Hormones against hair growth

Hair loss in women can actually be triggered by changes in the functioning of the endocrine system.

In most cases, we are talking about the concentration of sex hormones in the blood. But they are not the only ones who become the “culprits” of androgenetic alopecia (that’s what it is called in scientific language).

So how closely related are female hair loss and hormones? Which hormone is responsible for hair loss in women?

What hormones affect hair loss in women?

Let's look at all the hormonal causes of hair loss in women. Hormones take part in dozens of vital physiological processes. With their help, a woman becomes sexually mature, her body prepares to bear a child .

How exactly does the concentration of sex hormones affect alopecia?

Estrogen , which is the main hormone produced by the ovaries, regulates metabolic processes in the skin.

It is also responsible for the rate of cell division in the upper layers of the epidermis . After all, it is precisely the decrease in the speed of this process that leads to the skin becoming flabby and wrinkles appearing on it (in particular, in the corners of the lips, eyes, nasal folds).

And it is the lack of estrogen that leads to the fact that most of a woman’s hair follicles become “dormant” . That is, inactive ones that will not germinate in the future due to a lack of nutritional components or a disruption in the process of their absorption.

Exceeding the concentration of progesterone . This is another hormone responsible for hair loss in women.

And, as practice has shown, alopecia can be triggered by a frequent increase in the concentration of adrenaline in the blood , associated with a lack of vitamins and minerals in the blood plasma.

Such situations arise, for example, after experiencing stress or prolonged depression.

What hormones cause androgenetic alopecia most often in women? Doctors claim that due to an increase in the concentration of male sex hormones, baldness primarily occurs in women.

These hormones, which affect hair loss in women, are produced by the thyroid gland and pituitary gland, and not by the ovaries. They are only conventionally called male reproductive organs , but in a woman’s body they are also present in low concentrations.

An increase in their amount in the blood plasma leads to roughening of the skin, an increase in the thickness of the upper layer of the epithelium , and also stimulates the accelerated production of sebum.

Also, when treating alopecia, doctors recommend taking tests for T4 - this is the hormone thyroxine , which is responsible for catabolic processes.

That is, for the normal absorption of fat, carbohydrates and their transformation into energy.

How to understand that hair loss is due to a lack or excess of hormones in the blood?

Unfortunately, only a few symptoms can indicate this - an increase in the volume of the thyroid gland, as well as menstrual irregularities.

Otherwise, the endocrine factor is detected only after testing.

What hormones affect hair?

Hormonal decline and hair loss are caused by an imbalance in the endocrine system. Both female and male sex hormones are present in the body of every person. In women, estrogens and progesterone predominate; in men, testosterone and androgens predominate. At certain concentrations they affect the condition of the hair.

Female sex hormones

Estrogens and progesterone are produced by the genitals of both women and men. In men, these hormones are present in minimal concentrations, while in women they determine the functioning of the reproductive system. In normal quantities in women, they prevent the growth of hair on the face and body, but at the same time they are “responsible” for the growth and development of scalp hair. The effect of hormones on hair follicles is indirect; follicle receptors are susceptible to it.

Male sex hormones

Androgens and testosterone determine the development of male-type hair: on the face and body, and if they are in excess, they lead to the death of hair follicles on the head. In the body, as a result of constant biochemical reactions, testosterone is formed into its more active version - dihydrotestosterone, which affects the growth of hair on the head. Under its influence on the receptors, a spasm of the blood vessels that feed the hair follicles occurs. Deprived of nutrition and oxygen, the follicles begin to die and hair falls out.

Note! The degree of sensitivity of hair follicle receptors to the effects of sex hormones is determined by genetic predisposition.

Diagnosis of alopecia

What hormones to take for hair loss in women? When diagnosing alopecia, it is recommended to undergo the following tests :

• general hormonal levels (luteinizing, follicolostimular, prolactin, estrogen, testosterone);
• thyroid hormones (T3, T4, TSH);
• general blood test;
• iron concentration in the blood;
• densitometry;
• examination by an infectious disease specialist and a gynecologist.

This is the basis for studying the nature of alopecia and identifying the primary cause of the disease.

At the discretion of the doctor, he may also recommend testing for syphilis, other sexually transmitted diseases , as well as skin diseases of the scalp (biopsy or scraping of material).

This video tells you what hormones need to be tested for hair loss in women and why it is needed:

Mechanism of failures

If the body does not have enough hormones that affect the death and loss of hair in women (estrogens and progesterone), then massive hair loss on the head begins. The situation is aggravated if all this happens against the background of high concentrations of male sex hormones - especially with increased testosterone. Thus, the main hormones responsible for hair loss in women are estrogens and progesterone.

What tests to take for hair loss in women

In men, estrogens and progesterone can also cause inhibition of hair growth on the face and body. On the head, the condition of the hair is regulated by the level of testosterone in the body. With its excess, the hair on the head begins to thin and fall out.

Important! As soon as a woman or man begins to experience massive death and loss of hair on the head, this is a signal that a hormonal imbalance has occurred, requiring a medical examination and appropriate therapy.

What treatment is used?

Treatment of hormonal hair loss in women involves taking synthetic hormone analogues or so-called blockers (those that regulate the production of male androgens). This is the so-called “replacement therapy” .

You must immediately warn that it has side effects (for example, menstrual irregularities and recommendations to refrain from conceiving a child).

In this case, drugs such as Finasteride, Spironolactone .

And Cyproterone Acetate is used precisely as a powerful blocker.

It certainly acts on the pituitary gland and stops (inhibits) the synthesis of male androgens. After all, they are the ones who provoke androgenetic alopecia.

How long will hormone therapy take to treat hair loss in women due to hormones? As a rule, it is prohibited to carry out it for more than 1 month .

And significant improvements in the amount of hair can be noticed already 2-4 months after the start of treatment (depending on the stage of alopecia at which therapy was undertaken).

In total, the hormonal system dramatically affects hair growth, as well as hair loss . Alopecia is caused by an increase in androgens in the blood.

However, such disruptions in the body’s functioning are easily treated with replacement therapy and blockers. from a trichologist and get tested as soon as possible

Licorice

Licorice is an aromatic plant that has been used in foods and medicines for thousands of years. Also known as "sweet root", licorice root contains a compound that is approximately 50 times sweeter than sugar. Licorice root has been used in both Eastern and Western medicine to treat a variety of ailments, ranging from colds to liver disease. Licorice affects the endocrine system because it contains isoflavones (phytoestrogens), which are chemicals found in plants that can mimic the effects of estrogen and relieve symptoms of menopause and menstrual irregularities. Licorice may also lower testosterone levels, which may reduce hair loss in menopausal women.

A small clinical study published in 2004 by Armanini and colleagues found that licorice root significantly reduced testosterone levels in healthy female volunteers. Women taking licorice root daily experienced a decrease in total testosterone levels after 1 month, after which testosterone levels returned to normal after discontinuation. It is unclear whether licorice root affects free testosterone levels.

The endocrine effect is thought to be due to phytoestrogens and other chemicals found in licorice root, including the steroid glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhitic acid, which also have a weak antiandrogenic effect.

Useful video

The causes of alopecia, including hair loss due to hormonal imbalance, and the treatment of this problem in women are discussed in this video:

Hello girls, I had thick beautiful hair. After giving birth, my nails began to peel and break, and my hair started to come out a lot. I bought vitamins on Iherb, my nails became stronger, but everything with my hair remained the same. This year is absolutely terrible, the whole house is covered in hair, every time I comb my hair I throw out a huge bunch of hair... So I decided and took tests for thyroid hormones because I believed that they were responsible for this. Everything is okay. I haven't done an ultrasound yet. Maybe there are endocrinologists here or who have encountered such a problem as how I can’t become bald. Thank you.

Thank you 1

– regulate hormonal levels (at the same time I am undergoing treatment with a gynecologist-endocrinologist) – a course of mesotherapy with a trichologist + changed care, plus masks. Of course, everything is bought at the clinic, it’s expensive. But it was effective! I finally grew my tail back below the shoulder blades :)))

Which clinic, may I know? And initially, which specialist did you contact, did you start with a trichologist or with endocrinology? Thank you.

Vitamins and kelp for my thyroid didn’t help(

check your adrenal glands

I ordered a course for myself to support the adrenal glands - there are results - my hair stays on my head!

Overall, it's important to remember that stress puts stress on the adrenal glands. We can define as 'stress' anything that threatens our survival, joy, well-being, security, stability. This is anything that forces our body to adapt (for example, changes in circumstances, temperature, chemical balance, as with a sharp change in dietary supplements, medications, and even diet). Infection, lack of sleep or even lack of love are stress factors. Anti-stress factors such as joy, sleep and rest, comfort, peace, security, good nutrition are examples of what supports the adrenal glands. Avoid stressors and try to find things that help you. Eat more proteins and fats (not plant-based). Limit carbohydrates, especially sugar. Avoid stimulants and physiologically stressful substances - caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. If you have allergies, avoid allergens - the most common allergens are wheat and milk. Although it may sound strange, many people actually experience cravings for foods that they are allergic or intolerant to. Black mold in the home is a common stressor that can be difficult to avoid. Avoid stress as much as possible. Even such “positive stress” as the holidays can sometimes be too much for the adrenal glands. Try to get more rest - more sleep, and as regular as possible. Too much stress, whether from work or sports, and lack of sleep put a lot of stress on the adrenal glands.

Providing adequate vitamin support is absolutely essential to restoring adrenal function. The minimum set includes:

Eat a healthy diet, if possible from organic foods, containing enough protein and healthy fats, enough fat-soluble vitamins, and eliminating possible allergens (such as wheat, dairy, or anything else you are allergic to).

Omega 3 and 6 Essential Fatty Acids: Called essential fatty acids because our bodies need them to stay healthy but cannot produce them themselves.

Healthy fats. Animal fats are the best source of healthy fats. But they must be organic. Whenever possible, milk or meat should come from pasture-raised cows or sheep. Eggs from chickens raised in large yards, not in cages (free range). Eliminate hydrogenated fats completely.

Unrefined sea salt: It helps the adrenal glands raise blood pressure and retain water in the body, and also contains many important trace minerals. Table salt does not contain those minerals.

B vitamins: a complete B complex (as B-50 or B-100) with a large dose of extra vitamin B5 (300-500mg). Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) is necessary for the functioning of the adrenal glands. It is a precursor to acetyl coenzyme A (part of the Krebs cycle for cellular energy production) and acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter). B5 deficiency leads to weakened adrenal function, resulting in general weakness, headaches, sleep disturbances, nausea, and intestinal discomfort.

Vitamin C (1-3 g per day) and antioxidants: The buffered form of vitamin C is best tolerated dissolved in a drink taken throughout the day. In any case, it is better to take vitamin C in several doses throughout the day. It is also important to provide bioflavonoids along with vitamin C to improve the antioxidant effect.

Liquorice: Blocks the breakdown of cortisol in the liver, so cortisol levels increase, resulting in decreased production of ACTH by the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands get the rest they need. Can be taken in various forms, including licorice infusion. As adrenal function recovers, licorice intake can be gradually reduced. Do not use licorice under any circumstances if you have a tendency to high blood pressure and/or a lack of potassium!

Essential vitamins and microelements for hair

It is generally accepted that our hair needs proteins. But this is not entirely true. Our body breaks down all the proteins it receives into amino acids and then builds its own proteins from them. The most important amino acids for hair are: histidine, lysine, tyrosine, cystine.

• Histidine is responsible for the health of the scalp, it prevents dandruff, itching and flaking;
• Lysine helps preserve the natural structure of hair and resist negative environmental influences;
• Tyrosine eliminates fragility and hair loss, and also preserves a beautiful natural color;
• cystine is responsible for shine and silkiness; if it is normal, the hair does not frizz and combs well.

As for vitamins, the main protectors of beauty are considered to be A, E, C and the B group of vitamins.

• Vitamin A is responsible for normal growth (1−2 cm per month) and for protection against UV rays;
• Vitamin E improves blood circulation in the scalp (not absorbed without vitamin A);
• Vitamin C prevents hair loss and brittleness;
• B vitamins are responsible for shine, smoothness and elasticity of hair. They add shine and amazing volume to your hair.

Strengthening hair shampoo Enhancer Shampoo, Ground Plan, RUB 2,499

World elements are, of course, also involved in the process. To have not only beautiful hair, but also skin and nails, they need to be kept normal. There should be neither surplus (excess) nor deficit.

• Iron. 20 grams is exactly how much iron we should receive per day from food. A deficiency of this element leads to the destruction of hair follicles and, accordingly, to hair loss.
• Iodine. We need 100 - 150 mg per day (for adults) and 175 - 200 mg (for nursing and pregnant women). If there is not enough iodine, the hair becomes dull and thinner.
• Potassium. The daily need for potassium is 1.2 - 2 g. A lack of potassium slows down growth and leads to dry scalp - one of the causes of dandruff.
• Calcium. The daily requirement is from 0.45 to 1.2 g per day. If there is not enough potassium in the body, the hair loses its elasticity, moisture and becomes stiff.
• Silicon. We need 20 - 30 mg of silicon per day. Otherwise, the hair loses its elasticity because the synthesis of collagen and elastin is disrupted.
• Zinc. The daily dose of zinc is 12 - 16 mg. Lack of zinc leads to baldness and seborrhea of ​​the scalp.

Why women lose hair, reasons

There can be many reasons for hair loss in women. We deliberately do not present this list here. After all, it is known that when reading medical reference books, a person is able to find certain symptoms of almost any disease. You need to determine one single cause of your hair problems.

An average loss of up to 100 hairs per day is within normal limits, this is acceptable and does not indicate a problem. But 200 or 300 hairs can fall out. Sometimes hair falls out in clumps. They stay on the pillow, clog the drain in the bathroom, the comb looks like a hedgehog... It's hard to stay calm here. Panic will not help us. We will act consistently.

Causes of hair loss in women

How much hair is lost per day normally?

Hormonal hair loss in women can have a number of causes. In the female body, hormones are produced in the thyroid gland, adrenal glands and ovaries. There is a list of factors that influence the hormonal balance in the body, namely:

• puberty;
• first menstruation;
• pregnancy;
• postpartum period;
• menopause;
• taking hormonal medications;
• ovarian diseases;
• pathologies of the thyroid gland;
• permanent stress and diseases of the nervous system.

Baldness in women

Puberty

During the period of intensive growth and development of the genital organs, the girl begins to increase the production of sex hormones. But at the same time, their concentration in the body is unstable, fluctuating from maximum to minimum values, which affects the health of hair follicles and increases the risk of developing alopecia. As a result of a lack of female hormones, especially after a period of intense production, hair loss begins.

First menstruation

At the onset of menarche, teenage girls often experience hair loss due to hormonal instability. Increased production of female sex hormones in large quantities has a detrimental effect on the condition of the skin and hair. Estrogen, which is responsible for the health of hair on a girl’s head, in high concentrations has the opposite effect, accelerating its death and loss.

Note! The situation can be aggravated by the uncontrolled use of cosmetics in order to somehow disguise or hide severe hair loss.

Hormonal hair loss in teenagers

Pregnancy and childbirth

The next important period is pregnancy and childbirth. During pregnancy, the so-called hormonal ebbs and flows change their character, the concentration of hormones increases almost all the time, accustoming the female body to excess estrogen and progesterone. After childbirth, the balance of hormones tends to normal levels, and in some cases their concentrations become below normal. Such changes in the content of sex hormones are called hormonal imbalance and need to be corrected. Such conditions are usually treated with hormonal drugs.

Climax

The period of menopause in women is characterized by a gradual inhibition of the synthesis of sex hormones in the ovaries and thyroid gland. Lack of estrogen, which is mainly responsible for the condition of scalp hair, causes massive death of hair follicles. A decrease in the production of sex hormones during menopausal hair loss in women can lead to the development of alopecia - baldness.

Hair loss during menopause

Hormone therapy

Hormone-containing drugs such as birth control pills not only protect against unwanted pregnancy, but are also prescribed to correct hormonal imbalances. Their regular course intake normalizes the amount of sex hormones. But do not forget that stopping hormone therapy is fraught with the development of disturbances in the normal concentration of hormones in the body. Causes of hair loss in women can be caused by abrupt cessation of hormone intake.

Thus, the causes of hormonal hair loss in women and its treatment are due to sudden changes in the amount of sex hormones in the blood. Hormonal causes of hair loss in women also include problems with progesterone concentration. Many hormonal drugs contain fairly high doses.

Diseases and pathologies

Gynecological diseases and pathologies of the thyroid gland cause hormonal disorders in the female body. Ovarian dysfunction is characterized by an imbalance between the production of hormones: estrogen in excess, progesterone in insufficient concentration.

A deficiency or excess of thyroid hormones leads to the development of pathologies and malfunctions in various organs and systems of the body, including massive hair loss.

In turn, functional disorders of the nervous system lead to the emergence and development of hormonal imbalances, which immediately affect hair health. The mechanism for the occurrence of such a condition is quite simple. In a state of stress, the adrenal glands experience increased production of the “stress” hormone – cortisol. It triggers a mechanism for increased production of testosterone, which turns into the form of dihydrotestosterone, which causes hair loss on the head.

What to do if your hair is falling out a lot

1. Counting lost hair.
2. Consultation with a gynecologist and endocrinologist.
3. We take tests.
4. Consultation with a trichologist or dermatologist.

How to count lost hair

Don't wash your hair for at least a day. Let your hair down, but don't comb it. Run your fingers through the hair near your scalp and pull. Do this in the bangs area, on the sides near the temples and on the back of the head. If the number of hairs exceeds 15 - 20 pcs. – your fears are not unfounded and you need to determine the cause of hair loss.

Another important calculation: take 20 lost hairs and count how many of them are hairs of different lengths, i.e. how many hairs are 3-5 cm long, how many are up to 10 cm long, how many are longer than 15 cm, etc. This information will tell your doctor what stage of growth most hair falls out.

Look closely at the tip of the lost hair.

• The hair may not be thickened at the tip, which means it is broken off and you need to look for the cause of the brittleness.
• If you see a white onion, that's good. This means that the hair died naturally.
• If there is a black thickening at the end, it means the hair fell out during the growth phase. A visit to the doctor is required; masks cannot solve the problem.

The picture below shows the stages of hair growth. About 85% of our hair is in a state of growth (anagen), and this stage lasts for several years.

hair growth stages

Only 1% of hair is in a state of rest (catagen); this period lasts about 1 month. The rest of the hair mass remains in the telogen stage, which lasts about six months for each hair. Each hair follicle goes through all stages and grows hair about 25 times. Considering that each hair lives on average 5 years, it is easy to calculate that normally baldness does not threaten a person until old age.

Which doctor should I go to if my hair is falling out?

Ideally, you need to consult a trichologist or dermatologist. But it makes sense to go to him already with the results of tests and examinations. If it is not possible to visit such a specialist in the near future, but the problem needs to be solved, then we take tests (see below) and try to interpret them independently or with the help of specialists who consult remotely.

Before visiting a dermatologist or trichologist, you may need to consult a gynecologist and endocrinologist. You need to go to a gynecologist to check your hormonal levels if your periods are irregular or there is increased hair growth. In this case, you will need to take tests for LH, FSH, progesterone, total testosterone, estradiol - as prescribed by your doctor. However, if your period comes on time and there are no complaints, then you do not need to take these hormones.

What tests should you take if you are losing hair?

1. Complete blood count with leukocyte formula.
2. Blood test for ferritin, serum iron, transferrin or TI.
3. TSH analysis.

With this information you can consult a doctor.

What does a trichologist analyze?

• Your age, gender, height and weight.
• Complaints and medical history.
• What is the current length of your hair, and what is the maximum length your hair can grow to?
• Analyzes
• For women, it is also important to consider the regularity of the menstrual cycle - whether there is excess hair growth in hirsute areas: on the face, upper back, mammary glands (around the nipples), on the inner thighs. — The presence of childbirth and pregnancy (hair loss can be affected by changes in hormonal levels) — Taking and stopping hormonal contraceptives and other drugs
• Taking medications.
• Acute diseases (viral, sore throat, pneumonia, intestinal infections...), surgical interventions, stress, injuries over the past six months.
• Frequency of hair washing, frequency of hair coloring.
• Presence of itching and dandruff.

Based on all this data, it is possible to determine, or at least to assume with a high degree of probability, what the cause of hair loss is.

There are three main types of alopecia:

Focal (clustered)

– hair falls out in certain areas, forming bald spots.

• Heredity
• Infections
• Taking medications
• Severe stressful situations or trauma.

The prognosis for hair restoration is the least favorable. Masks and vitamins will not help without adequate treatment, so do not delay consultation with a specialist.

Diffuse

- hair thins evenly over the entire head, a little more on the temporal areas. Hair thinning is observed less frequently. This is the most common type of alopecia. The reasons may be:

• Lack of microelements
• Hormonal problems from the endocrine or reproductive system.
• Infections
• Anemia, obvious or hidden.

This can be corrected by taking appropriate vitamins or microelements (biotin, zinc, iron, etc.), adjusting hormonal levels, and selecting appropriate hair care. It is with this type of alopecia that you can additionally improve the condition of your hair with masks, serums, and massage. A change in diet and exercise to improve blood circulation are encouraged.

If hair begins to fall out significantly after childbirth, then this is most likely diffuse alopecia. During pregnancy, a woman’s body spends necessary substances primarily on the growth and development of the child. Childbirth itself and the subsequent period of lactation is a huge hormonal stress, and it is not always beneficial to female beauty. Nails, hair and skin may not receive enough nutrients if there is a lack of them in the body. Fortunately, it is not difficult to replenish these reserves.

Androgenic

– hair becomes sparse and thin, more noticeable in the fronto-parietal part of the head. It always starts in the parting area and then spreads to the sides. In women it rarely appears at a young age. Reasons: increased levels of male sex hormones.

Increased hairiness in girls - reasons

The underlying cause of excessive hairiness is a lack of estrogens - female sex hormones and an excess of androgens, male hormones. This phenomenon develops due to a violation of the synthesis of sex hormones. The function of the gonads is reduced.

Hirsutism on a woman's face

There are two types of hair growth:

1. Hirsutism is male-pattern hair growth, when hair grows profusely on the chin, cheeks, upper back, chest, abdomen, around the nipples, sacrum, buttocks. This phenomenon only affects women
2. Hypertrichosis is excessive hair growth that is not typical for the human race in any place, including where hair is normal: on the arms, legs, and in the groin area. Hair in such areas does not depend on the amount of androgens. Age and ethnicity must be taken into account. So long, coarse hairs on the legs and thighs of Mediterranean girls are the norm, but in Asian women there is hypertrichosis. Hypertrichosis occurs in women and men

Hypertrichosis in a woman

The causes of hirsutism and hypertrichosis are often the same.

Causes of hairiness associated with increased testosterone levels:

• Ovarian dysfunction is the most common cause of excess hair growth, and polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common
• diseases of the adrenal glands, characterized by the release of substances that are converted into testosterone in the tissues
• dysfunction of the pituitary gland, which is characterized by increased production of cortisol and androgens
• metabolic disorders
• oncological pathologies. Moreover, active awakening of hair follicles can occur several years before the appearance of the tumor
• skin diseases, e.g. ringworm
• genetic mutations, as a result of which epithelial cells begin to transform into epidermal ones
• changes in hormonal levels due to pregnancy, menopause, puberty, hormone therapy

Hereditary hirsutism

Familial/genetic hirsutism is considered a normal condition of the body if there are no other abnormalities in the functioning of the endocrine system. It's all due to genetic characteristics. It is not subject to drug treatment, only hair removal.

Drug-induced excess hair growth is provoked by corticosteroids (hydrocortisone, prednisolone, cortisone), streptomycins, penicillins, cephalosporins, psoralen groups.

Idiopathic hirsutism means that the exact cause of excess body hair is unknown. It is believed that the process is provoked by the active activity of certain enzymes that affect the increased sensitivity of hair follicles to the effects of male hormones. At the same time, the level of male sex hormones, reproductive function and the menstrual cycle are normal.

Hirsutism on a woman's stomach

• Increased hair growth can be caused by constant stress. When a woman needs masculine qualities to survive, the woman’s psyche is rebuilt, and the body reacts by increasing male hormones, which provokes hair growth. Science calls this process the masculinization of women.
• Hairiness is observed in anorexia nervosa and nervous exhaustion, malformations of the nervous system
• Hypertrichosis can appear after a traumatic brain injury, at the site of a scar. Traumatic hypertrichosis occurs in places where hair is regularly pulled out: eyebrows, upper lip, face, or where a mole grows. At the same time, vellus hair often becomes coarser, becomes thicker, darker, and grows faster.

How to determine the cause of hair loss: additional factors

If your hair falls out and becomes very thin

If the hair not only falls out, but also becomes very thin, then there is reason to suspect androgenetic alopecia (AGA). With iron deficiency baldness, hair falls out before it becomes thin. In the case of AGA, to visually solve the hair problem, you can use “topics” cosmetics - covering thin, barely noticeable hair with fibers that give it volume.

If everything is normal, but your hair is falling out

If all tests are normal and hair continues to fall out, pay attention to ferritin. The threshold value for ferritin is 20, but for hair loss, treatment with iron supplements is started if the value is below 40.

The diet of modern man is not very rich in iron-containing foods. And the lack of iron in the body primarily affects the hair. Long before signs of anemia appear, long before the hemoglobin level drops, when even the ferritin level has not yet fallen below the normal threshold, the body begins to compensate for the hidden lack of iron (hidden iron deficiency anemia) and hair begins to fall out. The drugs Ferretab and Sorbifer have proven themselves well. In combination with them, you can take zinc (for low ferritin), folic acid or vitamin C (for better absorption of iron).

Video from trichologist I. Popova about the causes of hair loss.

Causes of hair loss in men

In men, the causes of hair loss can be the following:

• fluctuations in testosterone levels in the blood as a result of hormonal imbalances;
• pathologies of the thyroid gland;
• increased synthesis of cortisol by the adrenal glands.

If your hair falls out with a bulb, what should you do?

The process of synthesis of sex hormones in the testicles may be disrupted, accompanied by an increase in testosterone production. Also, in stressful situations, a massive release of cortisol provokes an increase in testosterone in the blood serum. If stress is permanent, then the level of this hormone reaches its maximum values.

Endocrine disorders of the thyroid gland associated with the production of its hormones can lead to the death of hair follicles.

Note! Doctors note the fact that the threat of increased hair loss and baldness increases in the off-season, especially in the spring, when the human body and its immunity are especially vulnerable.

Important! Only a doctor can answer the question of how to stop hair loss due to hormonal imbalance, based on the results of laboratory tests.

Male pattern baldness