| Author | Message | ||
     Tom Hagerty |
This seems to be a popular thread on an unpopular subject. Here's a fresh page to post messages on. | ||
| Anonymous |
Tom: Hi. I have been writing about losing hair while on topamax, but I do have another question for you. About two months ago I switched birth control pills for 2 months, and I am now back to my original pill I was on previously for 3 years. I did not experience any hair loss on this pill previously so I am pretty sure that it wouldn't all of sudden cause hair loss, but could the switch of pills for 2 months have caused a bit of hair loss that I am experiencing now? I am just trying to figure out what may be causing this, the topamax, or the BCP. What are your thoughts on this?? Thanks. | ||
| Tom Hagerty |
Anonymous: About ten percent of women experience some hair loss of the telogen effluvium type when they start, switch, or stop BCP. What causes the hair loss is the change in hormone levels. Hair follicles thrive best in a stable hormonal environment. In several months your hormone levels will probably adjust to normal again. | ||
| Anonymous |
Tom: Thanks. I am just trying to determine what could be causing this possible hair loss, if I am even experiencing it. I am thinking about seeing a dermatologist to determine a correct form of action from here on out. Usually, if medication if stopped, and my BCP has been returned to my previous pill where I experienced no hair loss, does the hair loss eventually stop?? Also, one more question. This may seem silly, but are there times of the year when are hair tends to shed more? Just trying to rule out some possibilities. Thanks. | ||
| Tom Hagerty |
Anonymous: You asked, "does the hair loss eventually stop?" If you have TE, the hair loss eventually stops once the triggers are removed. The hair also eventually starts to grow again, but the time frame is sometimes depressingly long. Hair is shed by some people, but not to a great extent, in the spring and fall - mostly in the fall. | ||
| Maria |
Why is it that one would tend to shed more in the Fall than any other season? | ||
| Tom Hagerty |
Maria: Many mammals shed hair before getting their winter coats to protect them from the cold. By the way, only mammals have hair. In human beings this seasonal shedding may be what scientists call an atavistic trait - the appearance of a characteristic presumed to have been present is some remote ancestor. | ||
| Penfold |
I have had androgenetic alopecia for 4 and a half years, recently diagnosed and now its getting to the stage where I am considering trying minoxidil. I am aware that this can cause the 'dread-shed'as a side-effect. Does this happen to EVERYONE that uses it? If it does and the minoxidil doesnt work, is the hair loss then permanent? Its a bit risky spending a lot of cash on something that will just promote my condition. Thanks. | ||
| Anonymous |
Hi - Here is my history. 35 years old, shed hair temporarily after the birth of each of my 2 children that resolved itself. Never on BCPs until this past year - GYN put me on OV-CON 35 for period discomfort and i was on it for 4 mths until my insurance decided that they were not going to cover it, so GYN changed pill script to Zovia 1/35 - which i was on for about 4 mths but my body didn't tolerate that pill well - weight gain, irratibility, sleeplessness. I stopped the pill mid-cycle. Was off of the pill for about 2 mths when hair shedding was noticed to the degree of hair loss after pregnancy. About that time my insurer decided to pay for the good pill OvCon 35 which I then started back up a month ago- I'm guessing this is all playing havoc with my hair- my question is will it eventually return to normal as i'm now on the pill i intend to stay with? | ||
| Anonymous |
HI- MY STORY IS COMPLICATED, I SWITCHED BCP'S A YEAR AGO AND THEN HAD MASSIVE SHEDDING, THEN WENT BACK ON ORIGINAL - ORTHO-TRYCLCLEN, THEN I GOT SEBORREHIC DERMATITIS. IT WAS GETTING BETTER UNTIL I GOT THIS DERMATITIS, NOW ITS BACK IN FULL FORCE AND HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH LOTS OF LOSS FROM THIS- ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY. I AM USING EVERY REMEDY POSSIBLE- DO YOU THE BEST, I AM NOW TRYING LOPROX SHAMPOO AND VINEGAR RINSES- ANYMORE SUGGESTIONS? I AAM SLO TAKING ALDACTONE TO HELP. I HAV ENOTICED SOME REGROWTH, BUT MY SCALP IS PAINFUL TO TOUCH, RED AND I HAVE TO WASH IT EVERYDAY OR IT IS OILY AND WORSE- I'M IN NEED OF YOUR ADVICE- THANKS!!!!! | ||
| Kessu |
I am also having hair loss due bcp. I have been off them about 2 months now, but nothing is changed  | ||
| MICHELLEH |
Hello, I AM SO CONFUSED!!! I HAD A HYSTERECTOMY 10 YRS AGO. I AM NOW 34 AND MY HAIR IS EXTREMELY THIN ON THE FRONT OF MY HEAD. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS HELPFUL OR HURTFUL FOR MY HAIR TO TAKE HRT. CURRENTLY, I AM USING THE PATCH CLIMARA. I WAS ON ESTRATEST BUT I COMPLAINED TO MY MD THAT IT WAS MAKING MY HAIR THIN SO SHE SWITCHED ME. PLEASE HELP!!!!!! | ||
| Anonymous |
Hi, Iam a 36 year old female who has just been diasnosed with fpb. My problem began after the bith of my 3rd child in feb.of 2003. I began shedding hair at 4 months postpartum but never noticed a slow down in hair loss. I had this postpartum hair shedding with my two other children but it corrected itself within months. I finally went to the derm this month and she told me that the TE from childbirth triggered fpb. Like so many other women I have read about on this site, I had very thick beautiful hair.I had noticed some hairs i thought were regrowth but they just begun to fall out too. I plan on starting Rogaine. Hopefully it helps. I would like to here fom anyone who has experienced this type of hairloss . | ||
| Anonymous |
I am a 46 year old female who has been experiencing "severe" hair loss for the past six months. I have used Rogaine for the past 5 years due to male-pattern thinning and it has helped tremendously, but this shedding is over my entire head and quite different. I am a thyroid cancer survivor and take Synthroid to replace the loss of my thyroid. I recently had my levels checked and everything was fine. I did, however, start Diovan about six months ago (around the same time the hair loss began). I take Diovan 80 mg (not Diovan HCT). I also take HCTZ for HBP, vitamin D metabolites (Calcitriol and Vit D 50K IU), and Calcium to replace the loss of my parathyroids. I also have some kidney problems, and was told my recent Creatinine levels were elevated. Any chance of telling me what the most likely cause of this hair loss is? I'm assuming it is a systemic problem but I'm not sure if it's the medicine or a health problem. My hair loss is severe and my hair is extremely thin. I'm afraid this won't stop until it's all gone! | ||
| Paul z |
Anonymous: I've known people who lost hair just from taking blood pressure medications alone. Also, living without your natural thyroid gland and its hormones and trying to regulate your t-3 and t-4 levels is not easy. I've read that sometimes the test results do not always reflect your true levels, or may not reflect the levels that might be best suited for you. I'm not a doctor, so what I say here is just conjecture, but If I were in your place I'd ask my doctor about these things and how they might be affecting your hair. Since there are good reasons for your hairloss, you might have a better chance of regrowing hair once you get your hormones, mineral and vitamin levels better regulated. Good luck to you. P.S. Your doctor may not tell you this, but garlic has been known to control blood pressure just as well as meds do, but since it is not a medication and may not be considered orthodox, it is not usually recommended by doctors. | ||
| nico |
could steroids like winstrol and primobolan cause hairloss? | ||
| Tom Hagerty |
Nico: The responsibility for doing the research on systemic anabolic steroids is yours if you are contemplating using them. Here's what some medical websites mention as negative side effects: "Acne or oily skin; unnatural hair growth; unusual hair loss." | ||
| Sara Marie Jordan |
Does Premarin cause hair loss...I'm a 49 year old girl who is going thru that time of life, and am taking premarin, and it just seems like when ever I brush my hair, more and more keeps coming out.....Thankyou.... Sara | ||
| Julia |
Hi Tom, my post will probably sound like many others, but i am feeling pretty desperate at the moment, so any help will be appreciated...and yeh, i am trying to figure what's happening with my hair. Here're some facts: 1. i am 30 yr old healthy female 2. first noticed widening in my parting a few years back but it was nothing to write home about...i still had my hair long/short/dyed 3. was under a lot of stress at work for the last 4-5 yrs, ballroom dancer, had anorexia 10 yrs ago 4. for the last 2.5 yrs i've been eating low fat diet, more on the vegeterian side, with lots of soy products, chicken, turkey and sushi, living in the gym 5 days a week and training to run half a marathon 5. even 3 yrs ago my doctor was concerned with my anemia but i never listened 6. i lost 25 lbs in the past 2.5 yrs, and sculpted up quiet a bit Hairloss: 1.hairmare started in the beginning of June, when my fiance commented on how thin the top of my head is looking and i should see a doctor 2.my blood work was normal except for low red cell count and homoglobuline 3.i started taking prenatals multivitamins, biotin and iron...but the beginning of August my ferring was up to 145, and everything else was in normal range 4. my thyroid is perfect, my testosterone is normal and my free testosterone is normal... 5.pattern: typical female pattern hairloss, which started on the top, but now i am thinning all over very, very rapidly..including sides and some of back 6. in addition to visible thinning, i am losing a lot of hair each day..mostly long hair, but also a lot of 2-2.5 inch hair and then a few tine hairs *minituarization?*. I am losing more in a shower 7. Since hairmare started i've been under unbelievable amount of stress to the point of panic attacks and not being able to sleep...*could it have caused TE on top of AGA...but if it's AGA why at 30? and my hormons look normal?!* 8. lastly i've been on ortho tri cyclen for 9 yrs now, had an abortion about 9 yrs ago...*too much estrogyn from b/c?!* I've lost about 60% of my hair in the last 3 months...and it's progressing in spite of iron returning to normal... Any input will be greatly appreciated...in addition to vitamins i am also adding more good fat to my diet and more protein and flax seeds, i've gained about 5 lbs back...significantly cut down on excercise...but emotionally i am doing very badly... Sorry for the long post | ||
| Tom Hagerty |
Julia: You wrote, "i lost 25 lbs in the past 2.5 yrs, and sculpted up quiet a bit..." This may not be your problem at all, but look into this anyway: What is the percentage of your body fat? Women who have less than 18 percent body fat have all kinds of hormonal problems - they stop mentruating, they have bone loss, and they occasionally lose their hair. Your serum ferritin level of 145 ng/ml is excellent. I wonder how you got it to that level without eating beef. Are you sure that number is right? | ||
| Julia |
Tom, thank you for the speedy reply...Having a really, really bad hair day today...I know i was pretty low on body fat, but not to a point of stopping my periods *i had my periods stop 10yrs ago when i had anorexia*. I was eating a lot in calories *mostly fruits, veggies and grains*, but i was also excercising non-stop...so i had to be burning a ton...doing 2 hr runs...i've also never drank enough water *we, russians, are not raised to carry water bottles around*...that changed now! hmm...i looked thru my test results yesterday...my transferring is 278...and my iron is 145...no other iron related tests were taken...my hymoglobin and red cell count is back to normal *it was low before....in fact i don't know how low my original iron was but RCC, hymoglobin were all low...so i did have full blown animia*. I've also noticed that my folic acid is a bit high but within the norm... finally, i wanted to ask you all day today...i have intermidiate hair...about 2-4inches fall out a lot...they have a small white bulb and a spiky end *never been cut -> minituarized hair -> AGA -> death sentence*. Could i possibly be losing this kind of hair with TE or only with AGA? finally, i've started and stopped rogaine 3 times already...i am using tricomin, vitamins, but that's about it...*i tried your excercises, but haven't really gotten them down yet*...any ideas on any plan of action? my wedding is in April...and i truly would hate being a bold bride *although that would definitely make it unique* thanx again for all information...i am not sure today if knowledge is power or if ignorance is bliss?! | ||
| Julia |
sorry for the double...i was taking 65mg of Feosol for 2 months and there was also 27mg in my iron supplement...i started eating more meat: fish, chicken, turkey, even lean beaf, lean pork *but i get half portions*...lots of legumes...low fat/non fat milk products...ton of sea food, cavier *helps being russian*, buckwheat... since then i stopped taking Feosol, but still take prenatals with 27mg of iron... | ||
| pete1 |
Besides adjusting your diet - look into: Progesterone creams and Epilobium | ||
| Julia |
Ok, i've ordered the saliva test hormone panel from Dr. Lee, so first i want to see the levels of my estradiol and progestine....but Epilobium sounds interesting...i am using an Arbonne conditioner with saw pomento, but i really don't think saw pomento is doing anything...i've read enough evidence that even though it's potent outside the human body it doesn't really prevent much of DHT...I like natural remedies, but as an engineer i tend to be sceptic...Tom, what do you think about this herb? Pete1 have you been using it yourself? | ||
| pete1 |
Ive used Epilobium in the past yes - Ive been concentrating on another area of research recently - ie Chronic fatigue - if your interested in this area look into 3 things ( Whey protein / Lactoferrin & Allicin / Probiotics ) Look into Progesterone creams which have a liposomal base ( as delivery is paramount ) - If you cant find one I can recommend one! | ||
| pete1 |
continued - I am looking into - /Psyllium /Pleant enzymes / Aloe Vera / Colostrum / DHEA to complete the regime! | ||
| Julia |
ok, i have an update and a question...Tom, i just got the results of my blood test, and hormon panel...my TIBC is 434 *above normal*, my iron is 150, but my ferritin is 35???? so what do i do...add another iron supplement...stop taking supplement and add more red meat..how do i raise my ferritin without raising TIBC any higher.. also my hormons all look ok, but progesterone is 0.5 and estradiol is only 9..it's still within norm *was taken right after my period*, but definitely on the lower side...is this what's causing havoc on my head? any ideas? | ||
| Anonymous |
I took amino acids for 4 months. I had no idea that amino acids are actually androgen products. I now know that I am experiencing a dramatic case of male pattern baldness. I have stopped the 'vitamins' - over 4 weeks now. However, every day the hair loss and receding hairline is so obvious that people actually comment on it. 1) Will this receding and hair loss stop!?? 2) Is there anything that I can do to return my testosterone levels back to normal? 3) Will my hair ever come back or will I go forward in my life looking like an old man by the head/forehead? 4) Is there anything that I can take to reverse the damage - even if it is severe loss at this point? Please help. I feel on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Thank you. | ||
| Anonymous |
"I took amino acids for 4 months. I had no idea that amino acids are actually androgen products. I now know that I am experiencing a dramatic case of male pattern baldness." Anonymous, it sounds as if you're at an advanced stage of MPB. I'm not sure if the scalp exercises can help with that but I would give it a shot. [I'm taking whey protein so I hope the amino acids are nothing to worry about but I suggest keeping an open mind] Regards | ||
| Tom Hagerty |
"I took amino acids for 4 months. I had no idea that amino acids are actually androgen products." Androgens are hormones such as testosterone and androsterone. All hormones (and enzymes too) are built by various combinations of amino acids. But I've never seen any scientific paper that states that more amino acids in the diet equate to more androgens in the blood stream. I hope someone will comment on this. | ||
| Help Me |
I am 45 years old and noticed some hair loss about a year ago. It has never really slowed down and now I have a small bald spot near the front of my scalp and my hair is thinning around the front. My father's hairline was very receeded. I take an active women's vitamin, estroven, and 80mg. of soy isoflavins every day. How do I stop the hairloss and regrow new hair. My daughter lost about 2/3 of her hair at the age of 15. We tried 6 months of laser and Ross Treatment through Hans Weimann and it didn't work. Her father is bald on top. She will probably be bald by the time she is 20 and I will probably be bald by the time I am 50. What is going on? | ||
| Anonymous |
I recently had a secondary rhinoplasty and 3 weeks leter have noticed a bald spot at the base of my hair line about the sixe of a half dollar. I am post-menopausal and my hair is already thin, so I am trying to stop this. Any advice? | ||
| beth |
Hi, my hair has been falling out for 2.5 years. I notice this after getting out of school. I completed statistics. That class was stressful too. I am 39 now and it is still falls out. I notice maybe 20 strands in the morning and at night. I lose a lot of hair in the shower. I am currently experiencing problems with my cervix. The doctor checked me and touched my cervix and it hurt like hell. Could that have any thing to do with my hair falling out? | ||
| Anonymous |
I am a 37 year old female who has been losing hair for almost a year now. I have talked to my dermatologist and gynecologist and have been tested for my thyroid, testosterone levels, anemia and lupus and everything has come up normal. I have been on Yasmin for almost two years and have asked my OB/Gyn to switch me to something else but he refuses, saying that is the pill given to women with hair loss. Now I am on Rogaine and I am not seeing any improvements. Do I have any other options besides living with baldness? My hair continues to fall out like crazy. | ||
| Jean Myers |
Since I stopped taking Premarin two years ago my hair started to fall out. It has gotten so bad that I can see large patches on top of my head and at the crown. My dermatologist told me to see a hair transplant surgeon. I would like to know if taking Estroven will stop hair loss and hopefully start to have the hair grow back? I have always had a full, thick and wavy head of hair. The condition of my hair right now is truly sickening to me. HELP! Jean Myers | ||
| Alison Murphy |
hi, i am a 21 year old female who has been experiencing rapid hair loss over the last 6-8 months. I noticed the increased shedding while on roaccutane (was on it for 5 months last year - stopped at end of january this year) and stopped immediately when i found out that this can cause hair loss. Saw a hair loss expert about a month ago, who based on my medical history and comprehensive blood tests which were all normal, said that the hair loss was from roaccutane and it would grow back. However it just seems to be getting worse even since seeing the expert. I am paranoid that the roaccutane has triggered female pattern baldness - the thinning is worse on the top and sides of my head (there hasnt been a huge change in the size of my ponytail). Also what regrowth there is, is often small thin light coloured hairs. I am paranoid that they are minaturized hairs. In my hairbrush i notice lots of small fine light hairs (1-2inches long. I am still shedding alot. Wake up and find hair all through my bed - and if i run my fingers through my hair have at least 5 hairs fall out each time (could do this for a minute and have a hughe pile of hair. The shedding is not the part that has me the most stressed out - it it the visible thinning - parting is very wide (cannot part on top of my head - too thin and very obvious). I f bright lights shine on my head - thinness is very obvious. I am extremely selfconscious about it. I have started taking brenda-35 as i have been told this can have an anti-androgenic effect and have been using minoxidol 5%. (been doing this for only 2wks so far). However i am paranoid that in 5-10 years when i want to have children and i have to stop these treatments - i will lose all my hair and it will be permanent. Similarly i am worried that if i cant stop the thinning, if it continues at this rate i will have very little hair by the age of 30. Thinking ahead is what is depressing me the most. HELP. has anyone else experienced hair loss associated with roaccutane? What pattern did it follow? (did it continue after stopping it?) How long did it take ot recover? Does it sound like i have FPB? (its just that the onset of it has been so rapid?) | ||
| Graeme Australia |
Alison Murphy thats is true about roaccutane even in Men so try not to stress to much i know thats hard at your age and just see in 12 months how your hair is going.The thing is you have had a comprehensive blood tests which were all normal and thats all that you can do for now.Rogaine is about the only thing that works for womens hairloss and thats about all.Best of luck with everything.Regards Graeme Australia | ||
| Anonymous |
My hair began to thin in August ‘05, but I thought it was from stress. I have removed myself from the stressful situation (bad job), but my hair is still falling out. I traced back to when the thinning began and realized that it coincides with my doctor increasing my dosage of Topamax from 100mg to 150mg daily. I had very thick and healthy hair, and now it is thin and lifeless. After doing some research, I spoke with my doctor's office yesterday. They agreed that this could be a “rare side effect,” and told me to slowly stop the medication. What I am wondering is, will the hair grow back? Also, are there any other migraine meds out there that are known to encourage weight loss, prevent weight gain, or not have weight gain as a side effect? I have struggled with weight gain on migraine meds (specifically Elavil and Inderal) until I found Topamax, but it really has not controlled my headaches, and I can’t afford to lose any more hair!!! Thanks in advance for any advice you are willing to offer! :-) | ||
| Christine S New member Username: Christine Post Number: 2 Registered: 04-2009 |
Hi Tom, I'm losing a lot of hair and I lose so much more when I'm on my menstrual cycle. I found out that my doctor did a general blood test and did not test my iron level, however, she told me that I should be normal because I'm not anemic. I'm not sure when I will be able to get my iron level tested. In the meantime, do you have an iron rich diet you can recommend? thank you. | ||
| Tom Hagerty Moderator Username: Admin Post Number: 3847 Registered: 01-2003 |
Christine S: Most experts in nutrition (unless they are selling pills) recommend getting your supply of iron from red meat. All iron is assimilated poorly, but the iron in red meat is the most bioavailable. Vitamin E helps in the assimilation of iron as does vitamin C. Certain things slow down the assimilation of iron: too much coffee and tea, too much phosphorus, a high intake of cellulose (fiber). Unless you really need them, I'd stay away from iron pills. Of course if you just can't eat meat because of taste or ideology, the pill option is all you have. | ||
| Christine S New member Username: Christine Post Number: 3 Registered: 04-2009 |
Hi Tom, you mentioned that drinking too much tea slows down the assimilation of iron, until I read this, I use to drink a lot of green tea. I read somewhere that if I drank tea an hour after iron consumption, it would be okay. Is this true? Also, I can understand why my darker and thicker hair is falling out, but recently I found myself pulling out the shorter and thinner hair. Looks like newer hairs, do you have an idea why that is? I'm freaking out even more now since I thought these hairs were going to thicken and grow longer. | ||
| Tom Hagerty Moderator Username: Admin Post Number: 3856 Registered: 01-2003 |
Cristine S: A cup or two of green tea is good for you no matter when you drink it. But some people drink way too much of this nutritious brew, just as some people eat way too much fiber. Both of these in excess can deplete iron stores in the body and hinder the assimilation of this important mineral - that is, important for the hair. "I'm freaking out even more now since I thought these hairs were going to thicken and grow longer." A thin hair shaft will almost never thicken. The only time a hair may become thicker is in the anagen (growing) stage of the next hair cycle. Read The Three Stages of the Hair Cycle in order to understand this concept. | ||
| Christine S New member Username: Christine Post Number: 10 Registered: 04-2009 |
Hi Tom, can you lose hair for having too much iron? Thank you. | ||
| Tom Hagerty Moderator Username: Admin Post Number: 3889 Registered: 01-2003 |
Christine S: The only way your body can accumulate too much iron is when you take iron supplements in megadoses. You are not going to get too much iron by eating nutritious real foods. If you practice iron loading there is the probability of blood vessel constriction and a thickening of the arteries. These physiological events can lead to heart attack and stroke. The constriction of blood vessels whether through smoking or excess iron is not conducive to healthy hair either. The hair follicles need a good supply of nutrients in order to produce thick pigmented hair shafts. The capillaries are the delivery system for these nutrients. |
