August 2, 2007
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m a woman in my mid-40s, and I’m concerned about rapid hair loss. I see hair in the shower drain almost every morning. I went through some periods of this after each of my children was born, but this time it’s not stopping. I’ve heard of female pattern baldness. Could this be what’s happening to me? — Mapleview, Minn.
You may indeed have some female pattern thinning, but given your description of rapid and ongoing hair loss, a shedding type is more likely. Telogen effluvium, a common form of shedding hair loss, is often due to an underlying medical concern or change in your health. Female pattern thinning and telogen effluvium can occur separately or together.
First, it’s normal to shed 50 to 150 hairs a day. Every single hair on your scalp is in a cycle of growing, resting, and then falling out. The growing phase is two to six years and the duration of the growth phase varies by individual. The longer this phase, the longer your hair could grow. (If you have a short growth cycle, you won’t ever emulate Crystal Gayle, the recording artist known for her long tresses!)
After the growth phase, hair rests for two to three months and then falls out. The cycle begins again with new hair growth. With pattern thinning, called androgenetic alopecia, the growing phase shortens. New hair is finer and thinner, even fuzzy, and eventually, hair doesn’t grow much at all.
In men, this condition can lead to baldness. In women, it typically causes thinning of the hair on top of the head, but not the sides or back of the head. You can blame your parents for this condition. It’s hereditary. Men are more often affected. But pattern thinning is not unusual in women. Various studies show 30 to 60 percent of women are affected with pattern thinning.
Telogen effluvium occurs when more hair than normal switches out of the growing phase. Typically, 90 percent of your hair is growing. With telogen effluvium, only about 60 percent is growing. With more hair in the resting cycle, more shedding occurs, perhaps 300 hairs a day.
Telogen effluvium is common after childbirth. Significant illness, surgery, thyroid problems, rapid weight loss, low iron stores and some medications also can trigger telogen effluvium. There is no known association with aging. It occurs in children and adults of all ages.
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It’s important to see your doctor to determine the cause of your hair loss. If telogen effluvium is the primary cause, treating the underlying health condition will likely slow and stop the hair loss over six to nine months.
For a subset of patients, the cause of shedding is never determined. Shedding may continue or it may resolve on its own. Even if shedding continues, it won’t result in baldness, just thinner hair.
If the cause is androgenetic alopecia, medications can help regrow hair and prevent further loss. Minoxidil (Rogaine) is an over-the-counter liquid medication that you need to use daily to maintain the new hair growth. Once you know the cause of your hair loss, your doctor may suggest other treatment options, too. — Rochelle Torgerson, M.D., Ph.D., Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Readers: Cell phones seem to get all the bad press for distracting us while we drive, but eating, looking at a map, reaching for something and watching something outside the car (such as an accident scene) are among the distractions that are at least as likely to lead to an auto accident.
Eliminating every distraction may not be feasible, but you can minimize risk with these safe-driving tips:
• Cage, leash or harness your pet before traveling.
• If you must eat or drink, have a passenger hand you items or arrange them within easy reach.
• Take time before you start to drive to adjust the seat, mirrors, seat belt and radio.
• Pull over when you talk on the cell phone. If you must talk and drive, have a passenger dial, keep conversations brief and use a headset.
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