PCOS-MEDICATION Messages for January, 2002: Re: Glucophage fyi

Re: Glucophage fyi

From: tera (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 31 Jan 2002 20:45:31 -0600 (CST)

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Previous message: Victoria: "Re: PCOS-MEDICATION digest 715"
In reply to: Panacea: "Re: Glucophage fyi"

Hi!

There are many reasons for alopecia (any type of abnormal hair loss). This is true. I have been doing a lot of research on PCOS hair loss since I am experiencing it. You'll have to forgive me since I do not have my notes in front of me and I am typing by memory.

What exactly do you mean by "true hair loss"? I'm guessing from your post that you are referring to the hair loss that men experience. This hair loss is called androgenic alopecia. This occurs when high androgen levels such as testosterone or dihydrotestosterone are present. The head hairs are sensitive to the high levels and this starts a process in the follicle that causes the hair to fall out. As men get older androgen increase and this can cause balding and hair loss and I believe this also can cause enlargement of the prostate.

>From my research, Panacea, PCOS hair loss is also androgenic alopecia.
Our hair loss does not only "mimic" "true hair loss" it is also essentially the same process. I have found that in many research articles our hair loss is referred to using this term. The process of hair loss is essentially the same in us as it is for guys experiencing hair loss. We can also experience excess body and facial hair because of increased androgen levels. It just so happens that our head hair is super sensitive to it and it can begin to fall out. Women with PCOS can get male pattern balding such as receding hairline or crown loss or can simply develop telogen efflugium (all over loss) caused by the same process.

Doctors often refer us to products used for male hair loss because it deals with essentially the same process that we are experiencing. That is why we can use Rogaine and it can work for us. That is why many of us are trying Saw Palmetto. Many men use it for hair loss and enlargement of the prostate as well. That is also why Propecia (though in more rare cases because of birth defects) can be prescribed for women.

Glucophage can help women with PCOS hair loss because it can ultimately help to lower androgen levels and stop the process of hair loss.

Can androgenic alopecia be permanent? Yes. The process is permanent. If you have androgenic alopecia you will need to continue steps to help control the problem. That is why once you start Rogaine and begin to see results you have to continue taking it in order to keep your results. As soon as you stop treatment your hair will slowly revert back to the way that it was. Men and women with androgenic alopecia have been able to regrow hair with Rogaine and even some with Propecia and have been able to stop their hair loss by using androgen lowering medications or by taking Saw Palmetto helps to arrest the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Like I said I don't have my notes but I do have many websites that discuss this info. When I find them I will post them. Sorry so long but it is a very complicated process. I'm not very good at explaining sometimes. Just learning as I go. I hope this helps. God bless! Tera

At Thu, 31 Jan 2002, Panacea wrote: >
>At Wed, 30 Jan 2002, Lauren wrote:
>>
>>old endocrinologist (I recently moved) had said that glucophage alone
>>would help re-grow hair, and this new RE said that that definitely was
>
>Ok. I think the problem here is that there are many reasons for hair
>loss. One reason is male pattern baldness et al, which is basically the
>follicles die and don't produce hair any longer.
>
>Then there are all the hormone fluctuations we go through that mess up
>our hair - just like a cat will get an ugly pelt - and our hair grows
>brittle and thin and falls out quickly. This can mimic true hair loss
>especially when it happens all at once.
>
>I think most women in our case have the hormone fluctuations and not
>true male pattern baldness, at least for most of their hair loss, and
>the gluco, which helps immensely in balancing our systems, allows our
>hair to be healthy again and grow like normal... hence the dr's
>suggestions.
>
>But you can easily see why other dr's would mistake this, right?
>thinking that our hair loss was "true" hair loss and then prescribe
>"true" hair loss products.
>
>--
>Panacea
>

--
Tera

Previous message: Victoria: "Re: PCOS-MEDICATION digest 715"
In reply to: Panacea: "Re: Glucophage fyi"

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