I am 40 years old male and have decent hair, I am in pretty good shape I lifts weights 5 days a week and do cardio. My hair started receding on the sides slowly when I was 35, right about that time is when I really started having anxiety and constant stress so I dont know if it was age that caused my problem or just my age. I still have the hair on top and the sides a slowly receding but not to bad but I have really bad dry burning itchy scalp on the vertex, i saw a dermatoligist and he said it was dandruff. I have tried every shampoo and home remedy (apple cidar vinager, ect..) possible. From reading your article, I am thinking I may have a problem with my liver due to cronic stress and anxiety. I kind of got peranoid when my hair started receding on the sides and I have been taking avodart for about a year and half now and it has been maintaing my hair pretty good, I still notice lately that it has been getting thinner and when I was tested last my esotrgen levels were very high, this is a normal side effect of avodart and I was recommended to take progesterone supplements to couter act the estorgen. I know I need to get my stress and anxiety under control, I have been taking passion flower drops and gaba and they have been helping a little. I really want to get off of the avodart but I am scared that my hair will start to get worse. Is there any recommendations you have for someone in my situation. I dont think MPB runs in my family, I never new my dad but my moms dad is in his seventies and still has all his hair. Is it possible for a person that is not prone to MPB to get it due to long term stress and anxiety? I try and take all the good hair supplments (biotin, multi-vitamin, vitamin E, Fish Oil, ect…) any suggestions or comments you have would be greatly appreaciated.
Thanks for your questions.
I totally empathise with as you as I was in a very similar situation to you about 3 or 4 years back. I cannot stress what I am about to say enough:
Sort out your anxiety and stress now.
It’s the absolute most important thing you can do for your health. I recommend you read my story to see the hell I went through before I wrote the eBook. I managed to completely end my irrational anxiety and stress. In doing so I developed a methodology to help others do the same. I’ve written all of this down in my eBook and provided an audio programme (which you can download for free when you download the eBook) that helps you train your mind to deal with stressful situations, worry and anxiety in a calm and relaxed manor.
This is probably the most important step you can take to ending stress related hair loss.
As for the medication you’re taking for hair loss, I would continue with this and gradually phase it out as you conquer your anxiety. If you can completely conquer your anxiety that would be the time to stop taking the medication altogether.
You should also take several other steps to help your hair at the same time.
Get your scalp into optimum health to promote hair growth
It sounds like your scalp is in poor condition. You need to get your scalp into optimum health to promote hair growth. You will need to properly treat your scalp to get rid of the dandruff. You would need to describe your scalp to me in further detail in order for me to help you further as I don’t know how sensitive your scalp is or what is causing the flakiness as yet. Please email me further details on this.
Stop taking hair loss medication and balance your hormones naturally
Your doctor has recommended that you take progesterone to counteract the high estrogen levels. This seems like poor advice because you are already taking Avodart. If you want to reduce your estrogen levels and increase your testosterone levels you will need to stop taking Avodart. Don’t take both Avodart and Progesterone — this will totally mess up your hormonal balance. I would recommend phasing out the Avodart over time, as you progress with improving the condition of your scalp and reducing your stress levels. I would also recommend using some whole food supplements I recommend in the nutrition section of the eBook to help further balance your hormones. Reducing your stress levels and improving your diet in other ways also will help further balance your hormones.
Eat foods that promote hair growth
It sounds like you’re doing a lot of exercise. Are you eating enough protein and good fats to compensate for this? You particularly need lean proteins, essential fatty acids and B vitamins — but ideally get these from natural food sources such as oily fish, flax seed oil, eggs, chicken, green leafy vegetables etc. Taking a cocktail of supplements might do you more harm than good. I explain the best foods for hair growth in the eBook.
Get your liver into optimum health
You also mention that you believe your liver may have suffered due to stress. This is possible, although it is hard for me to tell without seeing you. Bad skin, dull eyes and greasy skin are all signs of weakened liver. It certainly won’t do you any harm to consume some foods and herbs that help support the liver, or even to complete a liver cleanse. I have dedicated a portion of the eBook to optimising liver health – this might be of help to you.
Please feel free to email, me to let me know how you’re getting on and I will try to help further.
Best Regards,
Chris
