Understanding Hair Transplants and Hair Loss - Pacific Hair

Propecia’s generic name is finasteride, and it blocks conversion of testosterone to
dihydrotestosterone in the hair follicle to the extent of about 70% . Another prescription
drug which has not been fully studied in hair loss is Dutasteride, and it may well block
the levels of DHT in hair follicles down about 90% . However, with Dutasteride, you are
blocking both isoenzymes of 5-alpha reductase, and the systemic side effects have not
been worked out . As men get older, side effects from these medications may present
that were not present in their younger years . You need to speak to your physician about
the details of this .
Men may suffer generalized hair thinning (sometimes with pattern loss also) from low
thyroid or iron, as do women. In older men, low testosterone can cause thinning of the
donor area on the sides and back of the head . The donor, like beard and body hair,
needs testosterone . See the discussion in the appendix .
Medical Treatment – Female Pattern Hair Loss
For female pattern baldness, the true causes have not been worked out well . We believe
most commonly that it is caused by the small amount of male hormone, or testosterone,
in women, but there probably are other causes . After menopause, it is common
for women to show generalized hair thinning due to lower levels of female hormones,
as well as the loss of the ability to convert T4 to T3 in the tissues, which results in a low
thyroid-type of thinning hair, as well as thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows .
T4 is the principal type of thyroid hormone produced in the thyroid gland . T3 is the more
active form, which is converted from T4 in the tissues . As we age, the ability to convert
T4 to T3 in the tissues diminishes so that many people that are in excess of 50 years
old have a normal T4 level in their blood, but have diminished T3 in the tissues . This is
determined by measuring the free T3 hormone blood level . Even if you are at the lower
end of the normal range, your hair may well benefit from additional thyroid supplement,
which will bring you up to the high end of the normal range . This also results in greater
energy, higher metabolism, and usually some degree of weight loss . Blood workup is
required, as well as a thorough evaluation by your physician . Other causes of diffuse
thinning are iron deficiency, collagen disease, infectious disease, and other hormone
deficiencies.
The principal medical treatment for female pattern hair loss (the three Ludwig patterns
as well as the Christmas tree pattern in Fig . 1) is female Rogaine used twice a day,
with some improvement in about 30% of cases . Generally, assuming there is a good
U n d e r s t a n d i n g H a i r T r a n s p l a n t s a n d H a i r L o s s
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