Top 23 Causes of Hair Loss and Best Hair Loss Treatments
A patient reminded me to update my previous post about hair loss. She asked:
I have a hair loss problem. does it get worse if i get pregnant?
Hair loss can be very disconcerting to men and women alike. While it is known that most hair loss is genetic, there are stressors that can make it worse. Here are the top 23 in general order of most common to least common.
Sandra Lora Cremers, MD, FACS
1. Aging
It is not uncommon to see hair loss or thinning of the hair in women as they enter their 50s and 60s. Part of this is general aging and general hormonal changes as we age. Another reason is hidden in our genes. Other reasons for hair loss as we get older is due to the causes below.
What to do? If you see this happening to you and you are young, see the other reasons and the many treatments options below. Have hope! This is the best time in the history of the world to have this issue as there are more treatments than ever before.
2. Physical stress
Any kind of physical trauma, like a recent surgery, a car accident, or a severe illness, the flu, and even the death of a loved one, can cause temporary hair loss. This can trigger a type of hair loss called Telogen Effluvium. Since hair has a programmed life cycle (a growth phase, rest phase and shedding phase), a very stressful even can change the hair cycle into the shedding phase. The same thing can happen to chickens who molt. The reason has to do with the complex area of hair proteins, stress hormones, and apoptosis or programmed cell death. Often hair loss can become noticeable three-to-six months after the trauma.
What to do?:
Try to decrease the stressors in your life. My favorite is to pray and meditate daily and ideally go to mass daily and confession weekly. Even if you are not Catholic, these practices are now starting to have some scientific merit. Even if they had no scientific merit, it would not be a waste of time if you have a supernatural outlook.
The great news is that your hair will start growing back as your body recovers.
3. Male pattern baldness
Approximately two out of three men experience hair loss by age 60. In most cases it is due to genetic, also known as male pattern baldness. This type of hair loss, caused by a man’s genes and changes in male sex hormones. Male pattern baldness usually follows a classic pattern: hair recedes at the temples, leaving an M-shaped hairline.
What to do: There are now more and more topical creams on the market, like minoxidil (Rogaine) and oral medications such as finasteride (Propecia). These halt hair loss or even cause some to grow in some patients. Surgery to transplant or graft hair is also an option.
What to do: There are now more and more topical creams on the market, like minoxidil (Rogaine) and oral medications such as finasteride (Propecia). These halt hair loss or even cause some to grow in some patients. Surgery to transplant or graft hair is also an option.
4. Heredity
Female-pattern hair loss, called androgenic or androgenetic alopecia, is basically the female version of male pattern baldness. “If you come from a family where women started to have hair loss at a certain age, then you might be more prone to it,” says Dr. Glashofer. Unlike men, women don’t tend to have a receding hairline, instead their part may widen and they may have noticeable thinning of hair.
What to do: Like men, women may benefit from minoxidil (Rogaine) to help grow hair, or at least, maintain the hair you have, Dr. Glashofer says. Rogaine is available over-the-counter and is approved for women with this type of hair loss.
What to do: Like men, women may benefit from minoxidil (Rogaine) to help grow hair, or at least, maintain the hair you have, Dr. Glashofer says. Rogaine is available over-the-counter and is approved for women with this type of hair loss.
5. Pregnancy
Pregnancy obviously only affects women, but there are some cases of the common stress of pregnancy causing the hair loss of the husband to worsen temporarily: likely from general lack of sleep. Pregnancy and general hormone changes is one example of the type of physical stress that can cause hair loss. Pregnancy-related hair loss is seen more commonly after your baby has been delivered rather than actually during pregnancy.
What to do: The great news is that your hair will start growing back as your body recovers: it can take a few months though. Be sure to eat a healthy diet, with protein to help the hair grow back strong.
What to do: The great news is that your hair will start growing back as your body recovers: it can take a few months though. Be sure to eat a healthy diet, with protein to help the hair grow back strong.
6. Female hormones
Similar to the change of hormones with pregnancy, any change in one’s hormone balance can cause hair loss. Using birth control pills or going off and on birth control can cause Telogen Effluvium and a loss of hair. This is extra likely if you have a family history of hair loss. Menopause may also have the same result due to hormonal changes. The hair follicles will miniaturize and then you start to lose more hair as androgen (male hormone) receptors on the scalp becoming activated.
What to do: If you notice hair loss after starting birth control pills, talk to a MD who knows about natural ways to space children: see http://www.creightonmodel.com/
What to do: If you notice hair loss after starting birth control pills, talk to a MD who knows about natural ways to space children: see http://www.creightonmodel.com/
Such methods have no risk of external hormones.
7. Diabetes
People with diabetes are more likely to have hair loss. They can also have a condition called Alopecia Areata in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles leading to patches of hair loss on the head and body.
What to do: Do everything you can to avoid getting Diabetes. See https://drcremers.com/2016/04/low-inflammatory-diet.html
If you have Diabetes or are Pre-Diabetic, be sure to keep your HgA1C (Hemoglobin A1C) below 5.7%. Avoid sugar and carbohydrates.
8. Lack of protein
If you don’t get enough protein in your diet, your body may ration protein by shutting down hair growth, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. This can happen about two to three months after a drop in protein intake, they say.
What to do: Eat more protein, including fish, meat, and eggs. If you don’t eat meat or animal products, see below.
What to do: Eat more protein, including fish, meat, and eggs. If you don’t eat meat or animal products, see below.
9. Emotional stress
Emotional stress is less likely to cause hair loss than physical stress, but it can happen, for instance, in the case of divorce, after the death of a loved one, or while caring for an aging parent. More often, though, emotional stress won’t actually precipitate the hair loss. It will exacerbate a problem that’s already there, says Dr. Glashofer.
What to do: As with hair loss due to physical stress, this shedding will eventually abate. While it’s not known if reducing stress can help your hair, it can’t hurt either. Take steps to combat stress and anxiety, like getting more exercise, trying talk therapy, or getting more support if you need it.
What to do: As with hair loss due to physical stress, this shedding will eventually abate. While it’s not known if reducing stress can help your hair, it can’t hurt either. Take steps to combat stress and anxiety, like getting more exercise, trying talk therapy, or getting more support if you need it.
10. Anemia
Almost one in 10 women aged 20 through 49 suffers from anemia due to an iron deficiency (the most common type of anemia), which is an easily fixable cause of hair loss. You doctor will have to do a blood test to determine for sure if you have this type of anemia.
What to do: A simple iron supplement should correct the problem. In addition to hair loss, other symptoms of anemia include fatigue, headache, dizziness, pale skin, and cold hands and feet.
What to do: A simple iron supplement should correct the problem. In addition to hair loss, other symptoms of anemia include fatigue, headache, dizziness, pale skin, and cold hands and feet.
11. Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is the medical term for having an underactive thyroid gland. This little gland located in your neck produces hormones that are critical to metabolism as well as growth and development and, when it’s not pumping out enough hormones, can contribute to hair loss. Your doctor can do tests to determine the real cause
What to do: Synthetic thyroid medication will take care of the problem. Once your thyroid levels return to normal, so should your hair.
What to do: Synthetic thyroid medication will take care of the problem. Once your thyroid levels return to normal, so should your hair.
12. Vitamin B deficiency
Although relatively uncommon in the U.S., low levels of vitamin B are another correctible cause of hair loss.
What to do: Like anemia, simple supplementation should help the problem. So can dietary changes. Find natural vitamin B in fish, meat, starchy vegetables, and non-citrus fruits. As always, eating a balanced diet plentiful in fruits and vegetables as well as lean protein and “good” fats such as avocado and nuts will be good for your hair and your overall health.
What to do: Like anemia, simple supplementation should help the problem. So can dietary changes. Find natural vitamin B in fish, meat, starchy vegetables, and non-citrus fruits. As always, eating a balanced diet plentiful in fruits and vegetables as well as lean protein and “good” fats such as avocado and nuts will be good for your hair and your overall health.
13. Too much vitamin A
Overdoing vitamin A-containing supplements or medications can trigger hair loss, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The Daily Value for vitamin A is 5,000 International Units (IU) per day for adults and kids over age 4; supplements can contain 2,500 to 10,000 IU.
What to do: This is a reversible cause of hair loss and once the excess vitamin A is halted, hair should grow normally.
What to do: This is a reversible cause of hair loss and once the excess vitamin A is halted, hair should grow normally.
14. Autoimmune-related hair loss
This is also called Alopecia Areata and basically is a result of an overactive immune system where the immune system sees the hair as foreign and targets it by mistake.
What to do: Steroid injections are the first line of treatment for alopecia areata, which appears as hair loss in round patches on the head. Other drugs, including Rogaine, may also be used. The course of the condition can be unpredictable, with hair growing back then falling out again.
What to do: Steroid injections are the first line of treatment for alopecia areata, which appears as hair loss in round patches on the head. Other drugs, including Rogaine, may also be used. The course of the condition can be unpredictable, with hair growing back then falling out again.
15. Lupus
Other autoimmune diseases such as lupus can also cause hair loss. Again it’s a case of mistaken identity: overzealous immune cells attack the hair. Unfortunately, hair loss of this type is “scarring,” meaning the hair will not grow back, says Dr. Hammonds.
What to do: If the hair loss is mild, you might want to try a new hairstyle to camouflage the damage. Short hair, for instance, is stronger than long hair and may hide bald patches better.
What to do: If the hair loss is mild, you might want to try a new hairstyle to camouflage the damage. Short hair, for instance, is stronger than long hair and may hide bald patches better.
16. Dramatic weight loss
Sudden weight loss is a form of physical trauma that can result in thinning hair. This could happen even if the weight loss is ultimately good for you. It’s possible that the weight loss itself is stressing your body or that not eating right can result in vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Loss of hair along with noticeable weight loss may also be a sign of an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.
What to do: It can take about 3-6 months from hair to come back after sudden weight loss so have hope.
What to do: It can take about 3-6 months from hair to come back after sudden weight loss so have hope.
17. Chemotherapy
Some of the drugs used to beat back cancer unfortunately can also cause your hair to fall out. Chemotherapy can be compared to a nuclear bomb to your whole body. It destorys the rapidly dividing cells of the tumor but it also destroys health cells, such as the rapidly dividing cells at the hair follicle.
What to do: Once chemotherapy is stopped, your hair will grow back although often it will come back with a different texture (perhaps curly when before it was straight) or a different color. Researchers are working on more targeted drugs to treat cancer, ones that would bypass this and other side effects.
What to do: Once chemotherapy is stopped, your hair will grow back although often it will come back with a different texture (perhaps curly when before it was straight) or a different color. Researchers are working on more targeted drugs to treat cancer, ones that would bypass this and other side effects.
18. Polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disease in which there are multiple cysts in the ovary which causes an imbalance in male and female sex hormones. An excess of androgens can lead to weight gain, a higher risk of diabetes, changes in your menstrual period, infertility, as well as hair thinning. Because male hormones are overrepresented in PCOS, women may also experience more hair on the face and body.
What to do: Treating PCOS can correct the hormone imbalance and help reverse some of these changes. Treatments include diet, exercise, and potentially birth control pills, as well as specific treatment to address infertility and diabetes risks.
What to do: Treating PCOS can correct the hormone imbalance and help reverse some of these changes. Treatments include diet, exercise, and potentially birth control pills, as well as specific treatment to address infertility and diabetes risks.
19. Birth Control Pills
As discussed above, any change to one’s hormones can set off hair loss. Avoid these hormones if possible if hair loss is persistent.
What to do? Talk to an MD who knows about safe natural alternatives to see if there is another option for you.
20. Antidepressants
Some antidepressants can cause hair loss, particularly lithium, which is often used for bipolar disorder.
What to do? Talk to your MD to see if there is another alternative.
21. Blood Thinners and Blood Pressure Drugs
Blood thinners and the blood-pressure drugs known as beta-blockers can cause hair loss in some patients.
What to do: If your doctor determines that one or more of your medications is causing hair loss, talk with your MD either lowering the dose or switching to another medicine.
22. Other Medications
Other drugs that might cause hair loss include methotrexate (used to treat immunologic conditions, such as Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome), lithium (for bipolar disorder), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including ibuprofen, and possibly
What to do: If your doctor determines that one or more of your medications is causing hair loss, talk with your MD either lowering the dose or switching to another medicine.
What to do: If your doctor determines that one or more of your medications is causing hair loss, talk with your MD either lowering the dose or switching to another medicine.
20. Anabolic steroids
If you take anabolic steroids—the type abused by some athletes to bulk up muscle—you could lose your hair. Anabolic steroids can have the same impact on the body as polycystic ovary disease (PCOS), as the mechanism is similar.
What to do: Stop the steroids and your hair loss should improve after going off the drug.
What to do: Stop the steroids and your hair loss should improve after going off the drug.
22. Overstyling
Vigorous styling and hair treatments over the years can cause hair loss. Examples of extreme styling include tight braids, hair weaves or corn rows as well as chemical relaxers to straighten your hair, hot-oil treatments or harsh chemical or high heat. Because these practices can actually affect the hair root, your hair might not grow back.
What to do: Avoiding the above styles and treatments. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using conditioner after every shampoo, letting your hair air dry: avoid the hair dryer. Limit the amount of time the curling iron comes in contact with your hair and using heat-driven products no more than once a week.
What to do: Avoiding the above styles and treatments. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using conditioner after every shampoo, letting your hair air dry: avoid the hair dryer. Limit the amount of time the curling iron comes in contact with your hair and using heat-driven products no more than once a week.
23. Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania, classified as an “impulse control disorder,” causes people to compulsively pull their hair out. Unfortunately, this constant playing and pulling can actually strip your head of its natural protection: hair. Trichotillomania often begins before the age of 17 and is four times as common in women as in men.
What to do: Some antidepressants may be effective, but behavioral modification therapy is another option.
What to do: Some antidepressants may be effective, but behavioral modification therapy is another option.
The Best Ways to Treat Hair Loss:
1. Nutrition: improve your nutrition: Increase Vitamin B complex rich foods, green leafy veggies, Omega 3 rich foods; more information below
2. If possible, decrease above offending causes of hair loss: try to get more sleep, try to pray, meditate, exercise more to decrease stress. Review your medications and see if one of them is causing your hair loss. Try to go organic and avoid extra hormones in your body.
3. Shampoo: use gentle shampoo or ones below. Avoid harsh chemicals.
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
7. Bimatoprost (or Latisse): we have used Bimatoprost for years to treat high eye pressure and glaucoma (a potentially blinding disease). When MDs noticed the side effect of increased eyelash growth, a new use boomed. Now below you can see more and more studies showing the benefit of Bimatoprost (or any prostaglandin analog) to make hair grow on the head. The biggest side effect is the cost: it can cost about $150-200 per month for this drug.
Alopecia means hair loss:
Skinmed. 2015 Jan-Feb;13(1):15-21.
Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial.
Abstract
Dermatol Ther. 2016 Sep;29(5):330-333. doi: 10.1111/dth.12369. Epub 2016 Jun 30.
Minoxidil topical treatment may be more efficient if applied on damp scalp in comparison with dry scalp.
Angelo T1, Barbalho GN1, Gelfuso GM1, Gratieri T2.
Abstract
Pediatr Dermatol. 2016 Sep;33(5):e282-3. doi: 10.1111/pde.12920. Epub 2016 Jul 4.
Successful Treatment of Pediatric Alopecia Areata of the Scalp Using Topical Bimatoprost.
Abstract
Dermatology. 2015;230(4):308-13. doi: 10.1159/000371416. Epub 2015 Mar 4.
Bimatoprost versus Mometasone Furoate in the Treatment of Scalp Alopecia Areata: A Pilot Study.
Abstract
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6 BEST FIXES FOR HAIR LOSS
The real deal on what works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to fighting hair loss.
1. Nutrition
2. Nioxin Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
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If you’re looking for hair loss remedies, you landed on the right article. We spoke to the experts to get the absolute best way to prevent hair loss.
Here’s a breakdown of what we’ll address:
1. Nutrition
2. Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
2. Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
Whether you’ve just noticed a thinning hairline or you’re constantly wearing a baseball hat to hide your bald spot, there’s a good chance you’ve tried at least one product to keep your hair. And while there are myriad products designed to fight hair loss, it can sometimes be hard to tell which methods to trust and which to toss.
One hard truth: Hair loss is mostly out of your control. “Baldness comes down to your genes,” says Frederick Joyce, M.D., founder of Rejuvenate! Med Spa and a member of the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery. “If you have the baldness gene, there are some natural remedies that may make your hair stronger and healthier to slow your hair loss slightly—but they won’t prevent you from going bald. Still, maintaining hair health by eating well and using the right products—combined with medical-grade treatments—can really work all together to help you have a fuller, thicker head of hair.”
There are some solutions that address the problem (using adult stem cells to regrow hair is promising) but many are still years away from becoming available as a hair loss treatment. So here’s the lowdown on which baldness solutions available now are truly effective—and which hair-loss fighters are merely snake oil.
1. Nutrition
2. Nioxin Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
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While diet alone won’t save your hair, there may be some truth to the old adage that you are what you eat. “You’re not going to have the healthiest hair if you’re living off doughnuts, because being nutrient-deficient weakens strands and makes them more prone to breakage,” says Denise Kernan, owner of DK Hair Techs, Inc., a member of the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery, and a hair transplant technician who has worked on everyone from senators to sports stars to actors to mafia guys (she won’t name names to protect the privacy of her clients).
“While nutritious eating isn’t going to bring your hair back by any means, eating plenty of protein-rich foods and healthy fats can make the hair that you still have look thicker and shinier.” Skimping on the B vitamins in particular can interfere with the formation of hair cells and, therefore, hair growth. The best sources of Bs are protein-packed foods like chicken, fish, eggs, and pork, as well as leafy greens such as spinach. (These foods are also good for melting belly fat, so it’s a win win).
1. Nutrition
2. Nioxin Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
You’ve no doubt heard of Nioxin, a brand of hair care products aimed at fighting thinning hair. But can a shampoo or spray reverse baldness? “Nioxin is negligible in terms of helping with hair loss,” says Dr. Joyce. “There’s no shampoo out there that will actually stop hair loss.”
While you won’t find a miracle shampoo on the market, nioxin and some other products can help keep your scalp in tip-top shape to improve the look of any hairs you do have left on your head. In fact, feeding your hair with the proper nutrients both inside and out can make it appear healthier, so you might consider using products with natural herbs, such as rosemary and mint.
Compared to your typical shampoos, those made with these types of ingredients may help stimulate your scalp naturally to boost blood circulation and better nourish hair follicles. One to try: Bio Follicle’s Rosemary & Mint shampoo, conditioner, and scalp-stimulating spray made with organic essential oils such as peppermint and spearmint.
Bonus: The formula has no harsh chemicals, such as sulfates or parabens.
1. Nutrition
2. Nioxin Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
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In-office laser light treatments or at-home handheld devices, such as the HairMax LaserComb, supposedly grow new hair by stimulating blood flow to the area (think: an amped-up version of a scalp-stimulating shampoo). Just don’t expect the device to make your noggin go from looking like George Costanza’s to Jerry Seinfeld’s. “These lasers won’t grow any new hair. If anything, they may just help you hang on to some of the hair that you already have a bit longer,” says Dr. Joyce.
Laser light therapy is not a baldness solution, and the HairMax takes a time commitment: You have to use the product for 15 minutes a day, three days a week and you have to keep using it indefinitely to get results. Still, laser light therapy has no major side effects, and may be best for men who have noticed some increased shedding and want to maintain more of the hair they have on their head.
1. Nutrition
2. Nioxin Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
The best fix by far for replacing lost hair is a transplant. Back in the day, docs used plugs that resembled cornrows (definitely not natural looking). Today, guys have more options. You can go for “the strip method” where a doctor surgically removes a strip of hair from the back of your head, dissects every hair graft under a microscope, and then plants the individual grafts onto hair-thin areas of your scalp with tiny incisions.
“If you don’t want a scar because you like to wear your hair short, you might opt for a “scarless” hair transplant,” says Dr. Joyce. Also known as follicular unit extraction (FUE), grafts are harvested one at a time with tiny punches that heal virtually undetected so you can still buzz your head. “If you’ve gone so bald that you don’t have a lot of donor hair on your head, we can do FUE extractions with body hair such as on your chest, stomach, back, and sometimes even the pubic area,” says Dr. Joyce.
Regrowth rates with FUE is almost as high as with the strip method, and there is less downtime—three to five days to heal compared to 10 days for the strip method. It’s a good idea to make sure your doc is a member of the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery.
1. Nutrition
2. Nioxin Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
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Also known as Finasteride, it’s the only other FDA-approved medicine to treat hair loss. The drug was originally created to help prevent prostate cancer, and works by blocking production of a male hormone in the scalp known as androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that shuts down follicles to cause male pattern baldness.
“Propecia acts as a sort of fertilizer for the monixidal, helping it to regrow hair more effectively,” says Kernan. “You have to know it’s a lifetime commitment. Once you stop using Propecia, any hair loss that you would have had if you weren’t taking the medication will happen within three to eight months.”
You might want to note that some guys experience sexual side effects, like impotency or lack of desire.
1. Nutrition
2. Nioxin Shampoo
3. Laser Light Therapy
4. Hair Replacement Surgery
5. Propecia
6. Minoxidil
The brand name of this topical treatment for sprouting new hair is Rogaine, and it’s only one of two FDA-approved drugs for the condition.
“Minoxidil will help slow the hair loss process and is the best solution for now to help you hang on to your hair,” says Kernan. “It may even help you grow a little bit of peach fuzz, and the biggest area you’ll see regrowth is on the crown rather than the front of your hairline.” However, you’ll pretty much lose that hair you were trying to save if you ever stop using the med. Though uncommon, some side effects may include itchiness and chest pain (minoxidil also comes in a pill to treat high blood pressure).