Re: Re: Hair Loss.....Information/Tests

[Guest guest]

Hi All:

For those of you with hair loss--I know how very devastating this is. I'd like to share with you what I know about this dreadful condition know as TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM (TE). It has torn me out a new a**hole as it has been an awful thing to experience.

I have had TE 6 times. Once after a crash diet, and four times following surgery and one time going hyperthyroid on a high dose of T3 thyroid medication. Other causes for this condition include, but are not limited to the following:

Hormonal Imbalances

Anti Depressant medications

Beta Blockers

Cholesterol lowering drugs

Heparin

Severe stress

Anemia or low serum ferritin stores(ferritin stores below 70)

Childbirth

Cessation of birth control pills

Thyroid diseases

Breast implants

Retinoids or too much vitamin A

Febrile illness

Systemic Infection

Fever

Surgery

to name a few.

Telogen Effluvium is a disruption of the normal growth/shedding cycle of the hair brought on by a stressful factor--the loss is all over the scalp (unlike genetic alopecia that is permanent and is limited to the crown of the scalp).This is a medical form of hair loss that is USUALLY reversible, it's not genetic. Treatment depends on identifying the trigger(s) that have cause the TE and to arrest that cause. Also, iron stores and nutrition play a large role in regrowing the hair lost from TE. Without health being restored back to the body and the trigger for the hair loss arrested, the hair loss or lack of regrowth will continue into a chronic condition. There is hope though with the proper medical attention.

When visiting a doc for determining the cause for your hair loss the following tests should be taken (plus more if your doc feels it appropriate):

Complete Thyroid Panel

Cortisol

Total and Free Testosterone

Estrodial

Progesterone

DHEAS

IBC

Serum Ferritin

SHBG

LH

FSH

CBC

ANA

17OHP

ANDROSTENEDIONE

B Vitamins

Serum Zinc

Albumin

If anyone has any questions regarding hair loss, please ask me. While I'm not a health professional, I have read a great deal on alopecia. My sources include Dr. D. Whiting (Baylor Univ).,Dr. Lynn Drake(Harvard), Dr. Ramsay, UK) to name a few.

I know it sux having this condition but there is hope. In the meantime, it's important to eat well and take a good hair, skin, and nails multivitamin such as GNC's Ultra Nourishair. The Vitamin Shoppe also sells good hair vitamins. Flax seed, Evening Primrose, MSM, protein, L-Lysine and iron are also good for hair.

Take care All.

Hugs,

-Marie