How does hair thinning begin?

[cc89]

I've been noticing some thin hairs falling out of my scalp for the last new months. When I wash my hair, about 10% of the hair that falls out is either noticeably thinner than the rest, or extremely short, thin and bent at odd angles. Some of the hairs are so thin that they'll snap if I stretch them even slightly. The weird thing is that I can't see or feel any thinning if I look in the mirror or run my hands through my hair.

 

I've been told by my doctor that I'm iron deficient and should start taking iron supplements. He also tells me that this thinning can be and probably is being caused by iron deficiency. If that's the case, then it'd be totally reversible. But is that really what might be causing it? Do the things I described above seem familiar to anyone else?

Edited January 24, 2011 by cc89

[Swimmy]

.In General, unless you are growing, there's absolutely no point for you to be taking Iron. We get excessive Iron in our daily diet. Its fortified in EVERYTHING.

 

As a growing boy your body will use most of the Iron to help you grow..But when you're done your body just accumulates Iron and its very bad for you. There's a correlation. In general, hair loss and heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes all show high levels of Iron. That's why women have a longer life span than men. When they menstruate they release Iron..They don't accumulate..After menopause their body then begins to collect Iron. Then suddenly they become much more susceptible to hair loss and a host of other diseases.

 

I would say too much Iron is part of the problem in hair loss.

[cc89]

You're actually not the first person to tell me this. I know that you're also right, but then again, I'm guessing the doctor must have had a reason to prescribe the iron supplements to me.

 

Either way, scratch what I said in my original post about thinning hairs. That's just me being paranoid.

Edited January 24, 2011 by cc89

[mattj]

You say scratch what you said, but you gave quite a detailed description of what sounds like miniaturizing hairs due to male pattern baldness.

[cc89]

I am seeing miniturizing hairs, but whether or not they're being caused by male pattern baldness, I'm not sure yet. My doctor has told me that my anaemia or iron deficiency usually does cause this, so I'll take his advice on treating it and see if there's any change. Hopefully I'll find out within a week or two.

Edited January 24, 2011 by cc89

[RCWest]

Where exactly is your hairloss? You are at the age where a mature hairline may begin showing. Best to see a hair transplant surgeon or a well respected dermatologist who can actually look at your scalp under magnification.

[Swimmy]

I am seeing miniturizing hairs, but whether or not they're being caused by male pattern baldness, I'm not sure yet. My doctor has told me that my anaemia or iron deficiency usually does cause this, so I'll take his advice on treating it and see if there's any change. Hopefully I'll find out within a week or two.

 

I would try supplementing with B12, folic acid, and Iodine..They are all relatively cheap and will enhance Iron absorption. As said, with todays western diet you should have absolutely no reason to supplement Iron..Unless you're a women. If you have anemia its probably a absorption issue.

[cc89]

All I know is that I've been told that I'm iron deficient (possibly anaemic) since I was 15. My father and older brother are also anaemic. The doctor that prescribed iron supplements was actually my gastroenterologist whom I have regular appointments with to checkup on my inflammatory bowel disease (my colon bleeds occasionally).

 

RCWest: I don't see or feel any hair loss at the moment, and my hairline isn't receding either. It's just that a few of the hairs I shed on a daily basis are thinner than normal. Maybe 8-10 out of 150, if I were to guess.

Edited January 24, 2011 by cc89

[kathie47]

Try the iron pills first and see, especially if there is concern that you may be anaemic. Have you been doing anything different with your hair lately? Is it longer than it has been in the past or are you styling it with products? You may just be experiencing breakage that you weren't having before if it was shorter or not exposed to hair products.

[gillenator]

Are there any cases or examples of genetic hairloss (MPB) in your family history on either side? If so, get examined in person by a reputable HT surgeon in your area. You want to be physically examined for evidence of miniturization which sounds like you may have going on. It is not difficult to ascertain.

 

Samples from the donor zone are compared to samples taken from areas of the scalp that are typically susceptible to the effects of DHT. Comparisons are made to note decreases and differences of hair shaft diameter to terminal hair samples. And ideally this is done over a period of time.

 

Density counts can also be tracked within defined areas of the scalp that again are typically susceptible to DHT.

[cc89]

I've been taking iron supplements and haven't noticed any short hairs being shed lately. I'm also shedding less hairs than before.

 

I don't think there's any history of MPB in either side of my family. My father had thick and long hair well into his thirties and didn't experience any hair loss or recession until he was in his late-forties, by which time he was a Norwood 3. He tells me that this is around the same time he was prescribed corticosteroids for his inflammatory bowel disorder (Prednisone). He's now almost 60, is still taking the corticosteroids amongst various other medications to manage his IBD. He's still at Norwood 3 but now has a bald patch on his vertex which developed during his fifties.

 

I've also been to the dermatologist, and while he hasn't done a miniturisation test yet, he tells me that shedding some fine, long hairs is normal. Apparently, these individual thin hairs I was referring to in my original post are coming from all over my scalp including the "donor zone", not just the top.

Edited February 1, 2011 by cc89