Suddenly I noticed alot of hair in the shower and and on the floor

by Margo
(Appleton, WI USA)

Aromasin Hair Loss

It wasn't until I took a bath one day and washed my hair in the tub as I usually always take a shower....there were over 100 dark hairs in the tub and I thought that was unusual...I kept on losing hairs all week and called my cancer Dr. because I am on a drug called aromasin which can cause hair loss but they said it was unusual at this time (on it for 3 1/2 yrs.)

First thing I had checked was my thyroid gland and also for anaemia (all tests came back good) My cancer Dr. switched me to arimidex and said my hair loss should slow down in 2 weeks. Well it is 3 weeks and they still are shedding like crazy.....My question is if my hair loss is from the drug how long will it take for my hair not to shed (I read that certain meds stop hair follicle growth and will shift from Anagen to Telogen phase causing rapid shedding...did it shift all my hair to the Telogen phase and they will all fall out??? I noticed some new hair growth but they look so thin and weak...My hair on my legs, under arms and face does not grow either???

Editor’s Comments,

Hello there, you might think it’s pretty odd to notice hair loss after using the drug for such a long period of time but hair loss can occur anytime while you are on drugs that suppress estrogen levels in your body.

Low levels of estrogens can be a cause of many health conditions like low blood pressure which can impair the transfer of proper nutrients to your hair follicles, forcing them to grow very little or stop growing entirely. Other possible symptoms including depression, headaches and other issues can be a contributing factor to stress related hair loss.

Lack of estrogen in your body as well can be a major contributing factor to hair loss because estrogen keeps your hormone levels balanced and helps with better hair growth and quality in women. Also, without sufficient estrogens to neutralize the male hormone DHT, it can affect hair follicle growth in certain women and that can be a cause of diffuse thinning.

If your condition is directly related to estrogen, then even changing to a different drug like Arimidex which suppresses the formation of estrogen by the aromatase enzymes might not alter the outcome. Even after you stop taking the any estrogen inhibiting drugs, it will take time for your hormone levels to return to normal and that will in turn depends on your age and your body’s ability to stabilize the levels therefore it’s very hard to estimate the time frame.

As for your questions about hairs shifting to the Telogen phase, all hairs will enter Telogen phase sooner or later but on average only 10% of your hair at any moment are in that phase. There are many conditions like low estrogen levels that can increase the rate of Telogen hairs and that can be a cause of hair thinning. Coupled with weaker hair regrowth, it can further deteriorate the situation.

What I suggest is that you might want to talk to your doctor about the effects of the drugs and estrogen levels. Symptoms like low blood pressure or depression might be a potential cause for the hair loss so if that’s the case, proper management of these conditions might benefit your hair as well. If your doctor thinks it’s appropriate, topical hair stimulators like minoxidil might be a viable option for you to consider.