Comments on: Welcome To The Women’s Hair Loss Project

By: andrea

andrea — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:19:10 +0000

hi mira,
i’m one semester away from completing my bachelor’s in human biology at the University of Texas. I just finished applying to medical school, and I would love to research hair loss as well, so we can all get some answers!!! if i get into medical school i PROMISE all of you that i will not be one of those doctors that says “everythings fine, heres some rogaine”. we are the silent sufferers of hair loss, and i think we all need a little hope for the future.

btw, of all the obsessive hair loss forums i’ve been to, this blog is the most encouraging, inspiring, and supportive of all… the other ones just stress me out so much more!!! i stopped looking at them for a while but recently got concerned about my hair again (i made the mistake of looking at the top of my scalp with a mirror… horror) and began reading them again. i’m not doing that again… everyone on most forums are so depressed and pessimistic. sometimes i just need to feel like everything is ok, and that there is hope (even if it’s false optimism). it helps me get through the day!

By: admin

admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 18:31:02 +0000

I think it is so wonderful that you are interested in researching the genetic basis for androgenetic alopecia, and that you actually have the capability to do so is phenomenal. I could only dream of being able to do that, and would very much like to assist you in any way I can to help you in writing the proposal. I know other women would as well. We need someone like you with a strong personal interest in women’s hair loss and the knowledge and ability to conduct the research necessary. We are many in number and like you said “We have the power to do things for ourselves”

By: Mira

Mira — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 07:51:59 +0000

Thanks for this, I had not previously come across info on the insulin connection, it’s vey interesting. I’ve long wanted to do research on hair loss, starting with my family! My mom’s hair loss also began in her 20s and is quite severe now but she has three sisters who have beautiful heads of long hair (as do their daughters). I think with my family I have the perfect sample for trying to unravel the genetic basis of androgenetic alopecia. One day, I hope to actually write a research proposal and get the funding to do the work. I have simply not got around to it. My previous work has taken me from malaria to cancer and now to HIV. More serious than hair loss I know, but there are plenty of people out there who are working on these diseases and hardly anyone working on women’s hair loss and knowing the distress it causes women, I don’t think I should feel too guilty about wanting to do the work. Maybe we and other ladies on this forum could write a proposal together? I am very impressed by the wealth of info that is already here (and the site is less than a month old) on multiple aspects of hair loss. I am at a very busy stage of my life at the moment, moving to a different continent etc, but hope to seriously focus on writing this towards the middle of 2008. Finding this forum has galvanised me. It is great to come across so many strong women and I think we have the power to do things for ourselves.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:23:30 +0000

Hi Mira, I’m really glad that you enjoy the site. Yes I’ve done so much research on hair loss, read everything I possibly could about it in an effort to try to help my own situation, still reading and still looking
Your comment spawned a post I thought needed to be written in response to your question about nutrition and hair loss. You can read read it here.

But I am much like you, I have androgenetic alopecia and my mother also has hair loss that occurred post menopausal. That does indicate the genetic component being present, several people in my family (not immediate family, other than my mother, I’m the only “lucky” one) also have hair loss. I may have not experienced hair loss either until I was post menopause had I never taken birth control pills at such an early age.

As I mention in the post I made today about that Nutrition and Hair Loss, I do think it is has some effect on it. Some people more than others may be helped by following the “sugar-balancing” diet. I’ve followed really good nutrition for years and for me it never really helped my hair loss. But realize everyone is so different, Rogaine works for some and not others and I think the degree to which nutrition affects women’s hair loss will vary greatly as well.

With your biochemist background (wow) you probably know better than I how to digest the information I lay forth in my article, as I cite information written by Spencer Kobren, the author of “The Truth About Women’s Hair Loss ” regarding the connection between insulin and testosterone.

By: Mira

Mira — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:11:07 +0000

Thanks for this, I value this site tremendously. After reading your posts, I’ve realised that you have done a lot of research on hair loss and wondered what your take is on nutritional supplements. I have androgentic alopecia (and my mom does too) so I’ve always thought of my hair loss ass being inevitable. However, I sometimes wonder whether there are some easy things I could have done ( using Nizoral shampoo, eating the right food) that could have minimised my degree of hair loss. I have had a full chemistry screen and my thryoid function, iron levels etc are normal but are there other, particularly nutritional factors, I should be aware of. I am a biochemist and I’ve often wanted to take time out to do a lit search on exactly what I should be eating/supplemeting with for healthy hair. If you’ve done this, would really appreciate the info you have! I think it would be useful to everyone accessing this site.