If you’ve noticed the signs of thinning hair or baldness, you aren’t alone. Over 80 million Americans struggle with thinning hair, and not all of them are men. At least 50% of women deal with noticeably thinning hair.
You may have noticed that hair loss can claim more than the hair on your head. Men and women who battle hair loss notice changes in their self-esteem and confidence that come from looking older.
At our internal medicine practice, Beth and Howard Braver, MD, in Aventura and Hollywood, Florida, our compassionate physicians know the frustration and embarrassment hair loss can bring. We work to understand the underlying cause of your hair loss before designing a customized treatment plan for you.
Learn more about hair loss and how customized treatment options can help you.
People lose their hair for many different reasons. Sometimes the hair loss is temporary. Other times it can be a permanent change to your appearance. To understand hair loss, it’s helpful to understand how hair grows.
Your hair moves through different cycles of growth and shedding. These cycles make up the three phases of your hairs’ life and include:
Sometimes illness or disease causes hair loss. It can also come about because of different medical treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation) or if you lack adequate nutrition. For most people, though, hair loss is a result of aging and certain genetic factors.
Your hair growth naturally slows as you get older. You may notice some mild thinning beginning as early as age 30 and into your 40s. Extreme stress, emotional trauma, and even wearing your hair in certain styles (e.g., tight braids, cornrows, ponytails) can accelerate or bring about hair loss.
Hormones can play a role in hair loss as well. Androgen hormones, like DHEA and testosterone, play the most significant role when it comes to overall hair growth. When these hormone levels drop, so does the growth of your hair, causing thinness and balding.
Changes and imbalances in estrogen and progesterone levels can also cause changes in your hair. For example, menopausal women and women with polycystic ovarian syndrome may observe changes in their hair.
If hair loss is prematurely aging you and you want to stop or reverse it, start by scheduling an appointment with us at Beth and Howard Braver, MD. We take time to review your symptoms and medical and family history, and order any necessary bloodwork to get to the root cause of your hair loss.
Once we understand the cause of your hair loss, we design a customized treatment plan for your hair loss needs. This may include hormone replacement therapy if your blood work indicates an imbalance.
We also understand the emotional impact hair loss can have, and we work with you to ensure you feel supported during your treatment. At Beth and Howard Braver, MD, our goal is to make sure our patients feel their best, inside and out.
If you’re struggling with hair loss, don’t wait. Contact us for an appointment at either our Aventura or Hollywood, Florida, office to get started with treatment.
