I need help for a friend

[jacqueline101]

I need help for a friend. Her hair routine has remained the same for years. She showed me her hair it's falling out. According to her she's not changed anything. Her lab can't out fine. The thing is we don't know what's causing it.

[pocketsmall]

Is she more stressed out than usual? Any changes in diet over the past few months? Sleep patterns still the same?

I'm sorry to hear your friend is having hair loss, I've been in the same situation (my labs were normal too).

Just keep reminding her it will grow back!

[Isilme]

The usual suspects, stress, damaging hair routine?

[jacqueline101]

Is she more stressed out than usual? Any changes in diet over the past few months? Sleep patterns still the same?

I'm sorry to hear your friend is having hair loss, I've been in the same situation (my labs were normal too).

Just keep reminding her it will grow back!
She's complained about waking up during the night then falling back asleep she was a sound sleeper. I will try to encourage her more.

[jacqueline101]

The usual suspects, stress, damaging hair routine?

I'm thinking stress she's been waking up in the middle of the night. She goes back to sleep but something is causing it.

[ExpectoPatronum]

It could be shedding due to a change in seasons. My hair goes through a decent shed about twice a year. Fall happens to be one of them. How long has this been going on for?

How old is your friend? If she's on the 'older' side, it could be a normal thing. Some people's hair thins as they age.

[jacqueline101]

It could be shedding due to a change in seasons. My hair goes through a decent shed about twice a year. Fall happens to be one of them. How long has this been going on for?

How old is your friend? If she's on the 'older' side, it could be a normal thing. Some people's hair thins as they age.
She's in her 60's I never thought it was normal thinning but you could be right. It's been going on for a month. I forgot some people do shed during the fall and spring.

[fairview]

Being male I am very sensitive to hair loss and when I started seeing the loss and fighting it I discovered many of the causes of male hair loss are applicable to women. Men convert testosterone into a metabolite called DHT. It is exponentially stronger then testosterone and of all the things it does, it is majorly the culprit in male pattern baldness but it also has a seemingly contradictory effect of enhancing body hair. So, how does this apply to women?

As women age testosterone production remain relatively constant however estrogen production steadily decreases. The levels and T to E ratio in older males and post menopausal women are remarkably similar. So as a woman ages her t/e ration begins to favor testosterone which in turns allows the DHT to have a more profound effect in the face of decreasing estrogen production resulting in hair loss similar to MPB in males. Is you friend having challenges of hair in places where she normally didn't have it when she was younger, particularly the appearance of facial hair is an indication of having a testosterone dominate ratio.

Assuming she intends to not have more children at her age, the good news is that she would not necessarily need to take estrogen supplements but the same treatments that are used for men can be helpful for women. Minoxidil, propecia and other prescription drugs that block the formation of DHT may help but your friend would need a forward looking physician that would be willing to include tests for DHT levels which is considered a male only blood test(Insurance probably won't cover it for her) and then be willing to prescribe MPB drugs rather than convincing her to take estrogen.

Okay, that is the complicated answer to hair loss available. On the polar end of that spectrum is that I would suspect that she has really crappy eating habits, particularly if she is living alone. I'm 55 and have a wife. Our kids are all adults and out of the house. Our eating habits have really gone into the basement since then. It is just too much trouble to make meals just for two, sometimes just for one if the other is busy. Junk food to the rescue.

[jacqueline101]

Being male I am very sensitive to hair loss and when I started seeing the loss and fighting it I discovered many of the causes of male hair loss are applicable to women. Men convert testosterone into a metabolite called DHT. It is exponentially stronger then testosterone and of all the things it does, it is majorly the culprit in male pattern baldness but it also has a seemingly contradictory effect of enhancing body hair. So, how does this apply to women?

As women age testosterone production remain relatively constant however estrogen production steadily decreases. The levels and T to E ratio in older males and post menopausal women are remarkably similar. So as a woman ages her t/e ration begins to favor testosterone which in turns allows the DHT to have a more profound effect in the face of decreasing estrogen production resulting in hair loss similar to MPB in males. Is you friend having challenges of hair in places where she normally didn't have it when she was younger, particularly the appearance of facial hair is an indication of having a testosterone dominate ratio.

Assuming she intends to not have more children at her age, the good news is that she would not necessarily need to take estrogen supplements but the same treatments that are used for men can be helpful for women. Minoxidil, propecia and other prescription drugs that block the formation of DHT may help but your friend would need a forward looking physician that would be willing to include tests for DHT levels which is considered a male only blood test(Insurance probably won't cover it for her) and then be willing to prescribe MPB drugs rather than convincing her to take estrogen.

Okay, that is the complicated answer to hair loss available. On the polar end of that spectrum is that I would suspect that she has really crappy eating habits, particularly if she is living alone. I'm 55 and have a wife. Our kids are all adults and out of the house. Our eating habits have really gone into the basement since then. It is just too much trouble to make meals just for two, sometimes just for one if the other is busy. Junk food to the rescue.


Dorothy eats descent but not a lot as the saying goes she eats like a bird. She eats veggies but no meat I wonder if it's protein issues. I didn't think of this until you mentioned the food plus her age could be a factor in this. She does have severe copd. Which isn't good and like me she smokes a lot and I mean a lot. I'm not judging her again I smoke 5 packs a day. It's sad I know I hear it all the time. Maybe her medicines and health could be an issue. It's strange you don't think of these things when you panick and post a thread.

[PetuniaBlossom]

I believe that smoking reduces the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry to all parts of the body. (I'm very weak on the science aspect of it, I hope someone more knowledgeable will chime in.) The COPD would likely be a result of the heavy smoking and difficulty in getting enough oxygen could be contributing to sleeping disorder. The obvious answer would be to quit smoking ASAP, but I know (from personal experience) that it's easier said than done. If she's been diagnosed with COPD and is still smoking, I'm sure her doctors have addressed the issue with her.
Maybe she could try quitting for a few months and see if that has any effect upon her hair?

[jeanniet]

Smoking constricts capillaries in the surface of the skin--that's why smokers get those distinctive masses of facial wrinkles as they age. That can't be good for the hair follicles, and if you add in the COPD and lack of oxygen overall, the smoking may very well be at least a partial cause for hair loss. But it could also be lack of protein, seasonal shed, etc. Obviously, quitting smoking is a very good idea, but unfortunately I don't think the COPD is reversible so I don't know that it would make a difference to her hair anyway.

ETA: Her medications could also definitely be a factor. Can you get a list of her meds and do some research for her? If you google "name of medication + hair loss" you should be able to find out which ones have hair loss as a potential side effect.

[jacqueline101]

I believe that smoking reduces the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry to all parts of the body. (I'm very weak on the science aspect of it, I hope someone more knowledgeable will chime in.) The COPD would likely be a result of the heavy smoking and difficulty in getting enough oxygen could be contributing to sleeping disorder. The obvious answer would be to quit smoking ASAP, but I know (from personal experience) that it's easier said than done. If she's been diagnosed with COPD and is still smoking, I'm sure her doctors have addressed the issue with her.
Maybe she could try quitting for a few months and see if that has any effect upon her hair?


I know from my own battles copd is bad I already have it. I know I'm 31 and dying but that's my choice. Again mine mostly came from diesel trucks the smoke from them all of my life second generation dumptruck owner. Construction related illness as I've stated in my blogs my buildings are old they have lead and aspesos in them. My home is a 74 model trailor that's 80 percent original. I've tried to stop smoking believe me I hear it all the time from the doctors. It does slow the oxygen down copd because it attacks the air sacks in your lungs. You breathe carbon so you're being suffocated all the time.

[jacqueline101]

Smoking constricts capillaries in the surface of the skin--that's why smokers get those distinctive masses of facial wrinkles as they age. That can't be good for the hair follicles, and if you add in the COPD and lack of oxygen overall, the smoking may very well be at least a partial cause for hair loss. But it could also be lack of protein, seasonal shed, etc. Obviously, quitting smoking is a very good idea, but unfortunately I don't think the COPD is reversible so I don't know that it would make a difference to her hair anyway.

ETA: Her medications could also definitely be a factor. Can you get a list of her meds and do some research for her? If you google "name of medication + hair loss" you should be able to find out which ones have hair loss as a potential side effect.
She's not treating her copd she does wear oxygen continuously. I might see what I can find out about any other meds shes on. Again it could be age related and other factors that could be to blame.

[SleepyTangles]

I've recently start to shed a lot, and I'm not surprised because this happens every fall. So I instinctively thought this, too. I've been also mildly dieting for a period, and I can swear that it takes a lot from me, its like my body "throws overboard" everything that it doesn't need!

If her diet lacks protein, she smokes a lot and takes medicines, as you said, maybe the season is not the only culprit. Everybody says that physical activities are good for stimulating circulation, and improve the health of the whole body. Maybe she can do more walks, if your city isn't full of smog as mine, or even some mild exercise like tai chi or yoga. I'm gonna start the gym, so I'd see if this work for me too.
And by the way I'm sorry to hear you too have health problems, I'd never guessed myself.

[jacqueline101]

I've recently start to shed a lot, and I'm not surprised because this happens every fall. So I instinctively thought this, too. I've been also mildly dieting for a period, and I can swear that it takes a lot from me, its like my body "throws overboard" everything that it doesn't need!

If her diet lacks protein, she smokes a lot and takes medicines, as you said, maybe the season is not the only culprit. Everybody says that physical activities are good for stimulating circulation, and improve the health of the whole body. Maybe she can do more walks, if your city isn't full of smog as mine, or even some mild exercise like tai chi or yoga. I'm gonna start the gym, so I'd see if this work for me too.
And by the way I'm sorry to hear you too have health problems, I'd never guessed myself.
Thanks for feeling sorry for me but it's not necessary mine is caused by my former line of work. I found out a few months ago I had copd. I figured at first it was cancer maybe due to the cancer scares you hear. Nope copd I'm not treating mine either I don't want to treat mine. I have four broken knuckles which will be removed if there's no help for them. This doesn't bug me I chose to be a contractor and I chose to smoke.
The hair issue I've concluded to be a little of everything rolled into one.