Have you ever stood in front of the mirror and wondered, “Why am I losing my hair?” or noticed unwanted hair growth on your chin or upper lip?
The good news is that you’re not alone. These are common questions that many women face at some point in their lives, regardless of age.
There are a variety of factors that lead to hair loss and unwanted hair growth, like dark facial hair for women. Hormonal imbalances are usually the main source of the problem, typically an imbalance of male and female hormones.
Hormone Health and Hair Growth
Whether you’re dealing with hair loss or unwanted hair growth, identifying and understanding the main causes of the problem will allow you to create and implement the appropriate solution to remedy your personal hair issue. Below we take a look at some of the most common hair related problems, including hair loss and unwanted hair growth, and get further insight into this important topic that impacts the lives of many women.
Hormones and Hair Loss
The testosterone hormone plays a major part in the balding process, but it’s the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that is now thought to play the most critical role in hair loss.
A derivative of the testosterone hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a hair growth follicle nemesis that causes significant disruptions in hair health. Hair loss can also be attributed to an imbalance in the thyroid gland. Pregnancy, menopause, and various medications and diseases can all impact hair growth, or lack of hair growth.
If you’re experiencing hair loss, our endocrinologists can help you evaluate the main cause of your hair loss problem, starting with the function of hormones such as estrogen, insulin, testosterone, and the function of the thyroid gland to make sure everything is balanced appropriately and doing their jobs to encourage proper hair growth.
Hormones and Unwanted Hair Growth
In almost all cases, facial and body hair gains are due to the actions of androgen hormones, a family of hormones that includes testosterone.
Other hair growth related hormones include dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone, all of which can create unwanted hair growth if not properly balanced.
Also known as Hirsutism or Hypertrichosis, unwanted hair gain is an avoidable dilemma that can be successfully addressed, and even reversed, with the proper solutions. Our endocrinologists can help you create a plan that could include a variety of solutions, including weight loss, bleaching, shaving, plucking, chemical peels, and electrolysis to get rid of your excess hair while addressing the underlying hormonal issues. Only after understanding where your hormones stand and consulting with our hair expert will you truly know which solution is right for you.
Hormones play a distinct role in the movements of our hair. By understanding your current hormonal states you can ultimately get a better understanding of why you’re experiencing hair loss or unwanted hair growth.
If you’ve decided it’s finally time to address your hair loss or unwanted hair growth, we can help! Book an appointment with one of our endocrinologists today.