When you begin to notice excessive hair loss, there’s no reason to resign yourself to a lifetime of thinning hair. Effective treatments can restore health and thickness after identification of the reasons for hair loss. Blood tests are a key diagnostic tool.
Jennifer A. Baron, MD, often turns to one of three specific blood tests to help diagnose your thinning hair condition since hair loss can result from things like hormone imbalances, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, or underlying medical conditions.
Addressing the causes identified by blood testing may help you regain hair growth, particularly when combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) hair restoration treatments. Let’s take a look at the blood tests related to hair loss and what they can uncover.
Women with overall thin hair may be suffering from an excess of androgens, a class of hormones related to male characteristics that are present in both women and men. Often, as the primary female hormone of estrogen falls off around menopause, the ratio of androgens climbs.
Baldness and hair loss are two signs of an androgen imbalance. You may also experience symptoms such as hair growth on the abdomen, chest, and face, as well as adult acne.
Androgens can also cause irregular menstrual periods, and blood testing reveals high levels of these hormones, which include testosterone.
A protein called ferritin reflects the amount of iron stored in your body and is easily checked through a routine blood test. Low iron levels, called anemia, can affect anyone, particularly menstruating women.
The lack of iron in your bloodstream can contribute to hair loss and hair thinning. As well as treatment with Dr. Baron and her team, you may be able to aid the regrowth of hair by altering your diet.
Adding foods like dark leafy greens, legumes, whole grains, and red meat typically boosts red blood cell health. We may also recommend iron supplements based on the results of your blood work.
Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism (overactivity and underactivity of the thyroid gland) can cause hair loss. This is also a hormonal condition, though thyroid hormones act to regulate your body’s metabolism.
Thyroid issues may also cause changes in weight, fatigue, and muscle weakness. While the hair loss symptom isn’t fully understood, it’s believed that thyroid disease may damage hair follicles.
Blood testing identifies a component called thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH. High or low levels of TSH indicate irregular thyroid activity.
Don’t live with the effects of hair loss. Call Dr. Baron’s San Jose, California, office at 408-418-8780 to book a hair loss consultation today.
