weight loss and hair loss

I lost 25 pounds from Dec to April on weight watchers.  The dermatologist said rapid weight loss can cause my massive hair loss.  Has anyone ever tried minoxidil, he said I could. How long will this go on and when will the hair start to grow back if I do nothing?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Yes rapid weight loss can cause hair loss but it is important to rule out other possibilities as well. For the hair fall, causes could be due to stress, fungal infections, alopecia aereata, hormonal imbalance (overproduction of dihydrotestosterone and thyroid hormones irregularities),malnutrition, telogen effluvium and sebum plugs on skin. A biopsy (taking a small sample of cells to examine under a microscope) of your scalp may be needed to establish the correct diagnosis.

Medicines which are useful are minoxidil and finasteride but they should be used only under a dermatologist’s guidance. Finally one can resort to hair transplantation also. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.