Hair Loss and Women: How to Stop and Reverse It

We all lose hair. It's normal to shed 50 to 100 strands per day during the resting phase of the hair growth cycle. You may see them on your pillow, clothes or caught in your brush. Hair follicles should be in a constant pattern of creation, transition and rest, but certain things can disrupt the sequence, triggering excessive shedding. Rapid weight loss, giving birth and illness -- especially one involving a high fever -- can all spark this event. While this mass hair loss may be unnerving, in these situations it's temporary, and hair will regrow.

True hair loss is something quite different. It can be more gradual than mass shedding and concentrated in specific areas. In these cases, the follicle may suffer from poor blood flow or a build up of a hormone by-product called DHT. Over time, that follicle withers and stops producing a hair shaft, creating thinning or balding in patches or throughout the head.

Hair loss has traditionally been looked upon as a man's disease when in fact, women actually make up a large portion of those who suffer from it. The American Association of Dermatology estimates that 40 percent of women may actually have some visible hair loss in their lifetime. For women and some men, hair loss can feel like a permanent jail sentence. Getting to the root cause is key to uncover the many health conditions that contribute to the underlying processes, such as:

-- Nutritional deficiencies

-- Anemia or iron deficiency

-- Discontinuation of birth control pills

-- Hormonal changes

-- Polycystic ovary syndrome

-- Thyroid disease

-- Chronic Illness

-- Autoimmune conditions

-- Psoriasis

-- Medications

-- Stress or trauma

-- Heavy metals

-- Parasites and fungal infections

-- Mold exposure

-- Excessive coloring and styling

[See: 16 Health Screenings All Women Need.]

Frequently, we find there are complex abnormalities contributing to a matrix of conditions creating hair loss. Thyroid signaling has often gone awry in these cases, especially in those who also have anxiety, depression and concomitant health issues. Routine testing can be misleading, making it appear as if the thyroid is working properly -- when in reality, it may not be. These tests are often grossly inadequate to thoroughly investigate the workings of the body.

The first step to solving the hair loss conundrum is deep, comprehensive testing that will allow underlying issues to be corrected. A full thyroid panel should be run including TSH, free and total T3, free and total T4, Reverse T3, Thyroid antibodies and a TRH stimulation test. A complete work up should be done to evaluate and rule out all of the above possible triggers and correct any imbalances found. While this can help alleviate symptoms for many people, in some cases hair will not be restored. Others will see improvement, but hair may seem dull and lifeless. For these cases, I recommend one therapy clinically shown to stop hair loss in its tracks and stimulate new hair to grow.

[See: The Best Foods for Lowering Your Blood Pressure.]

Low Level Laser Technology

LLLT is a Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment shown to work in three phases. In the first phase, patients will notice a decrease in excessive hair loss. In phase 2, existing hair will be stimulated to become thicker, fuller, shinier and healthier as it is nourished through improved circulation and detoxification pathways. The third phase is possibly the most exciting, when new hair actually begins to grow back into normal healthy hair.

LLLT is different than many therapies out there because it works at the cellular level to rejuvenate the hair follicle in both men and women. Red spectrum laser light increases the length of the growth phase that hair goes through. During this period, ATP is increased, which is the fuel source for cells -- including the cellular structures that make up the hair shaft . Cells have the energy to divide quicker causing hair to grow.

Physiological Benefits:

-- Improves blood microcirculation to the follicle.

-- Increases the nutrient acquisition by the follicular organ.

-- Increases the rate of removal of harmful DHT.

-- Increases oxygen uptake.

-- Decreases follicular inflammation.

Cellular Benefits:

-- Improves cellular metabolism and protein synthesis.

-- Increases the production of ATP to energize and repair the weakened follicle.

-- Increases cellular stimulation of the follicle.

-- Increases the mobilization of calcium ions.

Who Is a Candidate for It?

-- Men or women in the early stages of hair loss.

-- Women with diffuse hair loss.

-- Post-menopausal women experiencing hair loss.

-- Men or women who have heredity male or female pattern loss.

-- Men or women who expect to be affected by male or female pattern loss.

-- Those experiencing medication-associated hair loss from chemotherapy

-- Those experiencing hair loss from other medications.

-- Those who have illnesses that have caused them to lose hair.

-- Women who are experiencing or expect to experience post-partum hair loss.

Red light lasers are non-invasive, painless and proven safe and effective. Treatments are done in the office on a schedule to help patients get the best possible results. The bottom line is this treatment works. If you suffer from thinning hair or patchy hair loss, LLLT can be the catalyst to heal your body's ability to nourish and grow hair through improved function of blood vessels and follicles.

[See: The Best Foods for Sleep.]

Raphael Kellman, MD, founder of The Kellman Center for Functional and Integrative Medicine, is a pioneer in functional medicine who has a holistic and visionary approach to healing. In 17 years of practice, he has treated more than 40,000 patients, many of whom have come to him from all over the world and after suffering without help for years. Dr. Kellman is driven by his desire to alleviate suffering and to help people regain health based on a new vision and understanding of healing and the causes of disease. As a doctor trained in internal medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, Dr. Kellman uses the latest drugs and technology to treat specific diseases but his approach to medicine is patient- centered and holistic. He focuses on the complex interaction of systems -- not just the disease but on you as a whole person who is greater than the sum of your parts.