Hey guys. Anyone knows if there's an internal test where they can find out exactly why our hair is falling out. I'm not talking about that head scan thing. It doesn't tell me anything. I want to check if my hormone level is normal or my DHT is out of wack. If something about me is medically causing hair loss besides Male Pattern Baldness. I recently started shedding a ton of my hair even though I have been on propecia for over a year. I am starting to wonder if there is another cause
Blood test for Hair Loss. Find out why exactly we are balding
- Thread starter Keystone
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Yoshi3Mario
Established Member
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First of all you can have low level of dht and still have hair loss. There is no correlation. It's all dependent on your genes.
When I was on propecia i experienced sheds (groupings of hairs found on my pillow case) off and on for the first few years. I think it's a continuing sign that the medication is working and your weaker hairs are being pushed out by stronger ones coming in.
I personally dont think shedding is a sign of hair loss. I'm almost bald now and I never see hairs on my pillow since quitting medications.
I don't know of any blood tests out there. If you notice the top of your head thinning you have male pattern baldness. If you have patchy bald spots past the horse shoe line you have something else. But my guess and your guess is that you have male pattern baldness. To be honest I wasn't sure if I had male pattern baldness after being 3 years on propecia. I wasn't losing hair...
When I was on propecia i experienced sheds (groupings of hairs found on my pillow case) off and on for the first few years. I think it's a continuing sign that the medication is working and your weaker hairs are being pushed out by stronger ones coming in.
I personally dont think shedding is a sign of hair loss. I'm almost bald now and I never see hairs on my pillow since quitting medications.
I don't know of any blood tests out there. If you notice the top of your head thinning you have male pattern baldness. If you have patchy bald spots past the horse shoe line you have something else. But my guess and your guess is that you have male pattern baldness. To be honest I wasn't sure if I had male pattern baldness after being 3 years on propecia. I wasn't losing hair...
learner_94
New Member
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Hi ,
you know hair loss can be natural (male pattern baldness) or other causes (deficiency of iron,calcium ,stress etc) .
hair loss other than male pattern baldness can be diagnosed with blood test like CBC,S.calcium ,your haemoglobin levels , thyroid hormones etc and this is not essentially balding . Once the cause is cured hair starts growing again .
male pattern baldness : its just caused by action of DHT . Though there are blood tests to determine your DHT levels , Testosterone etc this cannot be an indicator to balding . All depends on the sensitivity of your hair follicles to DHT .In other words its possible for low DHT levels and balding , Someimes even a high DHT level need not mean that person would become bald .So there cant be any SPECIFIC test to diagnose male pattern baldness.
male pattern baldness can be determined only based on your gene nature , hair loss nature , and history . male pattern baldness does not usually accompany by increased shedding.What u generally observe is the thinning/miniaturization of hair follicles . Terminal hairs converts to vellus type . So just check about strength of your hair instead of worrying about no of hairs u lose if you are concerned of male pattern baldness . In male pattern baldness the one may not even notice that he gets bald because of this thinning which is not accompanied by hair shedding . So the hairs which fall out as you comb , examine them - their strength ... if they are very fine lacking pigmentation , such hairs are signs of male pattern baldness . But 1-2 vellus hairs in every 12 hairs that u shed is not a problem .. An incresed fall of vellus type hairs are an indication of male pattern baldness .
However if u are taking propecia these vellus hair fall may indicate that in the next anagen phase they may be replaced by healthy hairs
However other hair loss (like stress triggered etc) are usually acompanied by increased shedding
TO CONCLUDE :
male pattern baldness cannot be diagnosed by blod test and there is also no increased shedding
Other hair falls can be diagnosed through blood test and it is mosty accompanied by rapid/increased shedding
NOTE : I AM TELLING THIS BASED ON MY OWN RESEARCH . I DONT HAVE ANY MEDICAL BACKGROUND . SO DONT TAKE IT A
S A FINAL WORD. THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION
you know hair loss can be natural (male pattern baldness) or other causes (deficiency of iron,calcium ,stress etc) .
hair loss other than male pattern baldness can be diagnosed with blood test like CBC,S.calcium ,your haemoglobin levels , thyroid hormones etc and this is not essentially balding . Once the cause is cured hair starts growing again .
male pattern baldness : its just caused by action of DHT . Though there are blood tests to determine your DHT levels , Testosterone etc this cannot be an indicator to balding . All depends on the sensitivity of your hair follicles to DHT .In other words its possible for low DHT levels and balding , Someimes even a high DHT level need not mean that person would become bald .So there cant be any SPECIFIC test to diagnose male pattern baldness.
male pattern baldness can be determined only based on your gene nature , hair loss nature , and history . male pattern baldness does not usually accompany by increased shedding.What u generally observe is the thinning/miniaturization of hair follicles . Terminal hairs converts to vellus type . So just check about strength of your hair instead of worrying about no of hairs u lose if you are concerned of male pattern baldness . In male pattern baldness the one may not even notice that he gets bald because of this thinning which is not accompanied by hair shedding . So the hairs which fall out as you comb , examine them - their strength ... if they are very fine lacking pigmentation , such hairs are signs of male pattern baldness . But 1-2 vellus hairs in every 12 hairs that u shed is not a problem .. An incresed fall of vellus type hairs are an indication of male pattern baldness .
However if u are taking propecia these vellus hair fall may indicate that in the next anagen phase they may be replaced by healthy hairs
However other hair loss (like stress triggered etc) are usually acompanied by increased shedding
TO CONCLUDE :
male pattern baldness cannot be diagnosed by blod test and there is also no increased shedding
Other hair falls can be diagnosed through blood test and it is mosty accompanied by rapid/increased shedding
NOTE : I AM TELLING THIS BASED ON MY OWN RESEARCH . I DONT HAVE ANY MEDICAL BACKGROUND . SO DONT TAKE IT A
S A FINAL WORD. THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION
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Damn it! I don't know I have been on propecia for over a year now. The hair fall has been somewhat controlled. Then what ends up happening for the past 2 weeks is I noticed A LOT of small short hairs falling out. My hair is longish up to my collar bone. Is vellus hair the short one? It only started shedding like crazy 2 weeks ago. And a month before that I used a mild bleach on my hair but didn't touch the scalp. I deliberately left a degree of regrowth so as not to touch the scalp. I heard telogen effluvium only occurs 2-3 months after something traumatic happens and my hair colour has been only a month so why is this happening??!?
Also regarding telogen effluvium, i read stress can cause it but does the 2-3 months rule apply too? So if i were stressed 2-3 months ago my hair wouldn't fall out but it would only start now?
Damn i so need a blood test. I just want to figure out what is happening
Also regarding telogen effluvium, i read stress can cause it but does the 2-3 months rule apply too? So if i were stressed 2-3 months ago my hair wouldn't fall out but it would only start now?
Damn i so need a blood test. I just want to figure out what is happening
learner_94
New Member
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- 1
keystone ,
The vellus hairs are short less pigmented hairs that are so fine and lacks strength . Terminal hairs are the ones which are pigmented and has good strength .
male pattern baldness is actually accompanied by conversion of terminal to vellus hairs . The key idea behind recovering lost hair is that these vellus hair has the potential to become terminal hair . But it cannot happen at once . It can change only after many cycles . Similarly due to action of DHT terminal hairs are converted to vellus , not at once but through many cycles .
The vellus hair does not convert to terminal . It has to fall and in next phase increases diameter and so on gradually increases diameter in subsequent stages . Similarly teminal hairs can also convert to vellus but only after several cycles . Thats why both balding and hair regrowth are slow procedures .
Your present falling of vellus hairs may be positive as you are using propecia . Its possible that stress triggered hair fall can be caused after some months . Do you experience increased shedding of hair ? By increased i mean 100+ TERMINAL hairs a day ? If yes then there may be underlying factor which can easily be determined through blood test .
Be confident . It seems that your vellus hair may be converted to terminal hairs. Again what i am saying is purely based on my knowledge of reading . GOOD LUCK
The vellus hairs are short less pigmented hairs that are so fine and lacks strength . Terminal hairs are the ones which are pigmented and has good strength .
male pattern baldness is actually accompanied by conversion of terminal to vellus hairs . The key idea behind recovering lost hair is that these vellus hair has the potential to become terminal hair . But it cannot happen at once . It can change only after many cycles . Similarly due to action of DHT terminal hairs are converted to vellus , not at once but through many cycles .
The vellus hair does not convert to terminal . It has to fall and in next phase increases diameter and so on gradually increases diameter in subsequent stages . Similarly teminal hairs can also convert to vellus but only after several cycles . Thats why both balding and hair regrowth are slow procedures .
Your present falling of vellus hairs may be positive as you are using propecia . Its possible that stress triggered hair fall can be caused after some months . Do you experience increased shedding of hair ? By increased i mean 100+ TERMINAL hairs a day ? If yes then there may be underlying factor which can easily be determined through blood test .
Be confident . It seems that your vellus hair may be converted to terminal hairs. Again what i am saying is purely based on my knowledge of reading . GOOD LUCK