Hair Loss and Hormones: Understanding the Link

Hair Loss and Hormones: Understanding the Link

Humans are nearly hairless — besides on their heads — compared with other mammals. Lions, zebras, and dogs are just a few mammals with hair covering their bodies for evolutionary advantage. 

While humans don’t need hair on their heads to survive, most people prefer the look for aesthetic reasons. But if you’re like most of the aging human population, you’ve probably noticed your hair has started to thin or bald. 

Fifty million men and 30 million women experience balding every year due to androgenic alopecia. This hair loss occurs because of the shrinking of hair follicles that soon allows the growth cycle to become dominant. But what exactly causes this to happen?

Hormonal imbalances and dihydrotestosterone, a male sex hormone, are two of the most common reasons you might experience hair loss. Peter Pangotacos, MD, and the hair restoration experts at Hair Doc, located in Cow Hollow, San Francisco, are here to help improve your hairline. Read on to discover the link between hair loss and hormones and what treatments we offer.

What hormones affect hair loss?

Hormones play an important role in causing hair loss. Both men and women can experience hormone imbalances that can cause hair to thin and shed. 

The American Hair Loss associated states that three hormones can cause hair loss:

Stress caused by high cortisol is one of the most common ways to experience hair loss. Your primary care physician can test your hormone levels to determine if they’re the culprit of your hair loss.

The complicated relationship with DHT

Most male pattern baldness is caused by Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) — a byproduct of testosterone caused by the enzyme, 5-alpha reductase. It can also be derived from DHEA, a more common hormone in women. 

DHT is found in the skin, hair follicles, and the prostate. Excess amounts of DHT affect the hair follicles by shrinking and hair shedding, leading to hair loss and difficulty growing back. 

Men usually experience hair loss in an m-shaped pattern, receding at the temples first. Women more commonly experience hair loss with thinning all over the head or a widening part.

Luckily, there are a variety of treatments that can help restore your hairline and amplify your confidence. 

Meet our life-changing treatments

Hair loss can make you feel insecure. It can make you feel less confident at your job. It may prevent you from feeling your best in romantic relationships. s. 

Don’t let your hair loss prevent you from living your best life when these treatments are available:

Hair transplants

Dr. Panagotacos provides dramatic but natural results with two types of hair transplants — follicular unit transplant (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE). By removing hair follicles from your scalp in places that have healthy growth, he transplants them on areas you’re experiencing balding. Dormant hair follicles are nourished with blood supply to create healthy and thick new hair growth over the next few months following treatment.

Medications

We provide four different types of medications for patients who don’t wish to undergo a hair transplant — Minoxidil, Finasteride, Procrinix lotion, and Revivogen. Medication is safe, easy, and effective for hair restoration while preventing future balding. 

Platelet-rich plasma therapy

Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a three-step process for regrowing hair without undergoing surgery. First, your blood is drawn and spun on a centrifuge. Next, the blood is separated into parts and the platelet-rich plasma is prepared. Last, Dr. Panagotacos draws it into a syringe and administers it into areas you’re balding to stimulate hair growth.

Laser cap

As the name entails, the laser cap is disguised as a hat and contains low-level laser therapy to your scalp for a scientifically proven way to promote hair growth. Just wear it on your head every other day for thirty minutes and experience results in 4-6 months.

Don’t wait any longer. Call 415-907-7354 to learn more about hair restoration or book online.

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