Q: Dr. Bernstein, a lot of older women are taking testosterone to restore libido, but are they going to suffer hair loss as a consequence?

A: They can. In women there is a delicate balance between the androgens, i.e. testosterone and estrogens. Estrogen is protective to some degree against hair loss in women, which is why most women don’t experience such severe hair loss as do men.

When a woman takes testosterone supplements it upsets that balance and can cause hair loss. However, hair loss in post-menopausal women is usually due to age related changes. Typically, the hair decreases in size in a genetically determined progression that seems not to be directly related to changes in the levels of hormones.

For more information, please see the Causes of Hair Loss in Women page on the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration website.

Q Do Rogaine and Propecia work synergistically? A: They are synergistic, since the mechanisms of action are different. Rogaine directly stimulates hair growth, while Propecia is permissive for hair growth by blocking DHT, the byproduct of testosterone that causes hair to miniaturize and eventually disappear. The important thing to remember, however, is that for most [...]

Q: I know that I am going to be bald because my father is bald and I am losing my hair just like him. What actually causes this kind of hair loss? A: Although there are many different causes, the overwhelming number of people that have hair loss have what is referred to as “patterned [...]

Q: Why does a hair transplant work? A: Hair transplantation works because hair taken from the permanent zone in the back and sides of the scalp maintains its original characteristics when transplanted to a new place in the balding area in the top of the head. This property of hair is called “donor dominance” and [...]

“The diagnosis and treatment for men and women is very different,” said Dr. Robert M. Bernstein [...] Women usually have a diffuse type of hair loss with thinning all over while men keep a permanent zone on the back and sides. [...] “A medical evaluation is extremely important to rule out underlying medical conditions,” said Bernstein.