss Permanent
Hair loss during menopause is common and can be upsetting, but there are things you can do to help protect your hair. Some of these will also help with other menopause symptoms, so they can help you feel generally better, too.
Whether your hair loss is permanent depends on the cause. If youre worried, see a doctor, and they can investigate.
Can Low Estrogen Cause Hair Loss
It is known that during pregnancy, because of an increased level of estrogen, there is a tremendous growth of new hair. However, during menopause it is noticeable that the reduced level of estrogen hormone tends to cause hair loss. When the estrogen hormone levels tend to drop, the hair follicles fall under the influence of the male sex hormone or the testosterone, which cause the shortening of the growth phase of hair. Subsequently there is a noticeable hair loss. This hair loss caused due to the drop down of estrogen levels may cause patchy hair loss or complete baldness.
The link between low estrogen and hair loss can also be noticed in women who are being treated for cancer, when their ovarian function is destroyed and when their ovaries are removed. With the removal of ovaries, there is a drop down in the level of estrogen hormone which significantly causes the hair loss.
Women taking estrogen supplements or birth control pills may also experience a temporary hair loss.
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How Common Is Female Hair Loss
Just like male hair loss, female hair loss becomes more common with age. Studies show that only 12% of women between the ages of 20 and 29 show some degree of hair loss, from loss around the hairline or temples to diffuse, overall thinning.
On the other hand, women aged 80 and up have a more than 60% chance of experiencing some degree of hormonal hair loss. Because hormonal hair loss is partly caused by a genetic sensitivity to DHT, your risk of hair loss could be higher if your mother, siblings or other female relatives have hair loss.
If youre concerned about hair loss, its important to take action quickly. Because hair loss is gradual and affected by DHT, acting quickly allows you to minimize hair loss and maintain as much of your hair as possible.
Female Hair Loss : Why It Happens And How To Treat It
Noticed your hair falling out? Whether youve spotted more hairs than normal on your pillow, in the shower drain catch or on your clothing, its easy to panic when you notice your hair thinning at a faster pace than normal.
Female pattern hair loss is the most common type of hair loss women experience.
Hair loss in women can occur for a variety of hair types and reasons. Sometimes, its triggered by changes in your hormone levels and a genetic sensitivity to certain hormones. In other cases, factors such as stress, thyroid issues , weight loss and even environmental factors can all have an effect on your hairline.
As a woman, dealing with hair loss can be difficult. Luckily, its almost always treatable using a range of safe, effective medications. Weve covered these treatment options, as well as the key reasons for female hair loss, below.
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Vitamin D The Sunshine Vitamin And So Much More
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that is essential to our immunity, bone health and many other processes. With regard to hair, it actually helps create new hair follicles by initiating the anagen phase. It does so by regulating the expression of genes that are required for hair follicle cycling. A number of symptoms, such as hair loss, can occur when the body lacks enough vitamin D. Its not surprising then when researchers found suboptimal serum vitamin D levels in women with telogen effluvium or female pattern hair loss . Moreover, patients with alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition which gives rise to hair loss, also have low serum vitamin D levels . Emerging clinical research is putting forward recommendations to evaluate serum vitamin D levels in patients with hair loss .
Most people can get the bulk of their vitamin D through sunlight exposure or through diet. Some foods are naturally rich in this nutrient, such as fatty fish , mushrooms, or foods fortified with vitamin D . Vegan or vegetarian diets tend to provide less vitamin D, so supplements may be needed. Additionally, finding a balance between protecting skin from sun exposure and absorbing the vitamin may be essential to achieving optimal vitamin D levels.
Hair Loss Or Androgenic Alopecia: How Does It Happen
Androgenetic alopecia is the term used to call the hair loss phenomenon that occurs in both men and women. Individuals may also experience temporary hair loss or shedding due to telogen effluvium, a disorder that is caused by different triggers like stress or shock. To better understand how female pattern and male pattern hair loss happens, lets look at the three important phases of hair growth:
- Anagen – During this first phase, the follicles will push and grow hair from the roots until it reaches its maximum length. This phase may last between 2 to 7 years.
- Catagen – This is usually a transition period where the hair follicles begin to shrink and the growth of new hair slows down. This typically marks the end of the anagen phase.
- Telogen – The hair cycle begins its resting period and sometimes hair shedding is common in this phase as the hair falls from its roots. It is also during this stage that new hairs grow inside the follicle to prepare for the new cycle of hair growth.
The entire hair growth cycle and the composition of the hair follicle are influenced by hormones. There are two main types of hormones: androgen and estrogen hormones. In male pattern baldness, androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone can affect the size of the hair follicle. Low testosterone and the presence of DHT may cause hair loss in men.
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How Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Help
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy helps retain a full head of hair. These hormones, derived from plant sources, are biologically identical to the hormones your body created prior to menopause. Not only will your hair become thicker and normal, but bioidentical hormone replacement therapy relieves other menopausal symptoms, including:
- Loss of libido
- Insomnia
- Mood swings
Therapy is custom-tailored to each patient. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy involves a holistic approach, so the doctor will also recommend a diet and exercise regimen and possible nutritional supplements to improve overall health. Hair health always reflects your bodys general health.