Is Hair Loss Related To Menopause
Two things can happen to a womans hair during menopause. First, and certainly unwelcome, is the growth of new hair where you didnt have it before, such as the chin. Second, the hair you have will begin to thin. Its thought that both of these changes in hair growth are due to changing hormone levels during menopause. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall, meaning that the effects of the androgens are increased. This is the reason for new hair in odd places.
The aging process often causes female-pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia. This type of hair loss can worsen with the hormone changes of menopause. Unlike male-pattern hair loss, which occurs usually on the front crown of the head, female-pattern hair loss begins along the part in the center.
During and after menopause, hair might become finer because the hair follicles shrink. When this happens, hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily.
High Testosterone Vs Low Testosterone
Hair on your body grows through follicles. Follicles are tiny pores beneath your skin that contain a hair strand. Your strands have a growth cycle of 2-5 years, after which they reach a resting phase and fall out.
High levels of androgens in the body produce a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone . DHT binds to certain proteins in the body, which in turn reduces the size of your hair follicles. This may result in thinning of the hair and may even delay the growth of new hair strands.
Both low and high levels of testosterone can result in hair loss. We need to understand that those with low testosterone levels may in fact have the same amount of DHT that contributes to hair loss. It has been shown that men with male pattern baldness have low testosterone levels with average DHT levels in their body. Some people have the same amount of DHT as others, but their hair follicles are genetically programmed to be more sensitive to DHT. This makes their follicles more susceptible to reducing in size.That Your Hair Loss Is Due To Fluctuating Testosterone Levels?
Androgenetic alopecia in men and women is linked to fluctuating testosterone levels and genetics. It occurs in a specific pattern that may eventually result in complete balding.
Whats Hair Loss In Women
Hair loss in women is just that when a woman experiences unexpected, heavy loss of hair. Generally, humans shed between 50 and 100 single hairs per day. Hair shedding is part of a natural balance some hairs fall out while others grow in. When the balance is interrupted when hair falls out and less hair grows in hair loss happens. Hair loss is different than hair shedding. The medical term for hair loss is alopecia.
Hair grows on almost all of your skin surfaces not the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, lips or eyelids. Light, fine, short hair is called vellus hair. Terminal/androgenic hair is thicker, darker and longer.
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Physical And Emotional Stresses Can Play A Role
Alopecia causes 95 percent of cases of hair loss in men, and about 40 percent in women. But hair loss can have many other causes. Some people suffer from an autoimmune disorder that causes scattered bald patches. Shedding can also be triggered by unusual stress. I call it the three Bs: bereavement, bankruptcy, or a breakup, says Dr. Shapiro. Other culprits include chemotherapy, pregnancy, menopause, anabolic steroids, cigarette smoking, high doses of vitamin A, and some prescription medications. Compulsive hair pulling or tight ponytails can do it, too. See a doctor if you notice abundant hair where you wouldnt normally see much, such as on your pillow, Dr. Shapiro advises.
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Hormones In Hair Loss
Hormones are biochemical substances produced by various glands located throughout the body. These glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream, spreading the chemicals throughout the body. Hormones are very powerful minute amounts can have profound effects on your body.
Testosterone, the major male sex hormone, and other hormones that have masculinizing effects are made primarily in the testicles. It is not until after the testicles develop and enlarge during puberty that hormones can reach a level in the bloodstream sufficient to commence the balding process. In addition to the testicles, the adrenal glands, located above each kidney in men and women, produce androgenic hormones. In females, the ovaries are an additional source of hormones that can affect hair growth.
The hormone felt to be directly involved in androgenetic alopecia is a derivative of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone . DHT, formed by the action of the enzyme 5-a reductase on testosterone, binds to special receptor sites on the cells of genetically susceptible hair follicles causing miniaturization and eventual balding. .
It is interesting to consider that while scalp hair growth is not dependent on androgens, scalp hair loss is androgen dependent.
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Hormones And Hair Loss: The Facts
- Male hair loss is usually due to androgenic alopecia , which is predominantly caused by genetic factors. Genetic susceptibility to this condition can be inherited from either or both parents.1
- Male pattern baldness occurs due to the effect of testosterone by-product androgen receptors, that are genetically influenced. This changes the hair growth cycle at the follicle.
- According to stats, a whopping 81% of men do not seek help for this.2
- After hair loss, the bad news is that your hair wont grow back on its own. The good news? All is not lost . Your hair can be treated with drugs or plasma injections to encourage growth. Many men also opt for hair transplants.
After hair loss, the bad news is that your hair wont grow back on its own. The good news? All is not lost . Your hair can be treated with drugs or plasma injections to encourage growth. Many men also opt for hair transplants.
What Causes Hair Loss In Men
A chemical known as DHT breaks apart the male hormone testosterone, which causes individual hair follicles to shrink. Over time, the hair follicles lose their ability to regenerate new hair. The hair follicles do retain the ability to support living hair cells that are genetically programmed to grow cyclically. So when hair follicles are removed from the posterior scalp and transplanted to balding or thinning areas, those follicles will continue to grow hair. The results are natural-looking and effective.
Before hair loss can be addresses, the cause must be determined. The most common reasons for men losing hair include:
HEREDITY/GENETICS
Male-pattern baldness is passed down through both sides of the family. You may think that theres no hope against your genes, but many men have seen great success with hair transplants and prescription hair medication called Propecia.
EXTREME STRESS
Contrary to popular belief, stress is the least common cause of thinning hair. Medically termed telogen effluvium, this type of hair loss is sudden, temporary, and diffused throughout the scalp. It is not characterized by a receding hairline or crown. Your hair returns once the stressor is removed from your life. If you cant remove the cause of stress, try exercising daily or enrolling in behavioral therapy. You should see your hair return to its normal thickness after approximately six months.
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What Hormones Cause Hair Loss In Males
If you are a man, the stats for maintaining a full head of hair can look grim.
Approximately 35 million men in the United States will suffer some type of hair loss during their lifetime.
And roughly 25 percent of men with hereditary male pattern baldness begin losing their hair before their 21st birthday.
By the time they reach 35, around66 percent of all menwill have some degree of hair loss.
While genetics play a major role in hair loss, hormones are also a huge piece of the hair loss puzzle.
Ultimately,testosterone and thyroid levels are to blamefor hormonal imbalance hair loss in men.
What Are The Symptoms Of Male
Male-pattern baldness is so called because it tends to follow a set pattern. The first stage is usually a receding hairline, followed by thinning of the hair on the crown and temples.
When these 2 areas meet in the middle, it leaves a horseshoe shape of hair around the back and sides of the head. Eventually, some men go completely bald.
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The Role Of Hormones On Hair Loss
Androgen hormones, sometimes referred to as male hormones, like DHEA and testosterone, play the largest role in your overall hair growth. When your levels of these hormones are too high, you may experience excess hair growth, especially on the body or face. However, when your hormone levels drop, the reverse occurs and can lead to thinning hair and even hair loss.
The hormones produced by your thyroid also play an important role in hair growth and hair loss. When your thyroid isnt active enough , your metabolism slows. To compensate, your body begins to shut down less important functions, such as hair growth.
Menopausal women and women with polycystic ovarian syndrome or who are pregnant may also notice changes in their hair growth. This is typically because of changes or imbalances in estrogen and progesterone levels. The largest drop in estrogen occurs in perimenopause and menopause. Stress can exacerbate the effects of the loss of estrogen, causing further hair loss and thinning
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Thinning Hair Following Pregnancy
Other hormonal imbalances can also lead to hair loss, especially the wildly fluctuating hormones that occur following pregnancy and childbirth. It takes time after pregnancy for hormone levels to return to normal, so its not at all uncommon for post-partum moms to notice thinning hair or even patches of baldness. This often occurs about three months after babys arrival. Dont worry as the rest of your body recovers, so will your hair follicles. The hair loss is only temporary your hair will grow back.
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Get Medical Advice Online
Does the thought of talking to a doctor face to face about hair loss make you feel uncomfortable? If so, you can register with us and seek professional advice from our GPs without having to step into a clinic or book an appointment. Propecia, Finasteride and our other hair loss bundles and products can either be delivered to your home or collected from your local LloydsPharmacy store, depending on the option you choose.
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Understanding Male Pattern Baldness
In reality, male pattern baldness. is caused by a shrinking of hair follicles. Based on the hairâs natural hair cycle, itâs normal for hair to grow, fall out, and then get replaced with new strands. When hair follicles shrink, hair still falls out, but there arenât any new strands to replace it.
Male pattern baldness typically starts with a receding hairline, known as “front baldness.” At the same time, hair loss from the top of the head can occur. Over time, the two balding areas meet, forming a âUâ of hair around the sides and back of the head.
Hormonal Hair Loss: Abnormal Hormone Levels
The most common type of hair loss in both men and women is androgenic alopecia, also called androgenetic, or male or female pattern hair loss. According to a 2020 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Science, androgenic hair loss begins after puberty. Androgenic alopecia can be genetic but itâs also hormonal.
According to the American Hair Loss Association, the following hormones can cause hair loss:
- High testosterone
- High or low thyroid hormone
âBy far, the worst, and very common hormone responsible for hair loss is cortisol â by way of stress. Stress can cause telogen effluvium, sending all hairs into the resting phase, followed by shedding. This is also seen after delivering a baby, surgery, or rapid weight loss, as the body views these as stressful events,â Sharleen St. Surin-Lord, MD, founder and medical director at Visage Dermatology and Aesthetic Center in Maryland, and assistant professor of dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine, tells WebMD Connect to Care.
Your doctor can check your testosterone, cortisol, and thyroid blood levels to determine if one of these hormone imbalances could be causing your hair loss.
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Acne Is A Symptom Of High Dht
âHigh DHT leads to high levels of androgens, which contribute to acne in men,â Anna Chacon, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and hair loss expert in South Florida tells WebMD Connect to Care. While itâs less common in adults, high hormone levels can increase oil production and clog pores that cause acne.
Other Common Causes Of Male Baldness:
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune skin disease which affects approximately 1.7% of the overall population, including more than 4.7 million people in the United States.
The disease can occur in both males and females, with no bias on race or age. Contributing factors that make an individual susceptible to alopecia areata include genetics, stress, hormones, allergies, viruses, and even toxins.
Since alopecia areata can result in hair loss on every part of the body, it can have a psychological impact on those affected. The condition can disrupt a persons personal and work life, even if it is not life-threatening or contagious.
In the case of alopecia areata, hair follicles are attacked by a persons own immune system , somehow mistaking them to be threats to the body. This results in hair loss, which can occur abruptly, sometimes in a matter of days.
Alopecia areata often starts as circular, smooth bald patches on the scalp.Many who have one or two small patches can make a full recovery within two years even without treatment. At times, alopecia areata can progress to total hair loss on the scalp or complete hair loss on the body .
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What Are The Treatments For Hormonal Hair Loss
How To Use Finasteride To Treat Hair Loss
Finasteride, which is available as a generic medication and under the brand name Propecia®, is a prescription medication thats used to treat male pattern baldness.
You may have heard of finasteride before if youve looked into hair loss treatments. Its part of a class of drugs referred to as 5 reductase inhibitors, which work by directly blocking the effects of the enzyme thats responsible for the conversion of testosterone into DHT.
This enzyme, called 5-alpha reductase, is found in certain types of tissue throughout your body, including your scalp.
By preventing 5-alpha reductase from working, finasteride drastically lowers the total amount of DHT your body produces. Used daily, a normal dose of finasteride can reduce your DHT levels by as much as 70 percent.
This reduction in DHT levels means that your hair follicles are no longer under constant damage due to the effects of DHT. You can think of finasteride as working almost like a shield that blocks DHT from miniaturizing your hair follicles and contributing to hormonal hair loss.
Instead of only blocking DHT on your scalp, like a shampoo can, youre blocking it at the original source.
Thanks to its effects on DHT levels, finasteride can reduce the severity of hair loss and help you to maintain a fuller head of hair. Many men who use finasteride find that their hair loss comes to a complete halt during treatment, or that certain areas show signs of hair regrowth.
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Why Do Men Suffer From Hair Loss
Are you concerned that youre losing more hair than whats normal? Have you noticed your hairline receding or the hair on your temples thinning? Perhaps the whirl on the crown of your head is widening or youve noticed your hair is generally thinner throughout your scalp. These are all indications of male-pattern baldness, androgenetic alopecia .
Most men experience hair loss as a natural result of changing hormone levels that occur later in life, but young men may experience similar hair loss patterns early, such as in their 30s, which can be alarming. We strongly encourage men to immediately address their hair loss to protect the hair they still have. By the time you first notice your hair thinning with the naked eye, youve already lost about 50% of your hair.
Approximately 50 million men in the United States suffer from thinning hair, hair loss , and eventually complete baldness. Depending on age and race, about 40% of all men can expect some hair loss by age 35. Although losing hair volume is a natural part of the aging process, many men are self-conscious about their thinning hair and experience low self-esteem and even depression. Fortunately, many treatment options have proven successful with high satisfaction rates.