Are Breastfeeding Moms Prone to Baldness?

Hair loss has always been perceived to be a very big problem predominant in men. However, hair loss is also experienced by women, especially ones who are breast-feeding; this is due to the change in their hormonal cycle. In most of the cases, the woman regains normal hair growth 6 to 12 months after childbirth.

If you recently had a baby and are a new mother, you may notice your hair falling at a pace which you might find rapid and irregular. However, this happens to all mothers due to a change in the production level of the hormone oestrogen. This is very normal and women need not panic since this case of hair loss is usually temporary. This would not lead to baldness and soon within 6 to 12 months after the child is born, the hair would enter a regular pattern of growth and fall.

To understand why this happens, you need to know about the normal hair growth pattern. In general, not 100% of the hairs on our scalp grow. About 85% of the hairs are in growing stage and the rest of the 10–15% are in the resting period. Once the resting period ends, the hair falls and the follicles then generate new growth of healthy hairs. Thus, it is quite normal for an average woman to lose 100 strands of hair daily. However, this pattern changes during pregnancy.

With pregnancy comes an increased level of oestrogen hormones. This increase upsets the normal growth pattern of hair present on the scalp. The growing period stretches and comparatively fewer strands of hair enter the resting period. Thus, the hair fall is reduced drastically on an average. As a result, the hair becomes thick during the pregnancy period. Once the child is born, the oestrogen level tumbles down drastically. This results in a reverse pattern that the hair follicles adopted during pregnancy.

While you feed your newborn baby, more hair follicles enter the resting period. Thus, as a result, more strands of hair are lost and your hair becomes thin. However, this is quite natural, and by the time the child grows and becomes a year old, your hair growth pattern returns to the normal routine and resumes growth.

There is nothing much a woman can do to fight back this hair loss because it is an attribute of the hormonal fluctuation in the body. While some women opt for hair thickening products that lend a fluffy look to their hairs, the others stick to taking a new short haircut.

Causes of Male Hair Loss

Hair loss causes a lot of anxiety for a lot of men; hence, men are keen to find the cause of hair loss and eliminate the problem from the root. Some of the most common causes of hair loss are genetic factors, exposure to harsh chemicals, and stress.

For a lot of people, hair loss is a cause for worry. Men are more prone to hair loss compared to women and lots of efforts are being made by both men suffering hair loss and the companies that make products to address these problems. However, to counter hair loss effectively, it would help to know what the causes are.

If you see hair on your comb, in the sink, or on the shower drain, don’t panic because this is just old hair falling out to make place for new hair growth. However, when a disproportionately large amount of hair is found, then you should probably do something about it. Given here are the common causes of hair loss.

• Hair loss occurs due to hormonal changes brought about by age. The body deteriorates with old age in general and hair also starts falling out without replacement. There are two types of balding in men. They either have a receding hairline or they have hair loss starting from the top of the head.

• Genetics also determine whether you will lose hair. Some older men have a full head of hair while others start balding as early as their 20s.

• You need to have a well-balanced diet because deficiency of certain nutrients is also known to cause premature hair loss in men.

• Stress is another strong factor associated with hair loss. Stress causes whitening of hair and also loss of hair, so it would help to keep stress levels down.

• It is important to use the right shampoo, conditioner and hair products. Harsh chemicals in some hair care products and hair coloring agents can also cause hair loss.

• Hair shouldn’t be pulled or stretched too tight if you tend to tie it as this will weaken the roots and eventually cause the hair to fall out.

• Wash and condition your hair regularly. Neglect can also cause hair to deteriorate over time. Try not to use a blow dryer as this will dry the hair too much and can be detrimental over a long time.

• For people undergoing treatments like radiation therapy, hair fall is an expected side effect.

• Some medications are also associated with hair loss in men. Check for these side effects before using them.

• Health of the scalp is also important when it comes to hair and any infection on the scalp can trigger hair loss.

• Hyper-thyroidism and hypo-thyroidism are also associated with hair loss.

Vitamins and Minerals in Herbal Remedies for Hair Loss

One of the most common causes of hair loss and early balding is decreased blood flow to the hair follicles, resulting in slowing or stopping of hair growth. Applying the mineral silica, combined with activated oxygen, to your scalp may be able to encourage scalp blood flow and ensuing hair growth.

Silica is an excellent alternative to prescription hair loss treatments because it does not alter your hormonal balance and works as a treatment for female hair loss, unlike pharmaceuticals, which can alter your hormones and commonly don’t work for women who are balding.

Other herbal hair loss treatments, when applied topically, have proven to nourish the human scalp. Algae oils contain vitamins, minerals and phyto-nutrients. These oils plus fatty acids and plant sterols, reduce dihydrotestosterone, a hormone known to cause hair loss and early balding.

Another herbal hair loss treatment is grape-seed oil, which acts as an antimicrobial and encourages scalp healing. When combined with sunflower and safflower oils, this herbal hair loss formula works even better, due to their essential fatty acid content, which nourishes and heals the scalp. Grape seed contains proanthocyanidins, which are potent antioxidants and act as smooth muscle relaxants in the blood vessels and capillaries, preventing or offsetting damage to the hair follicle blood supply.

If you are looking for hair loss treatments in the way of internal supplementation, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) as well as sulfur-rich amino acids offer the dietary sulfur required for the construction of hair proteins. Sulfur and MSM is found in foods, but due to its volatile nature, it is quickly lost when it is processed, cooked, and/or stored so it needs to be taken in the form of a supplement. The specific sulfur-rich amino acids are cysteine, methionine and glutathione.

In order for hair follicles to be productive, they must have a healthy, continuous supply of blood. The B vitamins — including niacin, thiamine and biotin — enhance hair health by improving factors that promote circulation of blood to the skin of the scalp. In addition, studies have shown that the amount of vitamin B6 within cells affects the response rate of cells to steroid hormones. Cells that are vitamin B6 deficient will become more responsive to steroid hormones.

It can be assumed that cells that have a higher level of B6 within them will be less responsive to the hormones that can cause androgenetic alopecia or early balding and other disorders related to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Treatment Options for Male Hair Loss

Some men don’t think that hair loss treatments are a subject worthy of their attention; that is, until they start seeing more hair in the sink, or in the tub, than they see on their head. It is estimated that nearly thirty per cent of all people suffering from hair loss or hair loss symptoms and in need of treatments are indeed men.

There are a variety of reasons for hair loss but no matter what the reason, it can be as devastating as any other cause. In most cases, hair loss treatments can be very effective, depending upon the user’s vigilance in applying the treatment. Traditional herbs that are useful as natural treatments are green tea, liquorice extracts, horsetail, ginger, psoralea seeds, apple cider vinegar, rosemary and sage tea.

If you are genetically or hormonally set on the path of losing hair, nutrition alone might not be enough to prevent it, but it will slow down the hair loss, and will also help with regrowth of lost hair. If you are looking for the best hair regrowth products, always remember to use treatments that contain active ingredients that are known to be effective in treating hair loss.

For most men suffering from alopecia Areata, or male pattern baldness, 5% minoxidil is usually required to achieve satisfactory hair regrowth. Herbal hair loss remedies provide the best results in the treatment of hereditary hair thinning and hair loss both in men and women ensuring them regrowth of thick and luxurious hair.

If you’ve decided you need to do something to reverse hair loss, but you want something cheaper and more natural than drugs, laser treatments, plugs, or transplants, what are your alternatives? Male hair loss treatments are available as topical applications like minoxidil, which is applied on the scalp. Another of the better-known herbal treatment is green tea, which you may also have sitting in your kitchen.

Stress-Related Hair Loss: How It Occurs and How It’s Treated

One of the major reasons for your hair loss could be because of stress. Yes, stress is a major contributor of hair loss for most people. Actually, stress and hair loss are closely related. If the current statistics are anything to go by, there is reason to get worried and start to work on your stress levels. This is because it has been proven that intensive and excessive emotional and/or physical stress can lead to baldness, if no measures are taken of course.

When going through a stressful situation in life, you will start to notice hair thinning which, if not taken good care of early enough, can lead to eventual hair loss. So what causes hair thinning in the first place?

When you are under pressure, the cells, tissues, and systems of the body will start to undergo changes in an effort to cope with the pressure or in mere reaction to it. As an aftermath of emotional, physical or psychological stress, the hair follicles are prematurely pushed into their resting stages — that is, they become dormant and cease to grow hair.

Telogen effluvium is the scientific name of stress-induced hair loss. In this category, hair will not grow and the process of natural hair growth will remain dormant for a period of between 3 and 6 months. Long after the stressful event is over, natural hair growth may resume its course in a period between 6 and 9 months. Should the stress persist, it can lead to hair thinning and eventually permanent hair loss.

Although hair is never lost permanently — at least for the first few months of loss — with continued neglect of the underlying cause of the stress and without external support such as taking hair growth vitamins and using natural hair products, it will only be a matter of time before the situation becomes permanent. Of course, the continuous fallout of hair is a clear indication that your health is waning, and that your body cannot be able to withstand pressure.

Stress can be brought about by a number of issues such as emotional pressure at work or at home because of strained relationships, diseases, etc. Regardless of the cause of your stress, it is important to keep in mind that the problem will persist until the day you will treat or get rid of the root cause of the problem. Meditation, exercises, a good and balanced diet, changing your working environment, and yoga can help. Understanding the root cause of your stress will therefore be the first step to healing as you will be able to find a permanent treatment for your hair loss problem.

Q&A: Increased Risk of Prostate Cancer from Using 5-ARIs

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed the public of new safety information for drugs called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs). Men who take these drugs may have an increased risk of being diagnosed with a more serious form of prostate cancer (high-grade prostate cancer). The Warnings and Precautions section of the labels for all FDA-approved 5-ARIs has been revised to include information about this risk.

Q1. What data are available on this safety issue?

A. The data that formed the basis for these labeling changes were based on two large, randomized controlled studies assessing the ability of 5-ARIs to reduce the rate of diagnosis of prostate cancer over a period of 7 years (Proscar) and 4 years (Avodart), respectively, in men at least 50 years of age.

The Proscar trial evaluated the use of 5 mg doses of finasteride (Proscar) versus a placebo (sugar pill), and the Avodart trial evaluated the use of 0.5 mg doses of dutasteride (Avodart) versus a placebo, for the reduction of prostate cancer risk.

The trials demonstrated an overall reduction in prostate cancer diagnoses with finasteride and dutasteride treatment. This overall reduction was due to a decreased incidence of lower risk forms of prostate cancer. However, both the finasteride trial and the dutasteride trial showed an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer.

It is important to note that neither trial evaluated 1 mg doses of finasteride (Propecia), used to treat male pattern hair loss.

Q2. Why is the labeling of Propecia being changed when this drug was not included in either study?

A. The labeling of Propecia is being changed to reflect the possibility of an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer because Propecia contains 1 mg of finasteride. Although this is lower than the amount of finasteride in Proscar (5 mg), the active ingredient is the same.

It is still important to note that the applicability of the Avodart and Proscar studies to Propecia is currently unknown. The outcomes of both studies have been added to the Propecia labeling out of caution.

Men taking Propecia for hair loss should talk to their healthcare professional about the risks and benefits of this drug to determine the most appropriate treatment.

Q3. Does FDA believe the benefits of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) still outweigh their risks?

A. Yes. FDA believes that 5-ARIs remain safe and effective for their approved indications. Proscar and Avodart have been effective in controlling symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as well as in reducing the risks of acute urinary retention and the need for surgical intervention related to BPH.

Healthcare professionals and patients are still encouraged to discuss the risks and benefits of 5-ARIs when deciding the best treatment for their disease.

FDA will continue its risk/benefit assessment of using 5-ARIs for the treatment for male pattern hair loss and will update the public when additional information is available.

Laser Therapy for Pattern Baldness in Women

Laser therapy for hair loss offers a non-drug, noninvasive treatment specifically for females suffering from androgenic alopecia (female pattern baldness).

Laser hair loss therapy is a cutting-edge development in the treatment of a condition for which there are few safe and effective medical options available. It is proven to promote hair growth and reduce the rate of hair loss of females with androgenic alopecia. The device used for the therapy utilizes a fixed schedule of 100 percent computer-controlled low level laser therapy (LLLT) to the scalp area.

This treatment may involve the use of a contoured laser with 82 low-level laser light diodes completely covering the scalp with measured light stimulation. During the treatments, the laser light energy stimulates blood flow and cellular metabolism in the scalp, using a scientific principle called photobiostimulation.

The therapy calls for a class II medical device that is offered to licensed physicians only and available by prescription only. It meets the same FDA laser safety codes as lasers employed in Lasik surgery, laser pain therapy and other medical laser procedures. Unlike lasers that are used to cut, burn, or vaporize hair follicles, unique cold lasers stimulate hair growth with little or no sensation to the patient.

Clinical studies suggest that a twice-a-week 20-minute treatment with the laser over the course of six months produces remarkable results in a vast majority of patients. A 21-month clinical study, sanctioned by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), validated the 10-week results of the laser device, which demonstrated that 92 percent of the subjects experienced an increased hair count of greater than 10 percent, with 57 percent demonstrating an increase of 30 percent.

After 36 treatments, 97 percent of the subject population demonstrated an increased hair count of not less than 50 percent. No subject in the study experienced any adverse effects from the treatment.

Natasha Achterberg, research coordinator, along with Dr. Grant Koher, principal investigator, performed the FDA study to validate the laser device. While it was difficult to set up the FDA study, Achterberg was involved in interviewing prospective patients, updating medical records, photography, and performing treatments on over 160 women.

‘The study exceeded our expectations’, Achterberg said. ‘All participants regained hair by the tenth week. And amazingly, 77 percent of those participants had hair regrowth of 50 percent or more of their hair and not one of them showed any additional hair loss’.

Achterberg will be conducting consultations and faculty training.

‘The exciting results of the clinical study, and FDA approval, opens the door to new hope for the estimated 27 million women for whom female pattern baldness is a devastating reality’, says Helmur Keidl.

Achterberg also shares Keidl’s excitement over the possibilities the laser gives to women with female pattern baldness. ‘During the study’, she said. ‘Women expressed their gratitude, as they didn’t have any options really to help them. It was amazing to help them through it’.

Some hair restoration clinics have been helping men and women with the latest techniques in hair replacement and restoration procedures for over 30 years, specializing in medical and non-medical treatments for hair loss.