Blood Work to Check if You Have Hair Loss

[@HereDiianas]

Hi, I am not a Dr but I have struggled with iron deficiency for years because of specific health issues so I have seen multiple specialists about that... The iron in spinach is a myth it won't help you to eat more of it. The level is low and the absorption is very low even if you eat it with vitC. Plus the heme iron that is measured to know your iron reserved is only founf in animal products. Red meat and seafood (mussels and shells being on top of that list) mainly. Most people don't need a lot of it so just make sure you eat them regularly (2×week meat 2xweek seafood at least) and if you're vegan you'll have to take supplements. If you're already deficient.... Iron takes months to go back up so take the supplements given by your Dr on top of adjusting your diet in order to not waste time. Usually 3 months of iron supplements (not multivitamins) is needed before you do a new blood check. Also if you're a woman because of periods you need more and even more if you work out a lot. The more you work out the more ison you need and many women are not aware of that unfortunately. Yes there is iron in lentils, beans, almonds, soy....but it does not help with heme iron. Spinach is great for health overall but not iron.

[@RafiqueHamid-rg6oq]

In short get done, Vitamin D3 test Feritin level test Vitamin b12 test Erythrocytes sedimentary rate test Thyroid test

[@jennifershoemaker3968]

Excellent information.

[@BeachyShobi]

My ferritin level is 385 (which is high) and TSH is 4.150 (normal). I recently have a intense thinning spot on one side of my head and overall thinning in the last 2 weeks. I went on a low carb, high protein diet and lost some weight two-three months ago. I was prescribed 5% minoxidil 1x/day. Have been applying it for a month. Can the minoxidil be causing this temporarily? Any additional blood test I should requests besides what you recommended?

[@mrredox658]

My ESR levels are normal But my CRP levels are high 0.75

[@Ripu-ee3fr]

How to identity should I go for hair transplant, prp or both? I am 29 year old male

[@jessicachambers8543]

Should I also test my LH and FSH?

[@drkopelman]

Not necessary. Checking basic vitamins and minerals is all that’s needed for 99 percent of patients

[@rehanlayor7749]

Tsh is 12 and hair.... best test?

[@drkopelman]

As a hair surgeon, if your TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) level is 12, it suggests an underactive thyroid, which can contribute to hair thinning or loss. In this case, the best next steps would be to check your free T3, free T4, and thyroid antibodies to get a more complete picture of your thyroid function. Addressing the thyroid imbalance is key to improving your hair health, and I would recommend working closely with your endocrinologist to stabilize your thyroid levels as part of your overall hair restoration plan.

[@nian60]

Um...vegetarians eat milk products and eggs. 🙄 Read the vegetarian Wikipedia page, it takes a couple of minutes. Scary that doctors don't know this.

[@drkopelman]

We were specifically referring to lacto-vegetarians (who consume dairy products but do not eat eggs) and ovo-vegetarians (who consume eggs but do not use dairy products). In general it's common for vegetarians to eat both eggs and milk. There are also Vegans who have to be careful to check their blood work because they do not consume eggs or milk all together.

[@HereDiianas]

It depends on the country. I am French and here the definition of vegetarian is the same. But I used to work with Indians and they were shocked to know that vegetarians eat eggs because they did not. But they still drink milk.

[@Kne2450]

Hi 👋 how about testing for CRP levels? Doesn't that also show inflammation in the body? My PCP always tests for CRP. How is this different from the ESR you mentioned?

[@drkopelman]

Both CRP (C-reactive protein) and ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) can be used to measure inflammation in the body. We generally like to look at ESR levels but CRP can also be used.

[@Kne2450]

@drkopelman Thank you 🙏 I thoroughly enjoy your content and excellent information shared. I wish you were in the DC metro area.