I Desperately Need Help With Hair Loss and Thinning Hair'

Jay

Question: I’m in desperate need for help, I’m 25 years old losing approximately 300-500 hair strands a day, texture of my hair has changed, and hair has become thinner.

About a year ago I was hospitalized due to minor cellulitis on my toe, was put on IV 24 hours a day for straight 7 days. Since than I have been losing close to 300-500 hair a day, starting to see my scalp at the vertex and the top part of my head due to thinning and loss of hair. The texture of my hair completely changed, it is more frizzy, dry, and curly. I never had curly hair, but now I have the really dry and crappy curly hair that feels fragile and would come off if I run my figures through my hair.

I have seen 2 different dermotologist, both have diagnosed me with Telogen Effluvium male pattern baldness. It is past 6 months almost 1 year and I am still losing tremendous amount of hair daily. The reason I am posting on this post is because I noticed that when I became sexually active 6 years ago my hair has taken a down fall slowly, and now in the past year it just went completely wrong. I also have been masturbating since the age of 15 or 16 but recently have increased the number of times I masturbate to the point I think I have an addiction. No one has a definite answer for my excessive hair loss. Which is the reason maybe masturbation plays a roll in losing so much hair.

I am also currently on adderall, bioton, Multi vit, bunch of other vitamins, use rogain 1 time a day, and a prescription shampoo keto. 2%. NO ONE in my family has Male Pattern Baldness in my family, my grandfather had full set of hair when he passed away, my dad still has full set of hair and he’s over 50 so does my mom. Everyone that has suffered hair loos in my family has had it after the age of 50. I am under a lot of stress for the past year, going through depression, school, and work more stress than I have ever been in. PLEASE HELP

I have completely lost all my self esteem, can not pay attention in school or work, can’t even look at myself with out breaking down into tears. I understand you guys are based off in UK, but the problem is I live in USA. Is there a facility you guys have here in USA where I can go get my scalp checked out. PLEASE HELP!!

Thank You,

Jay

Answer: Hi Jay. There are a number of issues that you mention in your email, some of which can either cause hair loss or exacerbate an existing hair loss condition.

The Norwood Scale, pictured here, Shows the Areas in which Male Pattern Hair Loss Presents

With regards to your hospital visit, this could well have sparked your hair loss. A hair loss condition known as Telogen Effluvium (TE) - which we note you have already been diagnosed with - can be brought on by stress and nutritional deficiencies so it would not be uncommon for this to occur. However, Telogen Effluvium is a temporary condition, lasting up to a maximum of six months.

As you mention you are still experiencing a high level of shedding, this could have progressed to the more severe form of Chronic Telogen Effluvium which lasts for a minimum of six months. Both Telogen Effluvium and its Chronic condition cause hair to shed diffusely from anywhere on the scalp, giving the appearance of thinning hair all over.

Telogen Effluvium can also trigger or exacerbate Male Pattern Baldness in those with a genetic predisposition to hereditary hair loss. You mention you are experiencing thinning hair on top which is consistent with Male Pattern Hair Loss as this presents as thinning hair or a receding hairline but only affects areas around the top of the head - nowhere else on the scalp.

With regards the information you have provided and how this may or may not be linked to hair loss, firstly let us assure you that being sexually active and masturbating are not the reasons for your hair loss. There are, however, a number of lifestyle factors you mention which could be behind your increased shedding.

Both depression as a condition and anti-depressant medication can cause hair loss. These can cause Telogen Effluvium, and can worsen or bring on genetic hair loss in those who are susceptible to the condition. The same is true of stress and lack of sleep so dealing with these issues is extremely important to break the hair loss cycle.

It is great that you are looking after your nutritional needs by taking biotin and vitamins but be careful to stay within the recommended daily allowances. It is possible for Telogen Effluvium to be caused by overdosing on certain vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin A and Iron, so taking a good quality multivitamin alongside a nutritional supplement specifically targeted towards hair health, such as Hair Vitalics, may be worth considering.

You mention that you use Rogaine once per day; the information for this hair loss product states that it is meant to be used twice daily - once in the morning and once in the evening - in order to be effective.  It will either not work as well or may not work at all when using a lesser amount than recommended.

Although the Ketoconazole shampoo you say that you use may sometimes be recommended for those experiencing hair loss, anecdotal evidence is not particularly positive. Whilst it is fine to keep using this as a regular shampoo, it is best not to consider it in any way a 'treatment'.

As you can see, from the issues outlined above, it is likely that your previous diagnoses of Telogen Effluvium and Male Pattern Hair Loss are correct, although your TE may have progressed to a chronic stage now. There are effective treatments for Telogen Effluvium, Chronic TE and male hair loss, as well as various hair growth boosters which may help you to regrow your hair.

We would highly recommend seeking professional advice on your current stage of hair loss and appropriate treatments. It would also be beneficial for you to address certain issues - such as your depression, stress and lack of sleep - in order to give any hair loss treatments the best possible chance of working.

In order to ensure swift and appropriate treatment, we would suggest you get a professional diagnosis of your condition and stage of hair loss from an expert. As you are based in the USA and cannot visit one of our London clinics, we recommend you use our Online Consultation. There you will be able to upload images and answer some background questions that will enable a dedicated Belgravia hair loss specialist to provide you with personalised advice and recommendations for a comprehensive treatment plan fully tailored to your needs and situation.