Hair Falls Out: What is the Mechanism?

why does hair fall out?Have you ever wondered about the mechanics of hair loss? Why did those hairs decide to “let go”?

There are many underlying reasons for hair loss. Ultimately, regardless of the underlying condition, hair typically falls out because the inner root sheath degrades.

In the past, it has been widely believed that this degradation is directly related to the sebaceous gland. This theory is based on the fact that, when fibers of hair follicles that do not have sebaceous glands are grown in the laboratory, the inner root sheaths appear to remain attached.

New research indicates that inner root sheath degradation may not be directly related to the sebaceous gland. A study found that a new hair follicle that does not have a sebaceous gland develops a degraded roots sheath. The hair falls out, and any new hair in those follicles also falls out.

Therefore, it is possible that the sebaceous gland does not itself participate in the process of hair falling out. However, “the sebaceous gland has many vital functions, including the production of oil, which plays a role in the quality of hair,” said dermatologist Dr. Larry Shapiro, who offers a line of “Help Hair” shampoos, conditioners, vitamins and nutrition shakes for hair health. “The proper shampoo and conditioner can remove or add the right amount of oil for the hair,” he said.

The study suggested that inner root sheath degradation may be a function of the follicle itself, and it might be linked with the processes of cellular differentiation when hair begins to grow.

Source: “Degradation of the hair follicle inner root sheath” by Gill Westgate, Steven Goff, Paul Slusareewicz, Preyesh Parmar; Westgate Consultancy, Stevington, Bedfordshire, Life Science, Unilever R&D, Colworth, Sharnbrook, Bedford, UK.

Do Not Delay Treatment for Hair Loss

The sooner a man with male pattern hair loss seeks treatment, the better. In a study of one set of identical twins with the same hair loss and medical history, the twin who got treated faster had significantly more hair four years later than his brother.

The first twin used an effective topical type I 5-alpha reductase inhibitor in combination with minoxidil and oral finasteride; a type II 5-alpha reductase inhibitor for four years.

The second twin did not receive the treatment until a year after his brother started, due to an unforeseen event. His hair loss progressed. This man’s hair loss was irreversible, despite receiving the same, typically-effective treatment for three years.

The study questioned the ethics of delaying treatment for participants in scientific research on hair loss, or giving them a placebo. Given that immediate treatment is more effective, treatment should be offered without delay, according to the researchers.

“If you are experiencing hair loss, seek treatment now,” said Dr. Shapiro, a dermatologist in Southern Florida who works exclusively with hair transplant surgery.

The study was conducted by Hugh Rushton, Ian Ramsay, Jeremy Gilkes; School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Lister Hospital, London, UK and presented at the European Hair Research Society annual conference.

Soy Products, the Thyroid and Hair Loss

soy

Consuming soy products could contribute to hair loss

Soy has been touted as a wonder food. We are told that soy can promote heart health, help prevent cancer, support bone health and alleviate menopausal symptoms. A protein-packed, low-fat food, soy has been consumed in Asia for thousands of years, in the form of soy milk and fermented tofu, miso and soy sauce. Walk down the frozen food aisle of your grocery store to find soy-based veggie burgers, tofu hot dogs, and vegetarian frozen dinners. Your grocery store has TVP (textured vegetable protein), powdered soy drinks, soy protein bars, soy cheese, and much more. You can even get soy milk in your latté Starbuck’s®!

However, evidence has appeared that links soy to hypothyroidism. Goitrogens are substances that interfere with the iodine uptake. This results in suppression of thyroid function. Soybeans are rich sources of soy isoflavones which are a class of chemicals called phytoestrogens. Certain studies have found that soy isoflavones are goitrogenic in nature.1

Hypothyroidism is most frequently found in menopausal women. The thyroid is the carburetor of the body. If the thyroid is not working properly, the hair and nails will not grow normally. You can easily spot a low thyroid woman because her hair is diffusely thin and frizzy. She can also have other signs such as a raspy voice and depression. Goitrogenic soy isoflavones, daidzein and genistein were identified as substances that suppress the function of thyroid.2

If you or your doctor suspect thyroid problems, lab work is needed and patients should get a yearly test. Thyroid problems run in families and if the mother has a thyroid problem, the daughter should get checked early on in life and regularly.

Women, especially menopausal and pregnant women, need to be careful about soy consumption because they are 6 times more likely than men to suffer from thyroid problems.

Hypothyroidism leads to decreased production of T3 & T4 hormones and an elevated level of TSH. If hair loss occurs, it will not grow back regardless of your age, so early detection is important. A free lab work page is available online. Print it out and bring it to your general doctor for early detection.

If you take a protein shake, you take a shake containing whey protein concentrate rather than a soy-based shake. Dr. Shapiro’s Help Hair™ Whey Protein Shake is soy free because of concerns about the risk of thyroid issues. The product has added iodine for essential thyroid function. This formula is whey based and has added amino acids, the building blocks for hair. Soybeans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine, which are essential for healthy hair.

As with all health claims, it’s “buyer beware.” Before adding a lot of soy into your diet, research the pros and cons for your gender, age and specific situation.

Sources:

1. Doerge DR., et al. “Goitrogenic and Estrogenic Activity of Soy Isoflavones.” Environmental Health Perspectives. June 2002;110 Suppl 3:349-53.
2. Divi RL., et al. “Anti-thyroid isoflavones from soybean: isolation, characterization, and mechanisms of action.” Biochemical Pharmacology. 1997 Nov 15;54(10):1087-96.

Can Finger Length Predict Male Pattern Balding?

Can finger length predict male hair loss?Men: Are your index and ring fingers the same length on your right hand? New research shows that you may be more sensitive to testosterone, which increases your likelihood of experiencing male pattern hair loss.

Genes and sex steroids such as testosterone often influence sex dependent traits, such as male pattern hair loss. John Manning at the University of Central Lancashire is studying finger length as a way of predicting how much testosterone a male was exposed to in the womb.

Dr. Manning, author of The Finger Book, found that the ratio of the length of the index finger to the ring finger was a good predictor of pre-natal testosterone exposure. He observed that when these two fingers were the same length, or very close in length, the man was more sensitive to testosterone, and thus more likely to lose hair as an adult.

“It is always interesting to see correlations that cause hair loss,” said Dr. Larry Shapiro, an expert in hair replacement surgery. “One interesting correlation is that men with male pattern baldness on the crown have higher incidence of heart disease. But correlation are not actual predictors of outcome so we should always take them with a grain of salt.”

Source: European Hair Research Society website

Chosing a Hair Transplant Doctor

Choose a docThere are many doctors today that say that they specialize in the treatment of hair loss but have had no formal training in dermatology. This training is what qualifies them as an expert in hair, skin and nails. Dr. Larry Shapiro of Dr. Shapiro’s Hair Institute began his practice in dermatology in 1989 in Delray Beach, serving Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Boca and the S. Florida region. For the past 15 years he has specialized exclusively in hair loss and has met with thousands of patients that have been affected by this. He recommends the following guidelines when selecting a qualified hair transplant doctor:

1. Select a physician that has specific training in the field of Dermatology. This training is imperative to understanding the causes and treatments to your hair loss problems. There are many causes such as alopecia, male pattern baldness and hormone imbalance.

2. Select a physician that performs hair transplants on a daily basis. View a surgical procedure and ask to see more than one. If the physician can not provide this to you then you may question the actual validity of his claims of experience.

3. Review the physician’s qualifications. If they are trained in internal medicine or have no training after medical school then they may not have the expertise to do a complex procedure such as a hair transplant.

4. Review the scope of his practice. If a doctor is performing many other procedures such as liposuction, facelifts, tummy tucks or other cosmetic procedures they may lack the expertise that comes from performing only hair transplants. You don’t want a “jack of all trades” but rather a “master of one”.

5. Select a hair transplant doctor who is a member of a legitimate society such as the AMA or AOA. Do not put stock in what you read on forums and other websites that require the doctor to be a member of them. These are privately run discussions and exist solely to promote their members and sponsors. These sites have no legitimate validity or authority and members are approved by a group of non-medical individuals.

6. Check your surgeon’s references. A qualified hair transplant doctor will have many happy patients that are willing to be contacted as a reference. These patients will be glad to share their experiences with you.

7. Understand the charges and fees. Be wary of a doctor that says “you get what you pay for”. Many times a higher fee means that the doctor actually has less patients (thereby less experience) and must charge more even when performing less grafts. The more grafts that can be done in a session will reduce your number of sittings required thereby saving you time, money and the inconvenience of additional hair transplants.

When you find a doctor that meets all of these criteria you will be able to move forward with confidence. Hair transplantation is the only permanent, affordable way to regain the hair you have lost. Dr. Shapiro has helped over 10,000 people with hair transplants in the Hollywood, Miami and Boca Raton areas as well as patients from all over the world.