Brief Answer:
Female Pattern Androgenetic Alopecia

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic

I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your concern and I have understood it.

You have been extensively investigated. That makes my job easier a bit.

I would like to know whether you have dandruff/ seborrheic dermatitis? If YES, I would advice that you should use a ketoconazole based antidandruff shampoo thrice weekly for 2-4 weeks and followed by once or twice weekly. If NOT suffering from dandruff, you can use any of the daily use OTC shampoos like Dove, sunsilk, pantene, tressme etc along with a good conditioner after shampoo.

Otherwise, I would keep a possibility of either Telogen effluvium OR Androgenetic Alopecia, as the cause of your hair fall and decreased hair density. Since you say the thinning is more over the crown, therefore I would like to consider my first possibility of Female Pattern Androgenetic Alopecia(FAGA)

Scalp hair grows for 2-3 years (Anagen phase) after which it enter the catagen phase (transition phase) which is followed by resting phase (Telogen phase).

Hair can prematurely enter from growth phase(Anagen) to resting phase(telogen) therefore resulting in shorter length and increased shedding. After a major stressing event like medical/surgical illness OR post-partum OR weight loss (in your case), scalp hair is prematurely pushed into resting phase (Telogen) from the growth phase (Anaphase). This phase usually starts in the third or fourth month after a major stressor and ends by six months if the stressor is removed.

There are certain well known causes of Telogen effluvium: A few of them have been already ruled out in you case like Thyroid and Serum ferritin levels

--Deficient Iron Stores
--Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
--Post partum(after delivery)
--Post Surgical or following a Medical illness (typhoid, malaria, dengue etc)
--Weight loss/ Dieting etc

However, Female Pattern Androgenetic Alopecia, which seems to be the most likely cause in your case, can be difficult to distinguish from Telogen Effluvium in females, specially early in the course. Later on, Androgenetic alopecia presents as widened part-width and decreased hair density from the vertex and crown of the scalp. The hair loss is gradual over the years and although the scalp remains covered, the hair volume is reduced.

In my practice I usually ask my patients of Chronic Telogen Effluvium to take an oral Iron Supplement along with a Biotin supplement for 4-6 months together. This you have been already taking.

Follihair tablets are basically hair supplements and contain multiple ingredients like Biotin, Iron, Calcium pantothenate etc. They are helpful in controlling hair fall and help to restore good hair health.

However they need to be taken for at least 4-6 months at a stretch. The action is slow, therefore don't expect immediate results. It is advisable to take them for a good 1-2 months to judge whether they are going to be effective Or not.

A good healthy diet, a gentle cleansing shampoo and a good conditioner can be used for dry frizzy hair.

Androgenetic alopecia in females is commonly managed with 2% minoxidil solution is a non-specific hair growth promoter can be applied at the scalp skin in this type of hair loss, twice daily with a dropper (1ml twice daily). Minoxidil is a hair growth promoter and helps in rapid transition of hair follicle from resting phase to growth phase (Anagen).

Hair fall is slow to respond and treatment may have to be continued for months to see noticeable improvements, say 4-6 months.

Apart from this oral antiandrogens like spironolactone, finasteride also can be prescribed in case of Androgenetic Alopecia, but with a warning: PREGNANCY TO BE AVOIDED WHILE YOU ARE ON FINASTERIDE OR SPIRONOLACTONE, because they can cause feminization of a male fetus.

Hope this information helped

regards

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Brief Answer:
Female Patttern Androgenetic Alopecia

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

I would keep a possibility of Female Pattern Androgenetic Alopecia. I would like to add 2% Minoxidil in addition to Iron and Keraglo supplement,. It is to be used twice daily on clean scalp, 1ml morning and 1ml evening (Regaine 2% solution is marketed by Johnsons & Johnsons in India).

You could use Anaphase stimulating cream shampoo, which is good for devitalized hair

Oral spironolactone 50 mg - 100mg can be added as well. I would suggest that you see a dermatologist and get a prescription for this.

Hair fall treatment may take months to produce noticeable results but the main aim of treatment is to arrest further progress and regrow as many new hair as possible.

regards

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Brief Answer:
Androgenetic Alopecia

Detailed Answer:
Hi

--Yes, you have to stop using Folica when you start using Minoxidil

--Anaphase cream shampoo is marketed by the same name, by Abbott pharmaceuticals. It is a product of Ducray laboratories.

--Simple home remedies and natural products that our parents and our grandparents used to practice like applying coconut oil, curd, XXXXXXX egg etc work to a variable extent to make hair soft and smooth but they are messy, time consuming, smelly and difficult to follow.

General measures that you should practice:

>Protect your hair from harsh weather conditions like cold, dry, windy.
>Use a gentle cleansing shampoo.
>Don't use very hot water for washing scalp instead use lukewarm water in winters and cold water in summers.
>Don't use hair dryers (Blow drying, straightening, curling etc)
>Avoid chemicals on hair (coloring, bonding etc)

In today's world we need a product that is easy to apply, is not messy and of course is effective, Conditioners are one of those.


--You have been on a good healthy diet, I would suggest that you continue with it.


--Spironolactone is a diuretic actually, it has additional antiandrogenic action and is useful for androgenetic alopecia in females, in a dose of 50 mg to 200 mg. I would suggest that you discuss about this with your treating dermatologist.

regards

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