Hair Loss in Women Causes

Hair Loss in women can be caused by a number of factors. In this blog I’m going to give you a brief explanation of each of the likely causes and how they can be effectively dealt with.

Lifestyles Lead to Hair Loss

It seems as though the workforce wasn’t the only thing women were getting themselves in for when the battle of the sexes began. Today, through no want of their own, women are up there with men when it comes to hair loss and it seems they’re being affected at a younger age....

Rogaine for Women

Extra unwanted hair in women is a side effect of Rogaine, but as long as you use it as directed, you should be fine....

Hair Treatment for Women

Women who experience hair loss can feel embarrassed and be anxious about what to do and who to turn to. Knowing what treatments are available however is only half the solution. Not everyone’s situation is the same and women will need to know which individual approach will be most suited to them and give them the results they desire....

Hair Loss Success Stories

In some cases hair loss cannot be treated or hair density may have been poor for so many years it has become irreversible. However, even when thin hair has become a long-standing problem, there are still cosmetic products that can help a woman’s confidence....

Posted by Licen - - 1 comments

Claire, one of our lovely moderators on the forum, put together this incredibly informative post on hypothyroidism, TSH levels and doctors…

Just a little background. I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid in June of 2005. After over a year of fighting with doctors I finally reached a TSH level below 3.0 in August of 2006.

I am not a doctor, nor a health professional. I’ve read, experimented, and suffered through this thyroid maze. As I would say if you came to me with someone else information, please take everything I say about my treatment with a grain of salt. What works for me may not work for you, but I feel it’s important to give you an idea of what can be done.

The reason I had so much trouble with doctors is that many of them have been out of med school longer than the newest findings.

As of 2002 the AACE (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) published new findings on the correct thyroid levels in most individuals. No longer is the range between .5 and 5.0 but a smaller range of .3 to 3.0

aaceThe full AACE Guidelines can be viewed by clicking this link.

What does this mean? That many many doctors are under treating their patients. Even more frightening is that there are doctors who have not been updated on thyroid function for an even longer period of time and think that a TSH level under 10 is appropriate. Luckily those doctors are few and far between. What this teaches us is that educating oneself on ones health matters is most important. We assume that doctors are knowledgable about all health matters. The truth is, scientists and specialists come to new findings every year and general practitioners are the last to know. Doctors are well educated on health matters, unfortunately, they are well educated within the time frame in which they went to medical school. This leaves several years of updated information that they have not had access too. Even more frightening is that many of them dismiss new findings if such information is brought to them by a patient.

synthroidIf you are hypothyroid and still suffering with symptoms and your doctor is telling you that your thyroid is functioning normally it is time to start taking control of your situation.

First, obtain a copy of your most recent lab work. Find out what your thyroid levels really are. Second approach your doctor about what issues you are having. If he is unwilling to listen, then you have a couple of options.
A. you can take in a copy of the AACE’s newest research {http://www.aace.com/public/awareness/tam/2004/tsh.php}, a copy of a checklist of your symptoms {http://thyroid.about.com/cs/hypothyroidism/a/checklist.htm}

If you have any other symptoms that seem abnormal to you, but are not listed, please list them as well. Recently, I’ve discovered that overnight leg cramps is also a symptom of hypothyroid.

B. you can switch doctors.

You may have to do B. anyway, if your doctor is unwilling to work with you. The best thing you can do is request to be sent to an endocrinologist. If your doctor is unwilling to refer you, you are not without hope. Most insurance companies have patient outreach programs. Obtain a copy of your records, including blood tests ( you have the RIGHT, buy law to get copies of your medical records), a copy of the AACE’s findings, a list of ongoing symptoms and a letter requesting referal to see a specialist. It is possible to go over your doctor’s head in order to do this. You can also switch doctors and request this of your newest doctor. Be warned, even some endocrinologists go by an older TSH scale. If you find this to be so, request a second opinion.

Most important, do not think that the doctor knows more than you. You, and only you truly knows how you feel. Do not worry about offending your doctor. As it is, your doctor doesn’t seem to worry about offending you. You are the boss in this situation. He works for you, if he is unwilling to do his job, then you’ve every right to hire someone else.

Once you find someone willing to work with you ( and if you already have, thank your lucky stars) do not expect your symptoms to eleviate as soon as you start a new dosage. Do not expect your symptoms to eleviate as soon as you reach a healthy TSH level. It’s going to take some time for your body to begin to heal itself. However, you will notice some changes within weeks.

Anatomy image of the thyroid gland courtesy of UpToDate.com Anatomy image of the thyroid gland courtesy of UpToDate.com

The Thyroid also changes with time. As you begin to reach a healthier TSH level things may plateau and you may have to adjust your meds as needed. It’s not uncommon to reach a healthy TSH level and a few weeks later begin to feel bad. It’s important that within the first year of reaching a healthy TSH goal to be checked every 3 months. After that it’s important to be tested twice a year. Some doctors say only once a year is enough, this is not true. Thyroid levels change with temperature changes. One of the best ideas is to check your thyroid levels a few weeks into the first cold snap of winter and within the first few weeks of summer heat. Many thyroid patients find they need to adjust their dose with the extreme temperatures of both seasons. Cold weather slows thyroid function, hot weather tends to call for less thyroid supplement.

It is also not uncommon for a short period of time in which you have a few of the sensations associated with HypERthyroid upon starting a new dosage. I’ve found the best way to avoid this is to titer up. My doctor is willing to work with me on this. This consists of me cutting pills and slowly adding till I reach my newest dosage level. Thyroid hormone takes time to build within the system. This is why titering up works in many cases. This is also why you do not retest your thyroid till 6-8 weeks after beginning a new dose. If you decide to titer up, do not retest till the 6-8 week mark after you reach your INTENDED dosage. My pm box is always open if you have additional questions about this. It is important to discuss this with your doctor as well. Do not raise your dosage above what he recommends till you’ve had your TSH checked. Then be sure to inform him of anything you intend to do, so that you may have another test lined up.

There is no magic number. Not when it comes to TSH, not when it comes to dosage. The ideal setting is for you and your doctor to work together by using both blood work and how you feel.

When taking thyroid meds it’s important to understand a couple of things. First, any food or vitamins taken with the thyroid med will change the absorption rate of the hormone. Your best bet is to take the thyroid med first thing in the morning and an hour before and after eating. So, no food for an hour on either side of taking your med. Even more important is delaying the taking of vitamins. Especially iron and calcium. Both of those can have an effect on the way your body absorbs the thyroid hormone. It is best to take your vitamins either in the middle of the day ( 2-3 hours) after your hormone or at night ( 6-8 hours) before.

If, you are the type that has to eat first thing in the morning then know that you must follow the pattern every day. If you eat less than an hour after taking your thyroid hormone then it is important to follow this habit daily. It is also important to stick to a similar breakfast food. For instance if you drink milk, it will have an effect on how your body absorbs the hormone, so it’s important to have dairy at the same time, every day as to keep the hormone absorption similar.


View the original article here


This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.
[ Read More ]

Posted by Licen - - 0 comments

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. or email newsletter. Also, don't forget to check out the Women's Hair Loss Project Network to create your own profile, blog, ask questions and meet other women with hair loss. Thanks for visiting!
NEW! Check Out The New Women's Hair Loss Project Forum -SIGN UP - Have a Question? ASK

So I can across these amazing videos on YouTube made by MonroeZombieDoll, who is my new hero… she is absolutely amazing and I’m so thankful she made these videos of herself applying her lace front wig. I came across having a much better understanding of what goes into the process, it definitely helps to demystify things a bit.

How I Apply My Lace Front Wig

Reapplying Lace Front Wig

eHow.com has some articles on the lace front wig application process as well:

How To Apply a Lace Front Wig

One thing I had no clue about is what is written in the final step:

Once you have the wig on your head, it may be tempting to style and comb it. Don’t. Unless stated otherwise, both tape and glue adhesives have to cure for about 24 to 48 hours before any excessive pulling on the hair can occur.If you follow the rules, the bond should stay strong for a good while.

I’m sure once you are a pro at the lace wig application process you eventually develop your own technique and figure out what does and does not work for you.

How To Remove a Lace Front Wig

Join the Women’s Hair Loss Project Network to meet other women
with hair loss. Share your thoughts, comment, rant, rave, laugh, cry…communicate. Click To JoinJust Launched - Join the NEW Forum for The Women’s Hair Loss Project. If you are already an existing member of the Network then you already have an account set up and will need to use the Reset Password link to enable your forum account. Click To Join

View the original article here

[ Read More ]

Posted by Licen - - 0 comments

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. or email newsletter. Also, don't forget to check out the Women's Hair Loss Project Network to create your own profile, blog, ask questions and meet other women with hair loss. Thanks for visiting!
NEW! Check Out The New Women's Hair Loss Project Forum -SIGN UP - Have a Question? ASK



I’ve seen enough fabulous hair pieces and wigs to know that it remains a very realistic, viable option for women who deal with hair loss. But the question always remains, where do you go? I know I’d definitely want to go somewhere that was caring, compassionate, patient, and a place that wasn’t pushy and truly had my best interest at heart. After all we aren’t buying iphones, we are buying something so intimately personal, I think a little TLC and hand holding is in order.


There is no question in my mind that a lot of women close the door to wearing hair because their first attempt turned out to be an awful and traumatizing experience, or the product was subpar, and from that they probably figured there was no point in continuing to try. Unfortunately, wearing hair isn’t really SO common that you can just turn to your girlfriend and say, “Love your hair, where’d you get it?” It’s also a completely different experience when you are buying hair because you NEED it, as opposed to buying it because you just think it would look neat with an outfit. One situation has deep rooted emotions and the other is really more of an optional accessory. For that reason, it is crucial to find a place that actually deals with women losing their hair and understands the devastation and feelings that encompasses it.


I think finding a good hair replacement salon is probably tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack, so I wanted to share the names of two shops that seem to truly be helping women.


I have heard several positive stories about:


Lee Anthony
1001 W. 17th Street, Suite H
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
949-515-0631
leeanthony.com


One WHLP member stated that Lee actually told her that it was too soon for her to need to wear something, which I think definitely shows honesty and integrity.


The place I most recently heard about is:


Wigs Today
6338 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 9006
323-954-8809


If you make a visit here, make sure it’s the address I listed above. I did find another place in Los Angeles by the same name, which had horrible reviews, but I’m pretty certain this isn’t the same place. According to the listing I found on Yahoo: http://local.yahoo.com/info-20415634-wigs-today-los-angeles#overview this place was only recently established in 2009.


I am super cautious about ever recommending a product or service provider, but I feel confident that the experiences I have heard about regarding these salons are from real women who have been a part of the site for quite sometime with no ulterior motives.


As a final note, I’d also run (not walk) from any place that asked you to sign a contract, gave you a hard sell or made you feel uncomfortable in any way whatsoever.

Join the Women’s Hair Loss Project Network to meet other women
with hair loss. Share your thoughts, comment, rant, rave, laugh, cry…communicate. Click To JoinJust Launched - Join the NEW Forum for The Women’s Hair Loss Project. If you are already an existing member of the Network then you already have an account set up and will need to use the Reset Password link to enable your forum account. Click To Join

View the original article here

[ Read More ]