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This post is all about my experience with androgenetic alopecia and the treatment that has stopped my hair loss. Spoiler alert: my hair is growing back and I couldn’t be happier!
As a woman, losing your hair is an emotionally devastating experience, and my recent diagnosis of androgenetic alopecia at the age of 44 sent me into a major depressive spiral.
I have been struggling with hair loss for the last 2 years. I attributed my first round of hair loss in 2021 to the physical stress of having covid and the emotional stress of my life in general. When my hair started falling out again in the fall of 2022, I began to feel deeply concerned that there might be a more serious medical issue.
I went to my doctor and requested a full blood panel. My Vitamin D levels were very low and my research told me that low vitamin D can certainly cause hair loss. I began taking a vitamin D supplement as well as Moon Juice’s SuperHair. I incorporated scalp massages with rosemary oil every other night. My hair began to grow back in thicker and fuller than it had ever been before. I was amazed at the regrowth I was experiencing. I concluded that I was experiencing telogen effluvium because the recent stress level in my life had been off the charts.
I was horrified and confused when my hair began to fall out even more severely in the fall of 2023. I went back to my doctor for more blood work but the labs didn’t reveal anything abnormal. My doctor then referred to a dermatologist. The derm advised a scalp biopsy and I decided to go ahead with it.
The Diagnosis of Androgenetic Alopecia
My dermatologist told me the biopsy revealed miniaturization of my hair follicles. She prescribed Spironolactone and Ketoconazole shampoo to stop the hair fall. I was confused by the information she gave me, which stated that androgenetic alopecia is caused by elevated testosterone. My recent blood labs had actually revealed that my testosterone was on the low side- so what was going on?? I knew that androgenetic alopecia is a chronic and incurable disease and I felt completely hopeless. I thought I would be dealing with losing my hair gradually for the rest of my life.
My research revealed that Androgenetic Alopecia is an incredibly complex condition that can be triggered by any number of underlying medical issues. In my case, excess androgens were being transformed into and enzyme called DHT which blocks the flow of blood and nutrients to my hair follicles. DHT was causing the miniaturization of the follicles.
I know that for me it wasn’t a matter of excess testosterone, but I haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly what is causing my alopecia. Prolonged periods of stress can affect the levels of cortisol and androgens in our bodies, and that may be what’s causing my alopecia. My doctor did not specifically test my DHT levels, but didn’t really need to after the biopsy revealed the miniaturized hair follicles. The root cause for my DHT levels is still an unknown, but I am addressing it in several ways.
Spironolactone is a medication that blocks DHT and I have been taking it for 2 months, along with several other supplements. To my relief and amazement, my hair is growing back and the hair fall has almost completely stopped. I have tons of new growth and baby hair all around my temples and hair line, and my hair in general is growing very quickly.
If you are experiencing hair loss, please know there are treatments and options for you. The first step is to get blood work done to determine if your hair loss is being caused by a vitamin deficiency, which is relatively straightforward to address. It might be your thyroid function or your liver function, both of which can be determined by blood work. If you do have androgenetic alopecia there are medication options and diet/lifestyle changes that can make a huge difference.