In this article, recommended hair transplant surgeon Dr. Parsa Mohebi shares his expert advice regarding stress and hair loss.

Many of my hair loss patients who come for their first consultation associate their hair loss to the beginning of a stressful event or season in their lives. Several of these individuals explain they began to notice thinning hair when they moved to a different city or country, went through a divorce, or had difficulties at work or in their personal lives. The situation always revolved around some type of emotional trauma or sudden change of life’s routine pattern. Usually, they have been right in their assessment that these types of events have the potential to accelerate hair loss.

Looking at the situation more critically, hair loss would not have occurred to these same individuals if they were not genetically predisposed to balding. For example, someone at the age of 20 or older, may have the hair loss gene which will cause male or female baldness. From the age 20 and older, if they are involved in a major surgical procedure, a traumatic event, or stressful situation, it can accelerate the hair loss process. So the loss expected to be seen in 10 years could come around much earlier.

Trauma, stress, other medical conditions, or major surgeries may cause hair loss in individuals not prone to lose hair, in the form of hair shedding.  This is due to a signal their scalp hair received to push them to the resting phase, or telogen phase.  However, the condition is merely temporary, and the missing hair will grow back after the passing of the stressful circumstance, or treatment of the medical condition.

I’ve read a lot on the Internet about the dangers of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in shampoos and other products. Could this be what’s causing my hair loss or at least accelerating it?

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a chemical foaming agent present in many hygiene products like shampoos, soaps and, toothpaste as well as in cleaning products such as detergents and degreasers. It has been rumored to cause everything from scalp irritation to hair loss and even cancer. However, according to Coalition hair restoration physician Dr. Bill Rassman, these warnings are overblown and it is nothing to be concerned about due to the very low levels of the chemical in these hygiene products.

Shampoos contain very small amounts of SLS (typically less than 15%). Combined with the fact that these products are normally diluted with water and remain in contact with the skin only briefly, there is very little opportunity for it to absorb into the skin and cause systemic damage. Thus, it is very unlikely that SLS has caused or has in any way exacerbated your hair loss. In the vast majority of cases, balding is the result of androgenic alopecia (genetic hair loss).

If you are a man with thinning hair, I recommend you discuss Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride) with your doctor. These drugs are the only two clinically proven and FDA approved medical hair loss treatments currently available. Only Rogaine is approved for treating female hair loss. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not take or handle broken finasteride tablets due to the risk of birth defects.

With her angelic face, unattainable physique and signature, flowing blonde locks, Mattel’s Barbie has epitomized the American standard of beauty and glamour since her “birth” in 1959. But, if one group has its way, at least one aspect of Barbie’s iconic look will receive a makeover this year. A grassroots movement born in the age of social media has created a Facebook page petitioning the toy maker to create a bald Barbie to “help young girls who suffer from hair loss due to cancer treatments, Alopecia and Trichotillomania” as well as for those who are having trouble coping with their mother’s hair loss from chemotherapy.

Balding men and women of all ages understand the psychological effects of hair loss. Those suffering from androgenic alopecia or one of the many non-genetic causes know the feelings of helplessness and loss of self-esteem that can accompany thinning hair. But, this pales when compared to a child who is not only balding but also suffering from an incurable and potentially life-threatening illness.

As a community by and for hair loss sufferers, the Hair Restoration Forum and Social Network is committed to educating balding men and women about effective and proven hair loss treatments and we support the creation of a Bald Barbie. Perhaps we can’t cure cancer but we have a unique opportunity to help alter society’s perception of hair loss and, most importantly, put smiles on the faces of little girls who have forgotten what it’s like to feel like a princess.

This article was submitted to us for publishing and was partially written by Dr. Carlos Wesley, who is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network. For a complete list of contributors to this article, scroll down to the bottom of this article.

Hair Transplantation Procedures

Overview

Background

Hair transplantation procedures are used to treat various forms and degrees of permanent alopecia in both men and women. Intact hair follicles may be harvested from within the safe donor area of a patient’s scalp by either strip method or follicular unit extraction (FUE); each harvesting method has unique advantages and disadvantages. The refinement of follicular unit transplanting over the last decade has led to markedly improved hair survival and natural-appearing results.

This article provides a broad overview of the techniques used by various hair transplant surgeons throughout the world. Founded on the principal of donor dominance (ie, hair follicles continue to grow in the new recipient area to which they are introduced as long as they would have in the donor area from which they are extracted), the field of hair restoration surgery (HRS) has evolved considerably since its inception in the 1950s. Natural-appearing results are consistently achievable and reflect a surgeon’s technical skill and artistic creativity.

Indications

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure used for the correction of androgenic alopecia (AGA), cicatricial (scarring) alopecia, or any form of permanent hair loss in both men and women.^[1,2]

Recommended hair transplant surgeon Dr. Shelly A. Friedman recently released a new book titled To Bald or Not to Bald? That is the Question. Although the book is humorously titled, the content tackles important hair loss issues, such as the difference between male and female genetic balding, effective hair restoration treatments, and obtaining state-of-the-art surgical techniques. As Dr. Friedman explains:

Although it is usually an unwanted sign of aging, hair loss may no longer be inevitable. Hopefully, by the time you finish this book you will understand the proven, effective treatment options that have become so popular. In subsequent chapters you will realize that hair loss is a problem that can be solved with new and exciting methods that will be explained in detail as we move along. We live in a new era of medical innovation and possibilities. Advances in medical research, technology and surgical techniques have restored patient’s faith in the field of medical and surgical hair restoration. This books explains the entire process of hair restoration today.

If you would like to get in contact with Dr. Friedman, feel free to visit his recommendation profile at the Hair Transplant Network. Additionally, please visit our online hair loss product shop for information on purchasing your very own copy of To Bald or Not to Bald? That is the Question.

To purchase this book immediately, click here.

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Blake – aka Future_HT_Doc

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

Below we’ve compiled some of the most recent hot topic hair loss related questions and answers provided by physician experts and veteran hair transplant patients. You are encouraged to click on any of the links to topics you find interesting below.

Which Shampoo is Best to Use After Hair Transplant Surgery? View this article presented by Dr. Michael Beehner and learn whether or not the type of shampoo you use after hair transplant surgery really matters.

Impact of Abruptly Stopping Non-Surgical Hair Loss Treatments? Learn about the risks of stopping proven hair loss treatments and what it may mean for your hair.

When Creating a Second Hair Transplant Scar May Be Appropriate: This article discusses Coalition member Dr. Cam Simmons‘ thoughts on whether or not it’s appropriate to create a second hair transplant scar.

Can Swimming or Excessive Chlorine Exposure Cause Hair Loss? Learn whether or not your hair is in any danger from swimming regularly.

Bill Seemiller
Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum
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Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair transplant, Dr. Michael Beehner, hair transplant, hair loss treatments, Dr. Cam Simmons, hair transplant scar, Bill Seemiller

Because of its recent spike in popularity and versatile nature, many practitioners are currently researching alternative uses for the Botox injectable serum. One area, continually researched and examined by medical experts, is the potential link between hair loss and Botox injections. However, despite ongoing research, the question still remains: can Botox treat hair loss?

“Botox” is a purified form of Botulinum Toxin A, used medically to treat headaches and cosmetically to decrease the appearance of facial wrinkles. The serum works by temporarily paralyzing muscles, thus decreasing the excessive contractions that cause painful headaches and, cosmetically, wrinkle-inducing tension.

Because Botox’s mechanism of action involves reduced muscle tension and a likely increase of oxygenated blood flow to the treated area, many wonder if the injectable could prove useful in treating hair loss. Until recently, most evidence involving Botox and baldness seemed anecdotal and inconclusive, but a new Canadian study finds a correlation between Botox injections and increased hair growth/reduced hair loss.

During the study, 50 patients with Norwood Scales ranging from level II to level IV were treated with a total of 300 units of Botox over a 24 week period. Using a 2 cm strip of injected scalp (to monitor new hair growth) and a lint roller dragged over participant’s pillows (to monitor progressive hair loss), researchers analyzed the results of the study and found a positive correlation between Botox injections and new growth/reduced loss.

This question, asked by a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums, was answered by Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Cam Simmons:

I suffer from Cutis Verticis Gyrata. The dermatologists I’ve been to have been clueless about it and printed off information for me to read which was the same info I had already found. Has there been any progress into treatments of CVG as it’s causing a lot of stress.

First let me say that I do not have a lot of experience with CVG.

After seeing a CVG patient in consultation and seeing email photos of another a couple of years ago, I realized that I had done a hair transplant a couple of years ago on someone with very mild CVG. He had 2 sagittal, slight indentations that could be felt at the time of his hair restoration surgery but not really seen. I wondered at the time if he had a couple of childhood scars he didn’t remember. I since saw him in follow-up and his hair transplant grew well. I believe that his hair loss was caused by androgenic alopecia (male pattern balding). He had a classic 5 pattern on the Norwood Scale and the indentations were most easily felt where his hair was thickest in the band across the mid-scalp. His CVG likely had not progressed.

This question comes from a member of our Hair Loss Social Community and Discussion Forums: 

After becoming concerned about my hair loss I started doing some research and found that dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the hormone responsible for genetic baldness. Knowing this, I assume the best way to treat progressive hair loss is to “block” DHT? Is this true? Is DHT an important element of hair loss?

DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is the hormone (essentially) responsible for hair loss; in this sense, it is very important.

In my opinion, the best way to “block” DHT is to prevent it from forming in inappropriate amounts in the first place. Medications that block the activity of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme (mainly type II 5-alpha-reductase), the compound responsible for converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, will greatly decrease the amount of DHT available to affect hair follicles and cease the progressive loss.

As of now, the two compounds known to block the 5-alpha-reductase activity are finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia) and dutasteride (the active ingredient in Avodart). Of these two, finasteride is proven safe and effective for treating hair loss and, in my opinion, is the most effective compound to block DHT and prevent progressive baldness.
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Blake  – aka Future_HT_Doc

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

Follow our community on Twitter

Watch hair transplant videos on YouTube

I was reading your Hair Loss Myths article, and the section on ‘Styling and Hair Loss’ was brought to my attention. I have dyed my hair using various products and various colors for the past 9 years. I have damaged my hair, but I have never lost hair until I recently used the color enhancing conditioning formula of a well-known semi-permanent hair dye product. I followed the directions, and applied the product two weeks after the initial dyeing to enhance my color and help prevent it from fading. The directions told me to wear gloves, so I assumed it had to be somewhat potent and not just a regular conditioner. After I rinsed the product out (after 5 minutes, like the directions said), I noticed that clumps of hair were being washed out too. It was scary to see all that hair in the shower. It wasn’t just damaged hair from breaking, it was hair falling out of my scalp in small clumps. After I brushed my hair, more and more hair fell out. This thinning hair has been devastating for me, as my hair is now significantly thinner (though I am not bald). I just wanted to let you know that hair products can cause hair loss. From the sources I have spoken with, it is likely caused by the PPD in the dye. I just wanted to give you some insight on this.

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I’m very sorry to hear that you experienced hair loss due to this hair coloring product.