Finding a Cause for Hair Loss Frederick R. Jelovsek MD, MS "How can one investigate the cause of hair loss beyond the expected thinning at the onset of menopause. I took phentermine for a while but the hair loss continued after stopping. I did lose 30 pounds in just a few months, but the hair loss continues. Are there tests for deficiencies or other possible causes?" "I am 53 and have been 1 1/2 years without a period." E.S. Hair loss can have many different causes from local agents such as the chemicals in hair products, to body wide substances that we ingest or are deficient in from our alopecia aeriata alopecia beauty diets, to natural hormonal changes such as pregnancy or menopause, to disease states that affect the skin and hair as an organ. Ingested causes can be toxic substances from our water or food as well as medical prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs. In your case the menopause with its decreased estrogen levels and the dieting are the most likely culprits in explaining your hair loss. You did not mention if you were taking any estrogen supplements for hormone replacement or vitamin and mineral supplements while dieting but these would be important to prevent hair loss if you are not taking them. As far as I know, male pattern baldness genetics alopecia beauty the phentermine is not thought to be a drug that causes hair loss although there are many drugs that can cause it. Hair cycle growth goes through different phases. Agents that cause hair sloughing, called effluvium, can be active in those different phases. Anagen phase is the growth phase that a hair goes through and it generally lasts about 6- 10 years for each individual, randomly growing hair. Catagen phase is a very short deactivation phase where the hair follicle prepares to go inactive. Catagen phase lasts only about 2-3 weeks. Telogen phase is the final resting phase of a hair follicle and it lasts about research scalp alopecia beauty 30-
