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Doctor’s advice on how to treat prolapse and find the root cause.
“We are losing 50 to 100 hairs a day,” says New York City dermatologist Francesca Fusco, MD, who specializes in hair loss. “It’s just hair that goes through its cycles, and new ones grow in their place.” This amount of lost hair does not affect the appearance in any way. But more already leads to the formation of bald patches and is alarming, as it indicates a violation.
“The problem of female prolapse is becoming more and more common in the world today,” says Gary Goldenberg, MD, assistant professor of clinical dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine on Mount Sinai in New York. “It affects self-esteem, interferes with relationships with others, and even causes depression.”
To solve it, you first need to find out why the hair is falling out.
1. Telogen alopecia
So called telogen hair loss is a temporary condition. It can occur after pregnancy, surgery, sudden weight loss, or severe stress. During this period, the hair moves faster than usual from the growth phase to the resting phase, and then quickly passes into the phase of loss, that is, telogen. Women with telogen ebb usually notice hair loss six weeks to three months after a stressful event. Hair loss in this case is cyclical. At the peak of the cycle, a frighteningly large clump of hair can remain on the comb. Medical tests do not show this problem.
Treatment: just wait until hair loss slows down. Then everything will return to normal. “It usually goes away on its own, but in some women the condition becomes chronic,” says Dr. Goldenberg. – They are encouraged to seriously address the issue of reducing stress levels in their lives. It is also always a good idea to take vitamins and hair growth supplements such as biotin or other forms of B vitamins. “
2. Hereditary hair loss
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), genetic hair loss or thinning hair is known as androgenic alopecia and is the most common cause of hair loss. The gene can be inherited from the mother or father. The problem is developing slowly. It can start around age 20, in women it usually starts with thinning of the bangs. This problem can be diagnosed with a blood test and scalp biopsy.
Treatment: It is impossible to completely prevent hereditary hair loss, but it is possible to slow it down by using minoxidil, the only FDA-approved hair loss prevention ingredient. It is applied to the scalp twice a day. Contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation.
3. Alopecia areata
It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles. More than 7 million people in the United States have already been affected by this problem. Does not depend on gender, age and nationality. The exact reason is unknown. Stress contributes to its development. Symptoms come in three forms. Most often causes rounded, smooth patches of baldness on the scalp, eyebrows, or legs. Some patients reported that before the onset of baldness, they felt something in this area – tingling or irritation. For diagnosis, a blood test, a hormone test and a doctor’s examination are done.
Treatment: in this case, the trichologist will prescribe a course treatment that will resume hair growth.
4. Side effects of medications
Some medications, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, blood pressure medications, warfarin (an anticoagulant), psoriasis medications, anticonvulsants, and antiarrhythmic drugs, have hair loss as a side effect, says women’s health expert Jennifer Shire, MD.
This happens about three months after the start of the medication.
Treatment: switch to another medication, or supplement with something to minimize this side effect.
5. Problems with the thyroid gland
Thyroid problems are common in women in their 50s. The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped organ located at the base of the neck. It is responsible for the production of a hormone on which the metabolic rate depends, and therefore the growth of hair, skin and nails. Hypothyroidism (too little hormone) causes many symptoms: weight gain, fatigue, constipation, depression, difficulty concentrating. Hair, nails and skin become more brittle. Hyperthyroidism (too much hormone) is less common and causes weight loss, increased heart rate, nervousness, irritability, diarrhea, moist skin, and muscle weakness. Both affect the hair follicles and lead to hair loss. Diagnosed by a blood test for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). An excess of TSH usually indicates hypothyroidism, a low level indicates hyperthyroidism.
Treatment: eliminating the imbalance of the thyroid gland in the first place. And concomitant therapy to restore hormonal balance.
6. Iron deficiency anemia
Iron deficiency seems like an uncommon cause of hair loss, but women can absolutely lose hair against this background. Painful periods, insufficient iron-rich food, tendency to iron deficiency. With anemia, the body does not make enough hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen to tissues. The number of red blood cells drops rapidly. Anemia is more common in women than in men.
It causes extreme fatigue, weakness and pallor of the skin, difficulty concentrating, headaches, cold hands and feet. Any tension and mild stress can cause shortness of breath. To diagnose iron deficiency anemia, a blood test is needed to measure levels of ferritin, a protein that stores iron in the body. Your doctor may also check your blood hematocrit level, which shows how much of your blood is made up of red blood cells.
Treatment: Add iron-rich foods such as beef, pork, fish, leafy greens, fortified cereals and beans to your diet, preferably along with foods rich in vitamin C, which improves iron absorption. Women need at least 18 mg of iron per day and 8 mg after menopause.
7. Polycystic ovary syndrome
5 million women in the United States suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome. It can start as early as 11 years old and is caused by hormonal imbalances in which the ovaries produce too many male hormones, which often causes infertility.
Symptoms are facial hair growth, irregular periods, acne and cysts on the ovaries. This is the loss of hair on the head. Do a blood test for testosterone and DHEAS (dehydroepiandrosterone), a byproduct of testosterone.
Treatment: in most cases, it is treated with birth control pills such as yasmin, which contains a powerful antiandrogen that blocks testosterone. If you are unable to use birth control pills, your doctor may prescribe spironolactone (aldactone), which also blocks male hormones.
8. Psoriasis, dandruff and other diseases of the scalp
An unhealthy scalp can cause inflammation, which in turn causes hair loss. Such diseases are especially dangerous: seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff), psoriasis, fungal infections, ringworm. “If you already have inflammation, itching, baldness or hair loss, see a dermatologist without waiting for the problem to worsen,” says Dr. Goldenberg.
Treatment: Each condition requires a prescription: medicated anti-dandruff shampoo, medications, light therapy for psoriasis, or oral antifungals for ringworm.
9. Abuse of styling
Excessive washing, styling, aggressive blow-drying, styling and dyeing can damage our hair, leading to shedding. You can find out that baldness is simply the result of frequent exposure to hair if you look closely at the root of the hair that has fallen out. If there is no bulb there, then it just broke and did not fall out.
Treatment: stop overheating your hair, set the hair dryer to a cold setting. Stop using gels and hairsprays temporarily. Give up staining for a while.
10. Low protein food
If you have recently become vegan or vegetarian and have not added enough plant-based proteins to your diet, then a lack of protein will lead to hair loss in 2-3 months. In addition to hair loss, protein deficiency can cause bloating, brittle nails, fatigue and weakness. A blood protein test shows whether this is the cause of hair loss.
Treatment: starting to consume more protein, this will stop the loss. If you are strongly against meat, eggs and fish, which are excellent sources of protein, then you need to include a lot of tofu, legumes, nuts and tempeh in your diet.
11. Menopause
During menopause, the body produces less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Every menopause has a different course of action, but you may notice symptoms such as hot flashes, trouble sleeping, moodiness, irritability, pain during sex, and depression. Hair loss can also be a symptom, as hormones change during menopause and affect scalp health and hair renewal cycles.
Treatment: at this time it is important to take good care of yourself and your hair. Avoid styling with a hot hair dryer or iron. Use mild shampoos and conditioners without added chemicals. Drink plenty of water and moisturize your skin and hair to the maximum.
12. Weight loss
Sudden, significant weight loss can trigger hair loss, usually due to a lack of certain nutrients in the body. Rapid weight loss is defined as losing more than 5% of your weight in six months to a year). If you have not been on a diet, and your weight has begun to decline significantly, provoking hair loss, then on a blood test you can see the reason that this is simple malnutrition, thyroid problems, celiac disease, or a psychological disorder like depression.
Treatment: vitamins.