AboutMelanie Vonzabuesnig Expertise Female hair loss is my main focus. Women today are very susceptible to several types of hair loss including telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, and androgenetic alopecia. I can answer questions about the causes and types of female hair loss. I can share information about natural holistic remedies to improve female hair loss conditions.
Experience My interest in female hair loss sprung from my own experience with extensive hair loss. Determined to grow my hair back, I diligently studied every piece of information I could find on the biology of hair growth. After successfully re-growing my hair with safe and effective natural products, I felt compelled to learn more and to share this information with other women. I am experienced in blending custom hair loss formulas. I am also experienced in writing about female hair loss issues.
Publications My hair loss information has been included in The Truth about Womens Hair Loss by Spencer Kobren, Naturally Healthy Skin by Stephanie Tourles, Alternative Healing by Bill Gottleib and Natural Health Magazine. I am the author of several books on hair loss.
Education/Credentials I am a certified aromatherapist specializing in formulas for scalp and hair conditions.
Question Hi Melanie!
I was taking the drug Tamoxifen for about 1 year. Tamoxifen blocks estrogen from estrogen receptors. I started to get a number of bad side effects from the drug and went off it after about 1 year. One of the side effects from the drug was the thinning of my dark thick hair. I have been off the drug for approximately 2.5 months and my hair is falling out at alarming levels now. My hair is short, but I manage to clog the drain of the shower and when I dry my hair in the morning there are at least 50 hairs in the sink, not sure what is behind me on the floor. :-) In the last couple of days I have noticed that my scalp has started to itch now.
I stopped chemo therapy back in December of 2007 and my hair grew back thick and beautiful!! Now it is super thin a the back crown of my head and it moving forward on the sides. Like a horse shoe pattern.
I am on supplements but I am not sure that would make my hair fall out and they are to improve my health not decline it.
I have begun to take Biotin in the hopes that it might help me out.
Any help you can give me would be appreciated!
Answer Hello Susie: Regaining hair from medication-induced hair loss can be a slow process. Any hair that is shedding now was probably already in the resting (telogen) phase while you were still on the medication. Once hair enters the telogen stage it will lie dormant for approximately 3 months before shedding. Any change, disturbance or imbalance in which the body has a difficulty time adjusting to can disrupt the hair growth cycle causing more hairs than usual to go into the resting/shedding stage.Medications that influence hormone production are highly prone to causing hair loss as hormonal balance is intricately connected with healthy hair growth. Now that you are off the medication the body will need to re-adjust and begin making repairs. Restoring the hair growth cycle may take at least 6 months. It seems as if you may have experienced telogen effluvium (excessive shedding form all over the scalp) and miniaturization (hair strands becoming thinner and weaker) in a horseshoe pattern.
Essential oil scalp massage treatments may help to relieve the itch and also help to stimulate new hair growth and improve the condition of existing hair. You may read more about using essential oils for hair loss and also learn about female hair loss at the links below.
Sincerely, Melanie Vonzabuesnig
Understanding Female Hair Loss http://www.vzbotanicals.com/overcomefemalehairloss.html
Essential Oils for Hair Loss http://www.vzbotanicals.com/aromatherapy%20for%20hair%20loss.html
