Causes Of Hair Loss In Women
Androgenetic alopecia, a type of hair loss commonly called male or female pattern baldness, was only partially understood until the last few decades. For many years, scientists thought that androgenetic alopecia was caused by the predominance of the male sex hormone, testosterone, which women also have in trace amounts under normal conditions. But while testosterone is at the core of the balding process, dihydrotestosterone is now thought to be the main culprit.
DHT, a derivative of the male hormone testosterone, is the enemy of hair follicles on your head. Simply put, under certain conditions DHT wants those follicles dead. This simple action is at the root of many kinds of hair loss.
Testosterone converts to DHT with the aid of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. Scientists now believe that its not the amount of circulating testosterone thats the problem but the level of DHT binding to receptors in scalp follicles. DHT shrinks hair follicles, making it impossible for healthy hair to survive.
The hormonal process of testosterone converting to DHT, which then harms hair follicles, happens in both men and women. Under normal conditions, women have a minute fraction of the level of testosterone that men have, but even a lower level can cause DHT- triggered hair loss in women.
Hair loss can also be caused by an imbalance of thyroid hormones or pregnancy, disease, and certain medications, which can all influence hairs growth and shedding phases.
Show Sources
What Can I Do
- The appearance of menopausal hair loss can sometimes be improved by cosmetic practices, e.g. reducing the use of straighteners, hair dryers and other heat damaging tools. This along with the use of thickening shampoos and conditioners may improve hair appearance.
- A healthy, varied diet is a contributing factor to a healthy body, so a nutritional review may be helpful.
- Topical solutions to increase hair growth can be purchased. These take several months to take effect and must be used on an ongoing basis, or hair loss will return.
- Laser devices that emit low-energy laser light may stimulate hair growth to help fight thinning hair. Laser therapy is best carried out by a hairdresser or therapist with experience and training on these devices. The long-term safety and effectiveness are unknown.
- Some medications have side effects that could include hair loss. Make sure to talk to your doctor if youve noticed significant hair loss and you think that your medicine might be the cause.
- An important function of hair is to protect the scalp from sunlight it is therefore important to protect any bald areas of your scalp from the sun to prevent sunburn and to reduce the chances of developing long-term sun damage.
- Be reassured. Most menopause related hair loss does slow down with time.
Also Check: Why Is My Hair Loss Getting Worse
What Causes Hair Loss
Hair loss is a multi-faceted, common and for some embarrassing issue There are numerous factors attributing to hair loss such in men such as heredity baldness, hormonal changes, medical conditions or aging.
At Project Alpha we understand that a full head of hair makes a man feel younger and generally better about himself. With 1 in 4 men aged 30 and older in the UK experiencing hair loss we understand that it is a massive issue for many. The most common type of hair loss is MPB .
In patients with MPB we see an issue with the hairs natural growth cycle slowing down, producing shorter and finer strands of hair. Eventually, the growth cycle for each hair ends and no new hair grows in its place causing hair loss.
Recommended Reading: How To Regrow Thinning Hair Black Male
Hair Loss Due To Hormones: Will It Grow Back
Hair loss due to hormones is a reality for many people after menopause as well as during pregnancy. But will it grow back? The answer is yes, but there are also things that can help the body along.
Wash hair regularly with a mild shampoo. Treat hair gently. Dont comb or brush hair when its wet. Using the fingers to detangle is a gentler option. Putting hair up in a tight bun or ponytail can cause added stress on the hair and its follicles.
Finally, try to limit the use of hair dryers or irons on hair, as they can dry and damage it.
Here are five tips to prevent hair loss during the menopausal transition and after menopause:
What Does Testosterone Do To Your Hair
Testosterone is an androgen present in both males and females. It plays a vital role in the development of your sexual organs.
Your hair growth life cycle is affected by various hormones in your body. Androgens are also one of those hormones that support scalp hair growth to a limited extent. As androgens primary function is to develop sexual characteristics during puberty, they target hair growth in the genital areas.
As you age, scalp hair follicles become sensitive to androgen actions on the hair growth life cycle, making you lose scalp hair in different patterns. It is called Male Pattern Baldness and Female Pattern Hair Loss .
Heres how it looks:
Read Also: How Finasteride Works For Hair Loss
Why Do You Lose Your Hair
If you are an adult male and experiencing hair loss, what were talking about is likely a particular kind of hair loss known as androgenic alopecia.
Androgenic alopecia is most commonly referred to as male pattern baldness which starts in the twenties. It will take years or decades for the progress to be noticed.
Androgenic alopecia is a type of hair loss that can occur in people experiencing premature greying, aging, and hereditary. One of the main factors contributing to its occurrence includes age-related hormones such as testosterone.
Other factors include genetics and high levels of inflammation during an individuals life span. What warning signs should one watch out for?
How To Get Trt
TRT is only available with a prescription. If a person presents with symptoms consistent with low testosterone levels, a doctor will only provide a prescription after taking a thorough medical history and performing physical and lab exams.
As hormone levels fluctuate depending on activity levels, diet, and the time of day, doctors usually take two different blood samples before noon. They may sometimes also ask for imaging studies and additional tests, such as tests for luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulation hormone, to determine the cause of the low testosterone levels.
There are several ways to administer testosterone:
Read Also: Why Do I Have A Lot Of Hair Loss
Does Trt Affect Hair Loss
Testosterone Replacement Therapy, commonly known as TRT, has piqued the interest of many men. The therapy involves steps that increase testosterone levels inside the body.
As testosterone is the male sex hormone, you might be wondering How it can affect my hair? Originally, this male hormone is not only responsible for carrying out sexual processes, but it also causes stimulation of secondary hair in the body. This is exactly why TRT can be effective in treating hair loss.²
If you are interested in or currently on TRT, you must be worried about its effects on your hair. To understand testosterone effects on hair follicles, you must know about the relationship between testosterone and dihydrotestosterone . DHT is a synthetic form of testosterone that is formed by the reduction of testosterone hormone in the presence of enzyme, 5-reductase. DHT plays an important part in terms of hair loss.
The point of argument which stands against the effectiveness of TRT is the effects of DHT, a bi-product of testosterone, on hair loss. When testosterone is catalyzed to form DHT, it disrupts the natural predisposition of hair follicles to cause hair loss.¹
The hair growth cycle is based on four distinct phases.
- Anagen
- Telogen
- Exogen
DHT mainly affects the anagen and the telogen . It slows the growth and prolongs the resting condition of hair follicles.
Dht And Other Conditions
There is some evidence of a link between baldness and prostate cancer and other diseases. Harvard Medical School reports that men with vertex baldness have 1.5 times more of a risk of developing prostate cancer than men without bald spots. The risk of coronary artery disease is also more than 23 percent higher in men with vertex bald spots. Investigations are ongoing as to whether there is a link between DHT levels and metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and other health conditions.
Recommended Reading: Do Natural Hair Loss Remedies Work
What Is Trt Or Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Testosterone replacement therapy is a hormone replacement therapy used to manage male hypogonadism and associated disorders. The primary goal of this testosterone therapy is to restore the function of male gonads and testes and aid in the normal functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
The signs and symptoms of male hypogonadism and low testosterone levels include erectile dysfunction, loss of libido, mood disturbances, anemia, and significant muscle and bone mass reduction. This testosterone treatment is the mainstay treatment for congenital hypogonadism in males. However, this hormone therapy can also treat and manage acquired conditions.
Natural testosterone is the first choice of testosterone preparations for this therapy. Natural testosterone is converted to estradiol via aromatase and dihydrotestosterone via 5-alpha reductase in the human body.
Testosterone preparations in testosterone therapy may be delivered via different routes. These include oral, buccal, intranasal, subcutaneous, topical, and intramuscular administration of different forms of testosterone.
What Role Does Hormone Replacement Treatment Play In Hair Thinning During Menopause
Hormone replacement treatment during menopause may help with thinning hair if its related to hormone changes. Our provider may prescribe estrogen replacement therapy to help bring your hormones back into balance and back up to healthy baseline levels if you have low estrogen during menopause. This may help your hair in a few ways.
First, as we learned, estrogen plays a significant role during hair growth. Increasing estrogen levels during hormone replacement treatment may help your hair stay in the growing phase for longer than it would without hormone injections. It can also help your body keep testosterone levels in balance to help reduce the shrinking effects testosterone can have on hair follicles. In addition, some studies show that if you start hormone imbalance treatment early on for menopause symptoms, it may help you maintain your current hair density. This can help you reduce how much hair you lose throughout the course of menopause.
You May Like: Does Scratching Your Head Cause Hair Loss
Other Ways Of Boosting Testosterone Levels With No Risk Of Hair Loss
Get enough sleep Sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce testosterone production by up to 20%. Try getting at least seven hours per night. If possible, try to get more than eight hours because it will help with weight loss as well. Make sure not to skip any naps during the day either.
Exercise regularly Regular exercise helps with belly fat, keeps muscles toned and healthy. This means better blood flow for both men and women, leading to improved circulation and overall health. It may even improve metabolism and boost energy levels too. You dont have to join a gym or anything like that. Just park yourself outside on the porch or walk around the block every once in a while. Even just going for a brisk 10-minute stroll daily will give you some great benefits.
Eat right Your diet plays an essential role in how much testosterone you produce. Men who eat lots of protein tend to be healthier and stronger. Theyre able to build muscle mass faster while maintaining their leanness. Avoid processed foods and limit red meat intake if you want to maintain optimal T levels. Instead, opt for fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and seeds. These contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health and brain function. Omega-6 fats found in vegetable oils such as corn oil should be avoided since they increase inflammation throughout the body.
Does Injected Testosterone Cause Baldness
Posted on October 10, 2018 in Hair Loss
We at Leonard Hair Transplant Associates are often asked whether anabolic steroids such as testosterone cause baldness. Injected testosterone has been used for many decades to increase muscle mass as well as for other medical reasons like hypogonadism, where the body manufactures too little of this hormone.
It is commonly known the DHT is the biochemical culprit of androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness. If a person has the genetic predisposition to having DHT turn off the hair growth cycle at some predetermined time, then hair will undergo miniaturization and the balding process will become evident with thinner and thinner hair.
Our experience is that if one injects testosterone to restore normal testosterone levels, then there is little concern for it to cause baldness. However, if one injects testosterone that leads to much higher testosterone levels in the blood stream, then we have seen it to accelerate the natural process of male pattern hair loss leading to thinner hair sooner than nature would have had it happen. This increase, we have often observed, can be significant and rather rapid, depending on how much and how often it is injected.
Read Also: How To Avoid Hair Loss Men
Lets Talk About Hormone Replacement Treatment For Menopause
At HerKare, our focus is to help women feel their best with personalized health care solutions. We understand the many ways menopause can impact your life, so we work with you to find treatments that are tailored to you. Our providers take the time to listen, then well work together to find ways to help you improve your physical, emotional, and sexual health. Were here to help you enjoy life, not just push through unwanted menopause symptoms. Schedule an appointment online today!
Truth: Low Hormone Levels Link To Hair Loss
The best place to start is with the facts so you can get the truth about how hormones relate to hair loss. If you want to know if TRT causes hair less, the answer is a bit more complicated than you might expect.
Male pattern baldness comes from a shrinkage in hair follicles. As we grow older these follicles being to grow dormant and shrink as a result ,thus resulting in more thin hair or hair loss as time progresses.
There are many theories being studied between a drop in hormones in the body resulting in hair loss. This, along with genetic makeup, can cause hair loss in the body.
Read Also: Can You Go Bald From Postpartum Hair Loss
Pcos Can Be A Trigger
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition in women in which the body manufactures more androgens, or male hormones, than it normally should. It is a potential cause of hormonal hair loss in women. Women who suffer from this condition may grow facial hair and extra body hair. One of the other symptoms of this condition is thinning of hair on the head. Women affected with PCOS may also experience weight gain, acne, menstrual irregularities, ovulation problems, depression, and infertility. Hair thinning may be the only outward sign that a woman is suffering from this condition.
What Our Patients Say
As of March 2021, I have been a HerKare patient for 3 years. I have driven from the Austin to Ft. Worth and Southlake since March 2018. In fact, today I attempted to drive to Southlake to see the provider, Dania Khoncarly, because she is so amazing, but the roads were too dangerous with the current ice storm in Texas, so I visited the Mansfield location instead as it was closer for me. The patient care has been nothing short of amazing. In fact, I cant imagine my life without HerKare. I struggled with hormone deficiency since 2003 until March 2018. The treatment plan provided by HerKare has positively impacted my way of life socially, emotionally, and physically. One of my closest friends now drives from Copperas Cove to the Mansfield location. I have several friends in my age group mid to late 40s & early 50s who would benefit from HerKare. I understand with our nation experiencing COVID, now might not be the time to open a new location, however, your services could positively impact the well-being of so many women. When the time is right, please open more HerKare locations!
Patient since March 2018
Read Also: How To Stop Hormonal Hair Loss
Recognizing Hair Loss Caused By High Testosterone Levels
If your body has an excessive amount of testosterone, then the likelihood of DHT production also increases. To start with, you can observe the thinning of your hair strands. Also, you might see more hair growth in the rest of your body . Your scalp might become itchy due to inflammation as well.
Gradually, it develops into male or female pattern baldness. In male pattern baldness, hair loss is denser on the temple and crown region. On the other hand, in female pattern baldness, the front line remains intact while the crown region is affected the most. Therefore, you can observe the pattern of baldness and prominent symptoms to recognize the testosterone hair loss. To make sure, you can always visit a trichologist and get a thorough scalp examination.
Who Is More Susceptible To Hair Loss With Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Though cases of hair loss will always depend on a case by case basis due to the variable nature of the factors contributing to its development, certain groups of the population are more likely to experience this particular condition, placing them at higher risk of hair loss when undergoing testosterone replacement therapy.
Among the largest of these groups of the population is the biological gender of male, being far more likely to experience male pattern baldness or similar hair loss conditions due to their higher volumes of DHT as well as their innate susceptibility to hair follicle deactivation as a natural characteristic of aging.
Asides from these factors, individuals with a family history of androgenic alopecia, male or female pattern baldness or other forms of the alopecia condition are all also likely to develop hair loss, especially if both parents present the same condition.
In more specific cases, the presence of certain medications, endocrinological changes and conditions or even the occurrence of a traumatic or stressful event in the patients life may all trigger significant incidences of hair loss, especially if genetic and demographic factors are also combined.
Don’t Miss: Does Otezla Cause Hair Loss