Hair Restoration Blog

Q:

I am a 45 year old woman. My dermatologist told me that I have male patterned baldness. I am also diagnosed with Iron deficiency anemia. Can Iron deficiency in women cause hair loss in male patterned baldness and if so, can treatment of iron deficiency help reversing balding process?

A:

Iron deficiency with or without overt anemia can intensify the rate of hair loss in women with either male or female patterned hair loss. If Iron deficiency is the only cause of your hair loss and you are not genetically prone to anemia, hair loss can be reversible. However in many situations, patients are genetically predisposed to patterned hair loss and Iron deficiency has only accelerated the hair loss process. Accelerated hair loss in women who are genetically predisposed to patterned hair loss may not be reversible by just correcting the Iron deficiency. You need to see a good hair specialist to confirm the type of your hair loss and plan the proper treatment method including hair transplant surgery.

Q:

I underwent a gastric bypass surgery about 2.5 years ago and since a few months after surgery my hair has been thinning. What do I need to do to prevent further loss?

A:

Losing hair or changing the quality and color of hair after gastric bypass surgery is commonly seen within the first few months after the gastric bypass surgery. This condition can mimic shock loss that could be seen after hair restoration surgery. Right after the gastric bypass surgery your body goes through a period of severe starvation and tries to divert nutrients toward more vital organs instead of skin and hair. Although carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and vitamins especially the family of vitamin B has been blamed for the hair loss in patients who had gastric bypass, it can happen while all of those elements are within normal range and the exact mechanism of hair loss after gastric bypass surgery is not completely known.

The great news is that the hair loss after a gastric bypass surgery is always temporary. Your hair condition should return to normal within a few months of hair loss occurrence. Patients who had gastric bypass should have serial examinations within the first few months of their gastric bypass. Your surgeon should check many elements because gastric bypass surgery could increase the incidence of iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D deficiency. Most people need to stay on supplementation of these minerals and vitamins. Close monitoring with regular laboratory tests for these deficiencies should be done by your surgeon or primary care physician.