New Jersey Functional Medicine Programs

Although hair shedding is considered normal and is a part of every hair cycle, excessive hair loss can be alarming and cause more stress and worry. Why is more hair falling out than normal? Is any of this under our control? Today we will be focusing on some of the most common causes of hair loss and effective treatments and tips available for preventing more hair loss in the future.

7 Common Causes of Hair Loss

1. Androgenetic alopecia

   This is a genetic condition that causes hair loss, known as male-pattern baldness. For men, hair typically begins to recede just above the temples and worsens over time. Other men may experience thinning hair at the crown of the head, often leading to partial or full baldness. Women generally experience a different pattern of hair loss than men, with thinning hair all over the head without the hairline receding. This condition in women rarely progresses to complete baldness. Androgenetic alopecia is more likely to happen with age, but it can develop any time after puberty. A lot of women with androgenetic alopecia develop it after going through menopause.

2. Pregnancy

   Shortly after giving birth, some women can experience more hair loss than normal due to a decrease in their estrogen levels. This is usually temporary and will generally resolve itself within a year.

   Treatment:

• • Use products made especially for fine or sensitive hair
  • Apply conditioner towards the ends of your hair strands instead of your scalp to prevent weighing your hair down too much.

• Anagen effluvium

  This is a condition that causes a lot of hair to fall out during the growth (anagen) phase of the hair cycle. Anagen effluvium can cause hair loss not only from the head, but other parts of the body as well, including eyebrows and eyelashes.

  Common causes of Anagen effluvium:

  • autoimmune disease
  • fungal infection
  • radiation
  • chemotherapy

  Tips: If the anagen effluvium was caused by chemotherapy, finding ways to cool the scalp may help stop excess hair loss. Hair usually grows back within 3-6 months after finishing chemotherapy treatment.

4. Telogen effluvium

   This is a common reason for excess hair loss that involves your hair being stuck in the natural shedding (telogen) phase of its own growth cycle, causing you to lose much more hair than usual, sometimes by the handful. Telogen effluvium is usually a temporary condition that can take care of itself over time. However, we advise you to consult with your doctor to determine the underlying cause for your excess hair loss.

   Possible causes of Telogen effluvium:

• • Surgery
  • Severe stress
  • Childbirth
  • Certain medications
  • Thyroid problems
  • Rapid weight loss

Treatments: Your primary care physician will be able to treat the causes of telogen effluvium – for instance, if  your doctor may prescribe you alternative medications if they suspect that certain medications you currently take is causing hair loss.

5. Alopecia areata

   Another common reason for hair loss is alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition. The immune system fights against hair follicles as well as other healthy functioning parts of the body. This usually causes hair from the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes to fall out in small chunks.

   Treatments: If you believe this condition may apply to you, consult with a doctor. They may be able to prescribe the proper medication to help your hair grow back.

6. Traction alopecia
   

   Constantly sporting tight hairstyles such as braids, cornrows, ponytails, and tight buns can cause your hair to come loose and/or break. Progression of traction alopecia can lead to bald spots and/or thinning hair.

   Tips: Try to avoid tight hairstyles to prevent further damage.

7. 
   

   Nutritional deficiencies
   

   Having an imbalanced diet can also cause hair loss. Diet fads that have extreme restrictions can make you consume too little protein and certain critical vitamins (such as iron), causing you to lose more hair than normal.

   Tips: Schedule a blood test with your doctor to help determine any nutritional deficiency. Your doctor may then prescribe you certain vitamin supplements (the recommended dosage may vary depending on your level of deficiency) or suggest certain foods to add to your diet to help stop the excessive hair shedding.

Consider PRP

Platelet-rich plasma treatment can be another hair restoration solution to consider. Although PRP has been well-known for its youthful skincare benefits, it is now being explored to help with hair. PRP treatment involves injecting your own blood into your scalp in hopes of promoting hair growth. Similar to a vampire facial, this procedure begins with drawing your own blood and uses a centrifuge – a machine which spins the blood to separate the plasma from your red blood cells. The plasma plays an important role since it contains white blood cells and platelets – important growth factors that may benefit your hair. The plasma is then meticulously and directly injected in the hair follicles across the scalp. The entire process typically takes less than half an hour to complete. Consistent treatments are essential to benefit from PRP – performed once a month for about 3-4 months before treating once every 3-6 months after for ideal results. Generally, results will be visible within 1-3 months of treatment.

People with early hair loss tend to respond best to PRP treatments, although anyone experiencing hair loss is a great candidate. It is also important to note that PRP should be a part of a multi-faceted system to help your hair get back to a healthy thickness.

If you are located in New Jersey and are experiencing excessive hair loss and want to learn more about PRP, please call Healthy-Aging Medical Centers or visit our mainpage to schedule a consultation today.

First of all, what exactly is estrogen? For those who don’t know, estrogen is a hormone commonly associated with the female body but also produced in small amounts in men. Hormones play important roles in regulating activity of specific cells and organs as well as maintaining your overall health. If you feel that you may have low estrogen, keep reading. We’ll be discussing what estrogen does, common causes, common risk factors, as well as treatments and solutions for women with low estrogen.

What Does Estrogen Do?

Estrogen is primarily produced in the ovaries and is considered a sex hormone since it regulates sexual development in girls during puberty.  Estrogen also has other functions:

• Regulates menstrual cycles
• Regulates body weight which helps control metabolism involved in growth of healthy bone tissue
• Regulates glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity

Common Causes of Low Estrogen

Because estrogen is primarily produced in the ovaries, anything that affects the ovaries ends up interfering with estrogen production as well.

Young women may be experiencing low estrogen levels due to:

• Excessive exercise
• Anorexia and other eating disorders
• Premature ovarian failure from an autoimmune condition, genetic defects, or toxins
• Chronic kidney disease
• A low-functioning pituitary gland
• Turner syndrome

Women over the age of 40 may be experiencing a drop in estrogen because they are approaching perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause. During perimenopause, your body will produce less and less estrogen until you finally reach menopause – when your body is no longer producing estrogen.

Symptoms of Low Estrogen

Common symptoms of low estrogen include:

• Weak bones

  Bone loss may occur when estrogen levels decrease. Older women who are past the menopausal phase are at a higher risk of bone fractures and developing osteoporosis.

• Irregular/absent periods
  

  Irregular or missed periods may be another sign of estrogen deficiency since estrogen is one of the main hormones driving your normal menstrual cycle.

• Infertility
  

  Getting pregnant may be difficult because low estrogen levels prevent ovulation, leading to infertility.

• Depression
  

  Estrogen is linked to higher serotonin (chemical in the brain that boosts mood) levels, and low estrogen levels may cause a decrease in serotonin, contributing to mood swings or depression.

• Hot flashes
  

  Having low estrogen can cause women to have hot flashes – a sudden feeling of heat, sometimes causing a flushed face and/or sweating. Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause.[Text Wrapping Break]

• Painful sex
  

  Estrogen deficiency can also affect vaginal lubrication. Low levels can cause vaginal dryness, often causing painful intercourse.

Common Risk Factors for Low Estrogen Levels

• Age
• Hormonal issues in family history
• Eating disorders
• Issues with pituitary gland
• Extreme diets

How to Treat Low Estrogen

1. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

   Older women with low estrogen levels may benefit from hormonal therapy. At Healthy Aging Medical Centers in New Jersey, Dr. Rand offers a comprehensive Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy program that can help patients reach better balanced hormone levels as well as prevent from encountering symptoms associated with hormonal decline. Dr. Rand specializes in this type of therapy which utilizes hormones that are identical in chemical function and molecular structure to the hormones produced in the body. Bioidentical hormones are especially unique because they are easily metabolized into the body since they are synthesized from soy or yam products. Bioidentical hormones are identical to human hormones, allowing men and women to consume without dealing with negative repercussions.

2. Estrogen therapy

   Another solution for estrogen deficiency may be estrogen therapy. Your doctor may prescribe estrogen therapy especially to women who’ve had their ovaries removed or to treat the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause.

3. Lifestyle changes
   

   Maintaining a healthy body weight as well as cutting back on exercise if you currently follow a vigorous regimen may help increase your estrogen levels to a healthy standard. Being extremely underweight can cause a decrease in estrogen levels. There may be some natural remedies that can improve estrogen as well, although these methods are not scientifically proven thus far.

Estrogen and other hormones play a crucial role in your health. Certain factors such as age, genetic defects, a family history of hormonal imbalances, and certain health conditions can cause your estrogen levels to decrease. If you’re not sure if you have low estrogen, the most common symptoms discussed above can serve as a guideline to consult with your doctor to determine if you are in fact deficient. Extensive research over the years have resulted in more effective treatments to help patients increase their estrogen levels, whether you are looking for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, estrogen therapy, and/or want to try certain lifestyle changes.

If you are located in New Jersey and are interested in learning more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy or our anti-aging services, make sure you contact us to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rand at Healthy-Aging Medical Center today!