Dr. Deb

3 shots of liquid protein a day was my most infamous crash diet in high school.  I starved myself drinking only 3 shots of foul smelling liquid protein a day. Sure the weight came off quickly, but so did loads of hair in my starvation mode. When I went off the diet, the pounds quickly returned, but the hair took much longer to grow back.

Hair Loss affects 10% of all women and can start as early as age 12. Unfortunately, after age 65, up to 75% of women will have hair loss.

Some hair loss every day is normal. In fact up to 100 hairs a day is normal. We have about 100,000 hairs on our head that grow about a half-inch per month. An individual hair usually grows for 2-6 years in the growth phase then enters a rest phase for a few months. At any given time 85% of our hair is growing while 15 % is in the rest phase. Finally it will fall out and a new hair grows in its place.  Learn more about the phases of hair growth here.

What are the main causes of hair loss in women?

There are many reasons for hair loss and I will highlight the most common ones.

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When the summer arrives so do my headaches and not just in the form of my four kids. Headaches can be a real pain this time of year, especially in children who play outdoor sports. Football camp started this week for my twins so here is a little info about summer headaches, what you can do to prevent them and when to be worried about something else.
Why are headaches worse in the summer?

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As a child I always prided myself on my memory. I could and still can remember specific childhood events as early as age 2 in vivid detail. Things started to blur during residency when I worked 36-hour shifts but nothing destroyed my memory  (as well as other body parts) like children.
The deep slide occurred after the birth of my twins when I boiled my breast pump after forgetting I left it on the stove.  The toxic smell of burnt plastic required the fire department to come and air out our apartment. That certainly ruined my chances for mother of the year. I realized 2 things. Hot soapy water is sufficient to clean a breast pump and hormones made me stupid. Certainly sleep deprivation had much to do with it but I remember the moment that I stood in the kitchen and realized my fantastic memory had slipped and I knew that it was related to my hormones.  Fortunately, my memory returned but I can’t wait to see what happens when I hit menopause.

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Did you ever get old overnight?
Where did these wrinkles come from? How come I can’t read without squinting? Why does my family think I am a bitch? Is it hot in here? Why can’t I sleep? When is my period going to come..or stop? Why do I eat the same but gain weight?
Am I crazy? No, you are just in perimenopause, my dear.
The really crazy thing is when you go to talk to your doctor about it he tells you, ”There is nothing wrong with you” or “You just have to live with it.”
That is simply not true and I think part of the reason why Susan Somers and bioidentical hormones have become so popular. The doctors are not listening, so patients are going to what appears “safer and more natural” which I hate to say, is not necessarily true. (more…)

Whoa, It is HOT today!

I am hot and sticky today because it is 98 degrees outside. Many of you feel like this all year round because the thermostat both outside and inside can be boiling without notice. Reminds me of one of my patients, Sue. Could you be Sue too?

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