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What Kind Of Doctor Treats Hair Loss In Women

You Arent Losing Hair Yet But Have Concerns

HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS THAT ACTUALLY WORK for MEN & WOMEN @Dr Dray

Finally, its often worth seeing a hair loss doctor even if you havent started to experience major hair loss, but simply want to be prepared and have a plan ready for dealing with hair loss if and when it becomes an issue for you.

You may want to talk to a hair loss doctor if you have family members with visible hair loss, such as a parent or sibling.

Alternatively, if you use medication that can cause hair loss, you may want to meet with a doctor to discuss your options if your hair starts to shed or thin.

Hair Loss Treatment For Women

At the University of Chicago Medicine, your dermatologist can help you understand the pros and cons of medications, procedures and other interventions that may be effective hair loss treatment options for you based on the type of hair loss you are experiencing, including:

  • Diet and nutrition
  • Platelet-rich plasma therapy
  • Hair transplantation

Since hair loss can involve a range of complex health concerns including hormonal changes, pregnancy, menopause, thyroid disorders, autoimmune disease, anemia or other conditions our team of specialists will work together to determine an effective treatment option that supports your total health and wellness goals.

What Is A Trichologist

Trichology is the branch of dermatology that deals with the scientific study of the health of hair and scalp. A trichologist is usually a doctor who can diagnose the causes of hair loss, diseases of the scalp and treat accordingly. All dermatologists are trichologists but all trichologists are not dermatologists and female hair loss is a particular interest of mine.

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What Are The Common Causes Of Hair Loss In Women

What causes hair loss?

  • Hair style: Your style of hair can cause hair loss when your hair is arranged in ways that pull on your roots, like tight ponytails, braids, or corn rows. This type of hair loss is called traction alopecia. If hair follicles are damaged, the loss can be permanent.
  • Vitamin deficiency.
  • Over processed scalp hair .

What causes anagen effluvium hair loss?

  • Toxic substances, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and some medications. These cause sudden hair loss that can occur anywhere on your body. It happens to hair in the growth stage. Sometimes, this type of hair loss can be permanent if your hair follicles are damaged.

What causes telogen effluvium hair loss?

  • Extreme physical stress or shock to your body: This causes temporary hair loss. This category includes events like losing a lot of weight, surgery, anemia, illness and having a baby.
  • Extreme emotional stress: mental illness, the death of a loved one, etc.
  • An abnormal thyroid.
  • Medications and supplements: blood pressure medicines, gout medicines and high doses of Vitamin A.
  • Hormone changes caused by pregnancy, menopause or birth control pills.

What causes FPHL ?

  • Genes: Your familys genes can cause thinning of hair along the top of your head.
  • Aging: Hormone changes as you age can cause balding.
  • Menopause: This type of hair loss often gets worse when estrogen is lost during menopause.

There are also some conditions that affect hair loss:

Changing Your Hair Care May Help

What Women Can Do about Thinning Hair and Hair Loss

Some hairstyles and hair care habits can damage hair, leading to hair loss. If your dermatologist finds that this may be causing your hair loss, your dermatologist can recommend changes that will help you stop damaging your hair.

Youll find tips that dermatologists give their patients at:

Recommended Reading: How To Diagnose Hair Loss

Hair Loss Prevention For Women

Its never too early to talk with your dermatologist about what you can do to prevent or minimize hair loss especially if it runs in your family or if you have a related underlying condition, such as:

  • Thyroid disorders
  • Iron or vitamin deficiency
  • Autoimmune disease

At the Center for Womens Integrated Health, your dermatologist and other specialists can work together to thoroughly assess your risk and offer recommendations to keep your hair as healthy as possible.

Causes Of Excessive Hair Loss

Improper Hair Cosmetic Use/Improper Hair Care Many men and women use chemical treatments on their hair, including dyes, tints, bleaches, straighteners, and permanent waves. These treatments rarely damage hair if they are done correctly. However, the hair can become weak and break if any of these chemicals are used too often. Hair can also break if the solution is left on too long, if two procedures are done on the same day, or if bleach is applied to previously bleached hair. If hair becomes brittle from chemical treatments, its best to stop until the hair has grown out.

Hairstyles that pull on the hair, like ponytails and braids, should not be pulled tightly and should be alternated with looser hairstyles. The constant pull causes some hair loss, especially along the sides of the scalp.

Shampooing, combing and brushing too often, can also damage hair, causing it to break. Using a cream rinse or conditioner after shampooing will make it more manageable and easier to comb. When hair is wet, it is more fragile, so vigorous rubbing with a towel, and rough combing and brushing should be avoided. Dont follow the old rule of 100 brush strokes a day that damages hair. Instead, use wide toothed combs and brushes with smooth tips.

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What Treatments Are Available

Once your dermatologist diagnoses your hair loss, they will determine whether treatment could be effective. Treatments can either help hair regrow more quickly or slow future hair loss. Keep in mind that age-related or genetic hair loss may not be reversible.

Patients who have a medical condition causing hair loss, like a thyroid issue or infection, will need to treat that condition before addressing the hair loss. In some cases, your dermatologist will refer you to a specialist for treatment. If you have a medical condition like alopecia areata, the dermatologist may prescribe medications or recommend an over-the-counter treatment.

In-office procedures can also be effective for some patients. These treatments can include corticosteroid injections, laser therapy, and platelet-rich plasma therapy. You may require repeated treatments before seeing improvement in hair growth.

Its also important to mention that your dermatologist may recommend lifestyle changes to prevent future hair loss. This may include changing your diet, as well as avoiding certain hairstyles and hair pieces.

Hair loss can be complicated, but the team at Pacific Dermatology Specialists can diagnose your condition and recommend treatment. Located in Long Beach, CA and a number of other convenient locations, our medical dermatology professionals are committed to helping you look and feel your best. Contact us today to get started.

Women And Hair Loss: Coping Tips

Jada Pinkett Smith | Women’s Hair Loss Explained

Losing your crowning glory can be particularly difficult for women. But there are ways to cope.

Losing your hair as a woman, especially if youre young or at a vulnerable time in your life, can badly affect your confidence.

Hair loss, known medically as alopecia, is fairly common. Its estimated, for instance, that around 40% of women aged 70 years or over experience female-pattern baldness the most common type of hair loss, which is thought to be inherited.

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How To Stop Thinning Hair: Hair Loss Treatment For Women

Medications are the most common treatment for hair loss in women. They include the following:

Minoxidil . This drug was initially introduced as a treatment for high blood pressure, but people who took it noticed that they were growing hair in places where they had lost it. Research studies confirmed that minoxidil applied directly to the scalp could stimulate hair growth. As a result of the studies, the FDA originally approved over-the-counter 2% minoxidil to treat hair loss in women. Since then a 5% solution has also become available when a stronger solution is need for a woman’s hair loss.

Clearly, minoxidil is not a miracle drug. While it can produce some new growth of fine hair in some not all women, it can’t restore the full density of the lost hair. It’s not a quick fix, either for hair loss in women . You won’t see results until you use the drug for at least two months. The effect often peaks at around four months, but it could take longer, so plan on a trial of six to 12 months. If minoxidil works for you, you’ll need to keep using it to maintain those results. If you stop, you’ll start to lose hair again.

Some women find that the minoxidil solution leaves a deposit that dries and irritates their scalp. This irritation, called contact dermatitis, is probably caused not by the minoxidil itself, but rather by the alcohol that is included to facilitate drying.

Successfully Combat The Inner Unrest

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Stress can result in hair loss,

but acne and eczema can also occur as a result of stress.

Increased hand washing during the pandemic also promotes skin problems

Short, lukewarm showers and fragrance-free shower lotions prevent and alleviate symptoms.

If the skin is really dry, even gentle soap can do harm.

Don’t wash anything that isn’t dirty,” says dermatologist Dr.

Ohara Aivaz, as reported by aponet.de.

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What’s Required To Become Board Certified

Once a dermatologist has successfully completed their residency, they have the option of becoming board-certified by completing a challenging exam that will test the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired over the last decade of education.

Anyone that has their board certification granted by the American Board of Dermatology, the American Osteopathic Board of Dermatology, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has received the most rigorous education possible in the field of dermatology.

In other words, there is no other person that will know more about your hair, skin, and nails than a board certified dermatologist.

Are There Other Treatment Options For Fphl

Hair loss in women: causes, treatment and how to prevent thinning hair

Women want innovative treatments for FPHL. To meet this need, researchers continue to look for new ways to stimulate hair growth and stop hair breakage. Other treatments that you may find for FPHL include the following.

Lasers for at-home use: The FDA has approved laser combs, helmets, and other devices, which are available without a prescription, to treat hair loss at home. These devices emit a low level of laser light that may help stimulate new hair growth. A few studies show that this can be effective for treating FPHL.

As with minoxidil and prescription medicines, you must continue using an at-home laser device to see results. We still do not know whether these devices are safe for long-term use or if they can continue to produce new hair growth.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy:

It is believed the platelets help stimulate your cells to grow hair.

Researchers are just beginning to study this therapy as a treatment for hair loss. The early findings show promise, but more studies are needed to know whether this is a safe and effective treatment for FPHL.

Stem cells: Using stem cells to treat FPHL is still in the experimental stages. Like platelet-rich plasma therapy, more studies are needed to know whether stem cells are a safe and effective treatment for FPHL.

Hair loss shampoos: These shampoos tend to do one of the following.

  • Help your hair hold moisture, which makes hair look fuller and thicker

  • Lessen breakage, which can reduce thinning

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Common Types Of Hair Loss

Androgenetic Alopecia

The old saying that baldness genes come only from your mothers side of the family simply isnt true. Baldness actually comes from both of your parents genetic makeup .

The most extensive and most common type of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, which is genetic hair loss, and occurs in both men and women. In men, androgenetic alopecia is also referred to as male-pattern baldness where the hair recedes above the temples and the crown of the head. In women, this type occurs throughout the entire head, becoming thinner and thinner all over but rarely resulting in total baldness.

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia doesnt just affect adults. When younger kids or teens experience Alopecia Areata, they lose hair in a round formation due to an autoimmune issue. The hair is there, but its not growing correctly and is often very smooth and fine. The most common treatment for this condition is a steroid injection under the skin. Alopecia can cause someone to lose all of the hair on their head or across their entire body, depending on its severity.

Traction Hair Loss

Traction hair loss occurs most often in women and is generally very gradual. Its primary cause is the result of hair being pulled or tugged on repeatedly. For example, when someone wears their hair in a tight ponytail, braids, or other restricting hair styles. This condition can also be caused by someone chronically pulling their hair out. Telogen Effluvium

Next, lets dive into a few treatment options.

What Is A Dermatologist

A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in conditions that affect the skin, hair, and nails. These medical experts are able to identify and treat the many thousands of conditions affecting these parts of the body, but the most common conditions they treat include eczema, psoriasis, and skin cancer. Because hair emerges from follicles in the skin, hair loss and hair conditions tend to fall under the expertise of these highly trained specialists.

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Answer: See A Board Certified Dermatologist

While surgical correction is a method for treating hair loss, hair transplant surgery is not a diagnosis of the root cause of your hair thinning. Dermatologists are trained experts in the various causes of hair loss, including hormone imbalances, autoimmune conditions, and other organic causes of hair loss, many of which can be corrected far easier than hair transplant surgery or simply injecting PRP into the scalp, which seems to be the new, expensive, and favorite treatment performed by non-dermatologists for the blanket diagnosis of hair loss.

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What Is The Outcome For Someone Who Has Hair Loss

Hair Loss Treatment for Women

With an accurate diagnosis, many people who have hair loss can see hair regrowth. If you need treatment for regrowth, the earlier you start, the more likely you are to see regrowth.

Its important to understand that:

  • Not every type of hair loss can be treated, but a dermatologist may be able to prevent further hair loss.

  • It can take months before you see results from treatment.

  • No one treatment works for everyone, even two people with the same type of hair loss.

  • Sometimes, hair loss is stubborn and requires trying different treatments before finding one that works.

Self-care also plays an essential role in preventing and treating hair loss. To find out what dermatologists recommend, go to Hair loss: Self-care.

Images1,2: Getty Images

3: Property of the American Academy of Dermatology, A to Z Video Series

4: Image used with permission of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology: J Am Acad Dermatol. 1998 39:578-89.

ReferencesAdil A, Godwin M. The effectiveness of treatments for androgenetic alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017 77:136-141.

American Academy of Dermatology:

  • Research demonstrates potential of platelet-rich plasma therapy for hair loss News release issued March 1, 2019. Last accessed May 22, 2019.

  • New generation of laser and light therapies could provide future treatment options for skin, hair and nail conditions, News release issued March 16, 2012. Last accessed May 22, 2019.

Also Check: Does Rogaine Work For Hormonal Hair Loss

Hair Loss After Corona Doctor Explains What Helps With Coronavirus

A magnificent mane is the pride of many women.

If your hair suddenly falls out, it can also be due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Skin and hair can also suffer from a coronavirus infection.

Some patients report hair loss.

A dermatologist explains what is important then.

  • Covid-19 is a “young” disease: The first reports came in December 2019 in China, before the disease spread worldwide.

  • At the beginning there was talk of a new type of lung disease.

    But today we know: Not only the lungs can be damaged.

    Physicians also observed serious complications such as thrombosis.

  • A dermatologist will answer whether harmless symptoms such as hair loss are also part of the consequences of an infection.

An idea that some have already experienced in the form of nightmares: the hair falls out completely or partially.

There can be many causes behind real hair loss,

for example genetic predisposition in men, a hormonal imbalance in women or iron deficiency

But there are also corona patients who report hair loss after surviving the infection.

What is behind it, dermatologist Dr.

Ohara Aivaz a.

The official health portal of German pharmacists quotes the American dermatologist: “I recently had patients with stress-related hair loss who told me that at the beginning of the year they feared dying or having Covid-19”.

However , the effects of stress can only be seen around three months later

Patients lose hair even though the stress has subsided because the manifestation only occurs later.

When Hair May Regrow On Its Own

Yes, your hair may regrow on its own. This can happen if you recently:

  • Had a baby

  • Recovered from a major illness or had surgery

  • Underwent cancer treatment

  • Lost 20 pounds or more

  • Developed a mild case of a disease called alopecia areata, which causes your immune system to attack your hair follicles

  • Got rid of psoriasis on your scalp

Your dermatologist can tell you whether your hair may start to grow again on its own.

Sometimes to see regrowth, you need to make some changes.

Read Also: Does Brain Tumor Cause Hair Loss

What Is The Relationship Between Hair Loss In Women And Menopause

During menopause, you might see one of two things happen with your hair. You might start growing hair where you didnt before. Or, you might see the hair you have start to thin. One cause may be changing levels of hormones during menopause. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall, meaning that the effects of the androgens, male hormones, are increased.

During and after menopause, hair might become finer because hair follicles shrink. Hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily in these cases.

Your healthcare provider will do a thorough examination and take a detailed history to help you deal with changes in hair growth. You may be directed to have your iron levels or thyroid hormone levels tested. Your medications might be changed if what you take is found to affect hair loss or growth.

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