Alcohol and balding

Many of my friends like to out and have a drink or ten, but recently I noticed that those that drank the most seemed to have worse hair loss than people who drank alcohol moderately or none at all. Ok so there appears that their *might* be a pattern of alcohol causing hair loss based on my loose observations, but is this fact or coincidence?

After doing some research I found a very interesting study by Dr. Robert Smart at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C. Now the study wasn’t about balding but about pesticide and skin cancer. To cut a long study short, shaved mice were given treated with an estrogen-blocking compound, and to their surprise (the Science boffins, well the mice might have been surprised too) there was a spurt of hair growth, but more than that inactive hair follicles sprung back to life. The follicles were studied very closely and it was noted, “By two weeks, the visible hair growth on treated mice was about the same as on mice who had never been shaved, while mice that were not treated with ICI 182,780 grew no hair” ( ICI 182,780 is the estrogen blocker). Although this study was done on mice, as a lot of studies are (poor mice!), it does provide potential evidence of the effects of estrogen on your hair. If you’re not convinced then consider after the study a patent was applied for for the use of estrogen blockers for preventing hair loss and stimulating hair growth by NC State.

Also they tried the reverse applying and estrogen based compound to the mice, lo and behold, hair growth was prevented. Getting all scientific now, it was found that there is an estrogen receptor pathway, located in the center of hair follices, that regulates the hair growth cycle.

(NB. An update coming on this article very soon, seems the Smart study has been somewhat debunked!)

That’s great, but how does estrogen relate to alcohol? After studying Biology for some years I learned that drinking alcohol, in particular drinking LOTS of alcohol in one period, increases estrogen levels. Drinking high amounts of alcohol causes a dramatic rise in estrogen levels in the body in men, particularly the day after, you know, when your hung over. Not only that but alcohol can deplete the mineral zinc from your body. Zinc is essential for maintaining healthy hair. Putting it simply: Alcohol = Excess Estrogen = Potential Hair Loss. My advice is if you like to drink then at least try and drink in moderate amounts, especially if you are serious about saving your hair. Not to mention the excessive alcohol is bad for your all round health any way.

You can read about the study right here Estrogen-Blocking Compound Found to Cause Hair Growth

Before I go I must state that I don’t think alcohol is all bad. A small glass of red wine a day has been shown to have good health benefits, some of which may help will hair growth. And of course people who drink lots may tend to be generally unhealthier and therefore more likely to suffer hair loss. In any case the key is moderation.

Responses to This Article

thintop1 said on November 16, 2005
Not buying it.

women have estrogen, they have a full head of hair. testosterone that turns to DHT causes hair loss. not estrogen.

now maybe if it were a test blocker i’d believe.
Chris said on November 17, 2005
Hi thintop1, thanks for you comments. Maybe my wording in the article was misleading…yes, conversion of testosterone to DHT appears to be the primary factor behind balding in men (Androgenic Alopecia). This is not quite what I am talking about here, although, there are links between hormones including DHT, Testosterone and Estrogen which can lead to balding. The way these interact and have effects on the body is very complex and not fully understood.

Your observation that women generally have full head’s of hair in the presence of estrogen is correct. Women do have much higher levels of estrogen in the body, but it acts in a much different way in their body’s than it does in the male’s. Typically when estrogen levels are high in men it means other hormones such as testosterone are out of whack too. Here’s a little more tentative evidence…

“There are also two studies that conclusively show that men with MPB (male pattern baldness) have elevated levels of cortisol, estrogen, and androstendione.” (If anyone can find these studies please let me know, thanks)

http://www.hairloss-research.org/estrogen.html

“It has been established that cortisol, the ’stress’ hormone and estrogen are significantly elevated in individuals with androgenetic alopecia, which is immunosuppressive. It is also known that balding is essentially an interplay between hormones (notably DHT, Androstendione, Estrogen) and immunologically mediated inflammation, essentially causing the body to treat hair follicles like organs being rejected.”

http://www.hairloss-research.org/apr2001.html

Taking a step back for a moment and looking at the bigger picture also, I firmly believe that keeping your body in the best health will also give hair the best chance possible to survive, by that I mean to exercise regularly and eat and rest properly. This will help with a number of factors, not least improved blood flow to the scalp, all the right nutrients for hair and better balanced hormonal levels, all of which are essential for hair maintenance and growth. My hope, and the idea of this site, is by understanding the many factors that can contribute to hair loss (even if we don’t fully understand how the mechanisms at work) and avoiding those, and understanding mechanisms that lead to hair growth and maintenance and doing more of those, we can avoid any more hair loss and perhaps stimulate new growth, if we are lucky. From a purely health point of view alcohol in excess is bad for the body and so it follows, bad for your hair. For example it also increases the amount of a stress hormone called cortisol. Stress is yet another factor linked to hair loss. Not to mention that over drinking leads to stress of vital organs, huge increase in free radicals in the body and a whole host of other nasties. My point? Hardly a ripe environment for hair growth!

Back to the subject in hand, I am not trying to say by stopping binge drinking you will grow new hair, but rather binge drinking could be one such factor that can contribute to baldness in men, and that by moderating drinking habits you will give your hair an increased chance of staying where you want it to. The studies posted above imply that estrogen could lead to hair loss. Conclusive, no. But interesting nonetheless. By trying to minimize estrogen will I grow new hair? Perhaps not, but I am sure combined with the many measures that can be put in place it will give your hair the best chance of surviving.
Chris said on November 23, 2005
Not to keep banging on about this topic, especially as I enjoy the odd drink myself….A news article from the UK press mentions a link with drinking and hair loss:

“As it is a diuretic, alcohol can dehydrate the body, making the hair brittle, dry and liable to split ends. It also depletes the body of nutrients and can cause a deficiency of the mineral zinc, which can lead to hair loss.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/dietfitness.html?in_article_id=316935&in_page_id=1798
RAJESH said on November 28, 2005
I DON”T UNDERSTAND ESTROGEN & TESTESTERON BUT IT IS TRUE THAT WHENEVR I DRINK HEAVILY, I SEE MY HAIRS FALLING HEAVILY FOR 2-3 DAYS.
kim said on January 19, 2006
absolutely! i worked at a liquor store for ten years and you mostly notice it in women who drink coffee brandy.
Aaron said on February 22, 2006
I’m going into my 3rd year of biomedical science at university, so I’ve done a bit of biology, and this topic is one of interest to me so I’ve read quite a bit about it…all that aside though -

I also notice my hair falling out the next morning in the shower FAR FAR FAR more after I drink.

The chemistry behind it is not FULLY understood, but it is fairly well understood that some of the same chemicals that appear to have an affect on hair growth and loss are also known to be changed in serum levels by alcohol…

Obviously that is nothing conclusive but put with my own personal observation it’s fairly convincing to me

Oh by the way, whoever wrote this article, good by you! It’s very well written
Will said on March 27, 2006
What about Body Fat?

****Chris, could you research to see if guys who have higher body fat levels getting balder sooner? (and should I haul ass to the gym immediately, hehe.)

Ex: I know a fat guy who was a financial news reporter & almost totally bald at 26. His older brother who was 38 still had plenty of hair.

Reason I ask about fat is manifold, but 1 reason is: Supposedly fatter guys have higher levels of Estrogen and Cortisol.

Is it possible that the Insulin rebound/overcompensation from all that alcohol carbs coming into your system makes you store fat & creates a sidecar reaction that releases an excess of Cortisol after the initial Serotonin inflow from drinking? Is blood sugar eventually equally lowered after the initial rise, in a vaguely proportionate amount; like a sine wave?

-Just a few thoughts.

-W
Chris said on March 28, 2006
Will — There is a strong correllation between body fat levels and baldness. I bet there are many mechanisms where being overweight causes more rapid hair loss. Not least, as you’ve pointed out, insulin resistance may be a big factor. Being overweight must also have a significant knock on effect to many other hormones too. Good idea for an article!

I will be re-writing this article shortly too, with more details of the hormone interactions. Suffice to say it’s bloody complex.
ChiaPet said on March 28, 2006
Nicely put, Chris.

I don’t like pointing fingers at different substances and products, but this could possibly be true. Needless to say, a drink here or there can’t really be bad for you. Wouldn’t estrogen levels just return back to normal within a couple days post-drinking?

I’ve noticed you’ve talked about alcohol as a diuretic and that got me thinking. Wouldn’t coffee ALSO cause hairloss then? I googled this and found a couple links, saying that coffee DOES increase estrogen levels in women and could lead to worsening of conditions such as endometriosis and breast pain.

What connections would this have with men then? I abuse coffee myself and this could be the reason for my hairloss.

Here’s the link:

http://www.mercola.com/2001/dec/8/coffee_estrogen.htm
Chris said on March 29, 2006
ChiaPet — I believe estrogen levels would return back to normal within a few days. I know several people who binge drink week in week out, it makes me wonder what the cumulative effects would be like over months and years.

Being dehydrated is not ideal for maintaining healthy hair. I don’t see anything wrong with a cup or two of coffee so long as you drink enough water to make up for it’s diuretic effects. If you feel even the slightest bit thirsty then you are dehydrated. Interesting study, thanks! Shame they didn’t do it on men too.
Daisy said on May 8, 2006
Hi,

I find the article most interesting. I am an alcoholic woman, I’m 33, and I lost more than 50% of my hair over a period of 12 years. Lucky for me, the hair loss is even, so no bald spot like men but you see more and more of my scalp. But I also have a thyroid disease and was told by my doctor that my Synthroid medecine is causing my hair loss (my hair growing cells are asleep) and that there was nothing to do except accept it or get a wig eventually. But I can’t. My self esteem is getting lower each year, and that doesn’t help my drinking problem. I used to have such thick hair. It is very hard to live that, as for a woman hair is very fashionable.

My mom told me maybe the alcohol wasn’t helping my hair but I didn’t believe it. Now that I read your article, I wish the idea will grow on me and that it will help me get the strenght to get back to a healthier behavior. Maybe it will help my hair.

Thanks
Chris said on May 9, 2006
Hi Daisy

Sounds like a vicious circle: your hair falls out, so you feel low, so you drink which in turn could be making your hair loss worse, which makes you feel low…

I’m positive that reducing or cutting alcohol would give your body a much better chance of fighting the thyroid disease. It’s not only the medicine that might be causing the hair loss — the thyroid produces and influences hormones that have a very significant effect on hair health. Ditching the booze would give your immune system a massive boost, which in turn would help your hormones become more balanced.

I found this article which might be of use:

http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/hairloss.htm

It’s strange, but many people know the health risks of things like alcohol or smoking, but it’s only when their vanity is at stake they take action… maybe you could use this as the opportunity to turn things round?

Good luck, be strong!
Chris
AJ said on May 11, 2006
Well I’m a young guy, still in college and I drink quite heavily on the weekends. This past week I noticed an my hairline had receded DRAMATICALLY. Luckily I keep my hair quite long, so I can cover it up if I try, but I am certainly spooked. After reading this article, I must admit I’m even more spooked. Now my question is, if I drink in moderation from now on, will my hair grow back and approximately how long will it take? Or will I continue to lose hair? Any answers/advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
Chris said on May 11, 2006
Hey AJ

Moderating the quantity of booze would help keep hormone levels more balanced without a doubt. Also being fairly young (I presume) you will more than likely have fairly high levels of testosterone so you might find the effect exaccerbated, I know I definately did when started drinking when I was 18 years old.

On the practical side an anti-estrogen supplement may negate any possible effects. Bodybuilders use them for the very same reason…

Anti Estrogen Supps

And perhaps to make sure DHT levels don’t rise too much 375mg a day of Beta Sitosterol (article coming on Beta Sitosterol tomorrow):

Beta Sitosterol Supps

Also I’d be sure you were taking a decent multi-vitamin, and preferabley some extra Vitamin C and E when boozing.

I reckon that lot would battle the effects of alcohol pretty well.

Something else to bear in mind if you are in your teens or perhaps very early twenties then your hormones will be raging at the minute. It fairly common for most males of this age to experience a small amount of receeding during this time.
sara said on May 27, 2006
this is all interesting.. if you drink heavily and notice significant hair loss..with no other diagnosis of ill health.. would it be safe to believe that when the drinking is stopped, the hair will grow back? thank you
sara said on May 27, 2006
i believe that the alcohol interferes with the hormones.. especially in women.. i find that after a night of too much wine i have hot flashes all day… no wine.. am normal.. i think the article is valid
AJ said on June 1, 2006
Thanks for your advice Chris. I have another question though. I’ve been drinking for quite a while now so why is the hair-loss a recent thing? Drinking and college make such a wonderful couple…so why, oh why.. Once again, thanks.
Robert said on July 7, 2006
Sorry buddy, but your logic is flawed. The mechanisms that trigger male-pattern baldness are testosterone-based; namely DHT.

The faster you accept that male-pattern baldness is genetically-driven, the more effective your treatment regimen will be.
George said on August 9, 2006
Hi Chris,

I know this is a late response, I just wanted to add to the input from others, my brother-in-law drinks at least twenty litres of beer a week (full strength home brew ), along with a gallon of coffee, along with heavy fatty meat meals, poor sleep, no exercise, yet he has a full and thick head of hair, with no sign of any loss. I exercise, I eat well, no alcohol, meditation, average sleep, vitamins and minerals, yet I look like a chemo radiation patient. It shits me off bigtime. Your original story about estrogen levels just may be what is causing my hair loss. Thanks for the info, I will be chasing it up ….
shitface said on September 6, 2006
Alright so I’ve always had an M-shaped hairline. However the last year I’ve lost a lot of hair all over my head and I feel especially around the hairline. I’ve been drinking steady, every other day or in periods every day… I’ve always been troubled with acne. could this have a connection to the hair loss i.e. some sort of skin disease?
pietjans said on September 25, 2006
im asking myself the same as sara, if you have a period of rest, say a month, will the hair steadily grow back? (after drinking hard for couple of months)
Dee said on March 18, 2008
Please clairfy if the article’s primary reference being to men, including the term Androgenic Alopecia, applies equally to women in terms of the excess drinking causing higher estrogen levels and potential contribution to hair loss.
Also, if a woman is in menopause, is the effect the same since she is already at a point where there is estrogen loss, I would think the drinking–while bad for your other health factors–would in some ways fall into balance.
Is there a difference in how the estrogen levels rise when the execess alcohol comes from one source over the other, i.e.: wine, beer or hard liquor?
In any case, your article was an answer to prayer for me, because I asked God to tell me why I was experiencing my recent hair loss, when I am other wise healthy and have enjoyed thick, strong beautiful hair. Of course I suspected alchohol might be the culprit because of evaluating what I was doing more of than before and the answer was, drinking almost daily. Vanity, admittedly, is a strong motivator and I am going to cut back drinking immediately. Pray for me:-)
Thank you!
James said on April 28, 2009
Hi,
First of all thanks to all for sharing their experiences as good decisions comes out of good discussions. I been on propecia and minoxidle for around 3 years, initially they helped me to fight with my hair loss, but from last one year the conditions are same as they were before 3 years. i changed the drug, changed shampoos, changed water changed everything, but nothing worked out. i used to see my hair coming out in shower, in comb, on my shoulders, on my desk everywhere. Then i again started thinking about my lifestyle, as in my whole family only i have worst hair, all my brothers and father has very beautiful and silky hairs.

THEN, i realized that i changed everything except 3,
1. Smoking [around 20 cigs in a day]
2. Alcohol [360 Days in a year]
3. My Eating habbits.
Now to save my hairs and my health i have decided that i will not smoke, will only drink once in a month and will eat properly and on proper time.

I know that everybody says that it is because DHT, but i think there are so many other factors are also there to drive this activity. I have gone throug a book called Hair Loss No More [just google it] which explains hair loss in a proper way and written by a very sensible doctor . It manily emphasise on exercise and diet. And also request you to stop smoking and drinking for retaining and gaining healthy hairs. So guys it is time to do something good for your hairs.. And hairs can be the biggest motivation factor for quiting soming and drinking… also i have lots of other statements too to quit these 2 killers.
Chris said on April 28, 2009
Hey James

Totally agree. Lifestyle is one of the most underrated factors in hair loss. If people don’t think poor diet and lack of exercise don’t, at least partly, effect hairloss then more fool them. Both of those things regulate hormones, improve blood flow, deliver more nutrients and so on. And worst case scenario? You are healthier than before!
randy said on May 20, 2009
If alcohol lead to hair loss, wouldnt you also lose body hair and not just the hair on your head?
walter said on June 20, 2009
Can hair loss from drinking too much alcohol be temporary ? If you don’t drink and start to have a good diet can that solve the problem?
tomas said on July 26, 2009
so what if i dont want to stop drinking…can i take zinc or some other drug to battle the baldness? can these effects be turned around or can you only save what you got?
The Inspector of Health said on August 24, 2009
Hi,

In answer to some questions posted on this forum, I could only add that once baldness starts nothing can halt it or prevent it. You can control it with Mnoxidel and Finesteride, but changing habits would not make the hair grow back. Sadly the guys who have already started losing their hair have no real hope. If you still have hair, and there is no sign of hair loss, start taking preventative measures now. that may help you retain your hair for as long as possible. For the baldies, there really is no hope. If anything had worked, would baldness not have been eliminated?
nic said on August 31, 2009
I had strep throat a few weeks back and was put on antibiotics for 10 days. During this time I drank no alcohol and noticed that less hair fell out. Now yesterday I went out and drank heavily and today I noticed a ton of hair come loose. There has to be a correlation.
Charles said on September 18, 2009
Recently, as in over the last several months, I’ve been drinking heavily pretty much every day. In the last week or so I’ve been noticing my hair is SIGNIFICANTLY thinner than it was even a few months ago. It was my suspicion that the alcohol was to blame that led me to find this thread. This seems to confirm that suspicion. Regardless of how or why, I’d say drinking alcohol definitely causes hair loss.
Emily said on September 26, 2009
Thank you so much for writing this article, and thank you so much to everyone who has commented on here.
I am a newly 36 year old female, who has always had a thick head of hair until last January. Within the course of 4 weeks, my hair was coming out in handfulls! When washing my hair, I would end up with handfuls of hair. Through the course of the year, it kept falling out and falling out. I did bloodwork, saw 6 different physicians (2 derms, 1 endo, 1 internal medicine, 1 obygyn, and 1 cardiologist).

I stopped my birth control pill as per my endo, and that has helped a little bit. I am extremely healthy, but within the last 2-3 years have been drinking more and started smoking due to a stressful job and relationship.

Needless to say, I am starting to think that this was the culprit. My hair is so thin now, but I am lucky that there are no patches. I am going to try and not drink (or smoke) for 6 months and see if that helps….I am really scared and depressed.

The thing that makes me bummed is that I was doing all of this in college and in my early 20s…everything was fine then! Being 10 years older never helps the situation, but no one has answered the question that several people have posted…

If you stop drinking, will the hair come back?
Bob said on September 29, 2009
Yes. Alcohol DOES Cause Hairloss/Thinning. But it is temporary. Quitting Alcohol will help to bring it back.

The reasons are two fold:

1. Alcohol puts heavy load to Liver and Kidneys. Kidneys are the one which determines your hairloss. Stronger kidneys stronger and fuller hair. Chinese ying-yang theory and allopathic kidney dialysis medication has a side effects of strong hair growth..

2. Balding in early stages is Preventable. Provided you wake up and take immediate action. Hairloss shows something is seriously wrong in the overall health..
Raj said on October 3, 2009
stop smoking and drinking!!
lise said on October 19, 2009
I found your articles most interesting. I would qualify myself a rather heavy drinker at times and regular moderate drinker other days. I am now on Synthroid and Diovan
and did a lot of research on these two medications. Some seem to think that they
are not compatible and that one should change the Diovan. I am afraid to do so
since I fear having more side effects with other high blood pressure medication.
However, after reading all the comments from your readers I am rather tempted
to simply cut down drinking. I did notice also that when I drank a lot of wine one
evening, my pillow would be covered with much more hair the following morning.
Please forgive my English errors, my mother tongue is French.
With thanks,
Lise
Lara said on October 28, 2009
Great info! I’ve been drinking just about every day for about a year and a half. I now its a sickness. My hair loss is so bad I had to get extentions. My hair was so long and thick. Strangers use to tell me what beautiful hair I had. People would always ask if it was all real. Its was but not anymore. It only makes sence that drinking a lot would make it fall out. Alcohol strips your body of vitamins. Not to mention all the other harm it causes to your organs. Biggest organ is the skin so it makes since that it would directly effect hair follicles. Been trying to quit drinking. This gives me a lot of motivation! -THANKS!!
biwfw said on November 14, 2009
Why dont teens have hair loss? There DHT and Testosterone levels are through the roof..
mcnowski said on November 19, 2009
Brewers yeast is very high in Zinc…..interesting.
christine said on December 2, 2009
God this has got me thinking. About a year ago I was taking anti-depressants. After about three weeks I noticed 2 big bald patches on my head & hair loss at the edges of my scalp. I looked at the side effects of the medication and it stated that it could result in hair loss that ‘could’ be reversable. I immediately binned them. However, a year on I am still much thinner. I am a heavy drinker and so now wonder if the hair loss could be due to my drinking – I drank much more when i was depressed. Just wish it could stop hair ring on my chin & lip!!!
christine said on December 2, 2009
God this has got me thinking. About a year ago I was taking anti-depressants. After about three weeks I noticed two big bald patches on my head. Also hair loss at the edges of my scalp. I looked at the side effects of my medication and it stated that one could be hair loss and that is might not be reversable. I immediately binned them. A year on, my hair is still much thinner than it used to be. Some of the hair has grown back but its still much thinner. I am a heavy drinker also and wonder if the hair loss is more likely to be due to alcohol than the anti-depressants – I was drinking much more when I was depressed and have continued to do so. Surely the hair woudl have grown back now if I hadn’t taken anti-depressants for over a year

Just wish that I could prevent the hair growth on my lip and chin!!!
Maxine said on December 7, 2009
OK, I have been trying to find out the cause of my hair loss & many other complaints at the moment and after seeing 14 doctors, 12 blood tests, ENT appointments, dermatology appointments everything came back fine nothing wrong. Now my hair is thinning fast, hair growth on face and other areas, very oily skin, bone growth on my finger knuckles, hair growth on fingers, fingers thicker than what they were and a few other things I was tested for everything and decided to do my own research which I found was very scary stuff. It seems that alcohol abuse in a woman creates too much testosterone and in a male can cause estrogen levels to soar, 12 years of raising testosterone levels has seemingly created all these symptoms, it has something to do with the amount of cortisil the lobes in the front of your brain create and I have noticed most people who have left comments on here drink moderately to heavily. I dont expect all the symptoms to go away since I have stopped but if my body is fighting all the changes then maybe it knows whats supposed to be there or not so 6 months and fingers crossed some of the symptoms will go and my hair will grow back, and to be honest alcohol really isn’t worth losing, your hair, confidence and self esteem, not to mention the effect on your wallet saddest thing is sounds like we have all done it to ourselves and thats the toughest thing to live with (those who drink I meant) god bless and good luck
maxine said on December 7, 2009
It would also be interesting to know whether anyone here has had a burning sensation on their face with all the pores opening up and a severely increased appetite with no weight gain, also does anyone get tingling feelings across the scalp where the hair loss is more prominent, mine is on the front left side and the crown, I read somewhere it’s the follicles closing but am not an expert thanks
guy said on December 10, 2009
well, actually, i think you all got this all wrong. estrogen is not causing alopecia, it’s actually the reverse. increased estrogen actually reverses androgenic alopecia as you see in transgender males that have started estrogen therapy. androgenic alopecia also starts to show up in postmenopausal women due to a significant drop in estrogen. the only connection i see with alcoholism and hairloss is stress. the thing about alcohol is that it stresses the liver and yes, it can boost aromatase activity too, but it can also boost cytP450 enzymes which degrade a number of steroids including androgens, estradiols, cortisol, etc… so, when cytP450 is activated, turn over of the steroids (testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, ….) is a lot faster and the body compensates for this by increasing the production of the steroids. get me? this will result in increased androgen (testosterone, DHT), as well as, estrogen, but the increase in androgens is much higher since this is one of the first ones produce (estrogen is produced from androgens so androgens show up first at a higher quantity than estrogen).

what does this mean?

the high level of androgens (testosterone, DHT) can exacerbate your androgenic alopecia and even though some of the androgens are converted to estrogens, which are protective against alopecia, they (estrogens) show up too late and at lesser amount to elicit a protective benefit. in people with chronic alcoholism, it takes a while for the body to lower production of the androgens since the increase in cellular machinery used to accomodate the need to increase in androgens persist overtime and will take a while to take apart. cortisol, a stress hormone, is produced in the same pathway as the androgens and estradiols and other steroid products (aldosterone, vit d,….). high cortisol means high stress, which cause the body to be in survival mode resulting in reduction in synthesis of “luxury” products such as hair.

estrogen is good for you hair, the problem is the androgen that’s why it’s called androgenic alopecia. this is the reason why finasteride (propecia) and dutasteride work to stop hair loss because they reduce the amount of potent androgens (DHT) which destroy the hair and increase the amount of androgens that can be converted to estrogen, which increase scalp hair.

-4th year medical student
Chris said on December 10, 2009
Excellent post Guy!
John said on December 16, 2009
I completely agree with your article. Alcohol does indeed cause hair loss and will increase shedding. I have been fighting hair loss for ten years now, and have been drinking on the weekends for eight of those ten years. Shedding always increased after drinking heavily on the weekends, without fail! I have lost over 60% of my density over the past four years.

So, my advice to anyone out there is to STOP drinking, start exercising daily, reduce stress, supplement with herbs that support your endocrine system and stay away from hair loss drugs.
Jackie said on December 24, 2009
I noticed that the day after I consume more than one drink, I experience a major increase in shedding the next day in the shower. So for me, alcohol definite DOES increase hair shedding – as suspected – but great to see it here in print! Also, I have noticed a correlation between caffeine consumption and hair shedding in my own body, so this could be another habit to get rid of if you want healthy thick hair! I know some people drink alcohol and drink a ton of coffee and have great, thick, hair (like my husband, no fair! but you can’t compare yourself with others – we all have various genetic strengths and weaknesses and must do what works for us.
mina said on January 11, 2010
I am 25 years old, i have been drinking very heavily for the last couple of years. but for the lasty 8 months my hair is been falling and very thinning out . i used to have long thick beautiful hair. I dont know what to do.
Sarah said on January 16, 2010
I am 38 years old and used to have long thick hair. In the past year, it’s fallen out by at least 50%. It’s so thin that you can see my scalp and I’m so self-conscious of it now. I went to the doctor and we did all these tests. I’m perfectly healthy except I am dehydrated with poor blood circulation. She said to stop drinking caffeine and drink more water. I did for a while and I cut down on caffeine (can’t cut it out completely!) and my hair started to look OK to the point that I forgot about it. But in the past month or so, it’s suddenly become much worse and now I’m panicking. I think it’s due to the fact that I got lazy and stopped drinking as much water and went back to a lot of coffee. I also drink a lot of wine so I’ve now decided that I will cut out wine and caffeine and consume more water. This is not easy for me and I pray it works. I’m going to a dermatologist this week to see if it could be anything else as I do have really sensitive skin. I’m glad I found this site and there are other women out there like me who are scared so I don’t feel so terribly alone now. My friends and family just don’t get it or understand. Hang in there everyone!
nicky noo said on January 17, 2010
hi all i am 40 years old and if i am honest have been drinking at least 2 large glasses of wine a night for the past 10 years , i used to have very thick hair , now my hair is thinned at the sides , although because i have a bob it still looks thick but i know its not right, i have to go to my doctor next week to get a medical certificate as i am a manager of a big care home and need to register (which is normal). i am so scared about this as i believe my liver may be affected but i have never let my alcohol consumption affect my work performance, i am sooo scared right now , as its not fair if the doctor doesnt sign my report off as i dont drink ever in the day and do make sure that i dont drink so that it will effect my job, i would really appreciate some support and feedback now .
Willy said on January 23, 2010
I’ve also suspected a link between alcohol and hair loss. I just turned 40 and have always been a pretty heavy drinker, at times. I like to party! I exercise regularly and keep in good shape, and eat right.

In just the last 9 months, however, I have experienced unprecedented levels of stress: my father died, I was forced to close down my company and find a new job (which I eventually did), and I went through a separation/divorce. My drinking went from a few cocktails a week, to 2-4 bottles of wine and champagne every night!

In the last few months, as my alcohol consumption has increased (2-4 bottles of wine every night, which scares me), I have noticed a definite thinning of my hair. It feels and looks brittle and dry. My hair has always been fairly thick, but there is definite thinning now. I don’t mind it too much, as I prefer short clipped hair, but it looks very unhealthy.

I need to stop drinking, obviously, but I’m not sure what to do about the stress.
donald said on January 24, 2010
I think hair loss can certainly be exacerbated by heavy drinking but it all comes down to your genetic predisposition because I’ve known heavy drinkers with thick hair.

This doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a baldness gene though, it’s a combination of many factors that is particular to your body that will cause you to lose hair. This is why doctors can’t find a cure because it happens so benignly at a young age and once the ball gets rolling you’re pretty much doomed.
maxine said on March 17, 2010
I do believe hair loss and alcohol go hand in hand, and I agree with the above post on androgenic pattern disorders . After drinking for many years, then doubling the quanitity in the last two years my hair loss has gotten alot worse but for all those people who are saying they have only just noticed, I actually believe before the mass shed of hair that this condition goes unnoticed and small changes are taken as signs of aging so the drinking goes on. If alcohol abuse causes androgenic disorders this would explain why many women lose hair mid temples, crown e.t.c but tend to grow excess hair the same way as a male does i.e facial hair, this is why doctors cannot find a cure for the symptoms. Also I agree with the fact that excess alcohol causes the liver and the lymphatic system to filter toxins slowly so that they store in the body longer which causes vitamin deficiency, the only way to see if this is valid is to stop and see, of course for many of us easier said than done but I have cut down alot from 7 nights a week to 2, sometimes 1 and I do feel healthier drinking more water I was told that for the body to completely cleanse after such abuse it will take up to six months so heres hoping good luck all
Chris said on March 18, 2010
Nice post Maxine. Good luck with it – at the very worst you’ll be healthier, not a bad side effect hey
Willy said on April 3, 2010
I posted on January 23, 2010 (above) and since then I reduced my alcohol consumption and increased vitamin supplement intake. I am happy to report that my hair has now started to grow back!
Carole said on April 7, 2010
A year ago I noticed my hair was becoming very thin and it was falling out in handfuls. I stopped dying it and started searching the net for a solution. Like many of the people who have posted above, I was drinking a lot at home. I don’t consider myself to be an alcholic or a heavy drinker and don’t get drunk or drink when I go out. It’s the wine drinking at home that is the problem. This gradually increases from a glass with a meal once a week, to a glass every night until eventually it’s nearly a bottle a night.

Back to the point. I spent weeks searching the internet for solutions, tried different products, which didn’t work then happened upon this article! I cannot thank you enough. I stopped drinking as soon as I saw this and haven’t touched a drop for nearly 2 months now. I also started taking supplements, milk thistle to cleanse the liver, flax-seed oil with multi-vitamins and iron and valerian for stress. My hair has stopped falling out and is starting to look much thicker. Also, my skin has cleared up and I no longer have a puffy face or a double chin. I think you have hit the nail on the head with this article and as soon as I read it, I knew it was this causing my hair loss. Hope this helps others.
Ardea said on April 13, 2010
Thank you for this article, and especially thank you to Willy for your encouraging post. I wish you all the best. I stopped drinking (at home, most days) only two weeks ago. As with most everyone else, I suspected it might be causing a problem. My hair was always fine & thin, so I don’t have a lot to lose.

I hope soon I will be back on this site to report successful regrowth. I’m going to try Carole’s herb/vitamin regimen, plus zinc. Also, in the past I’ve used low-level laser light theraphy, which has not been proven to work; but it makes me feel like at least I’m doing something, in conjunction with lifestyle changes which will obviously take a while to show results. My hair definitely did look better after I was using lasers and taking multivitamins & biotin for only about 3 months.
notthicknemore said on April 30, 2010
Since my dad committed suicide Jan 09 I became a heavy beer drinker. Every other DAY I was drinking a 12 pack of beer. Sometimes to the point I was puking. In the last 6 months my hair on the top of my head started to get really thin to the point i could see mostly scalp. Being a woman something had to give. I found this website and figured I would put the alcohol down and take vitamins. So Im on my 3rd day with no beer and have been taking hair, skin, and nail witamins by Natures Bounty. I hope this reverses some of the affects. I also decided to use a more natural approach to hair care. I searched out for natural hair shampoos and found that you can use baking soda and water as a wash and as a rinse apple cider vinegar and water as a rinse. Just by using them and getting rid of all the chemicals from shampoo my hair is already super shiny. So I only have high hopes right now.
Ray said on May 2, 2010
They say seek and ye shall find. Well firstly i want to say its great to hear people share their personal experiences and through it help others in a similar dilemma. My experience is this. 5 years ago i was with a girlfriend who like me was very healthy and although we did break up after over 2 years it was a blessing to be around someone like minded. 5 years on and i’m writing this never thinking it would happen to me. There is no hereditry hair loss problems in my family and my hair has NEVER been a problem for me…until i was influenced by my new girlfriend who enjoyed a drink and a smoke and a joint or two. To say it has been a toxic and both poisonous relationship is an understatement. However it wasn’t until i irresponsibly started joining in what was a fun stimulating time at the time did i start to notice the changes to my hair. It went from thick curly and the envy of my peers and being my once pride asset to thin and lifeless and dead looking. Add the stresses of arguing and fighting which make you feel low so you use something to stimulate you once again. To the point where you on a constant cycle of adrenal exhaustion and your organs are being made to work to death much quicker. The aging process then accelarates and this in turn makes you look bad so you use more to make you feel good. The link below is brilliant on adrenal exhaustion. http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/adrenal_burnout.htm

Once you realise and are READY to admit that outside influences inside you realise this goes for everything. Abuse your body internally it pays you back externally. If you also want to check if you have taxed adrenals press on your adrenal pressure points 1 inch above your navel and one inch to the side. This should form a triangle over you navel. Press and if they are sore even with light touch you know got a problem and your stuck in overdrive. I am now getting to grips with my thinner hair and if it gets better i will be back to report. Iam now using a mixture of natural hair supplements and all the knowledge holistically available. Thanks for a great article.
Good luck to all.
Mikes said on May 7, 2010
Alcohol blocks the absortion of the B vitamins. Vitamin B6 is a DHT blocker and helps with circulation. Us americans eat alot of corn products that also block the B vitamins. I try not to eat any corn products ( not Easy to do, b/c everything is made from corn these days), and no alcohol.. I noticed a decrease in hairloss right away. Hope this helps.
longhairedguy said on May 20, 2010
ive turned 18 and have started drinking much more. I usually end up steamin once a week although for the rest of the week i eat healthy ( as i lift weights and stuff). I was wondering tho, will the healthy-ness during the week balance out the excessive drinking at the weekend as i have long hair and i dont want it to fall out by the time im a 40 year old guy. does anyone have any advice?
Jonathan Martinez said on May 23, 2010
As the body is very complex in design, I feel that there is truth in your article and some of the responses, especially guys post. However, I believe there is still more to isolating the root scientific causes of going bald. For example: we do know as a fact that high DHT levels cause hair loss. Thus products like Rogan which inhibit DHT (not always successful). This is a treatment for the symptom and not the cause.

We also know that people experience gynecomastia with high levels of estrogen and SHBG but low levels of Testosterone and DHT can experience hair growth on the head (this correlates to men who take estrogen after a sex change to encourage feminizing). In cases where people suffer from gynocomastia with high levels of estrogen, DHT, and testosterone these people suffer loss of hair on their head (they may somewhat maintain their masculine features such as body hair–*opinion*). It is interesting to note many scientific studies and experiments having conflicting results due to isolation of a particular component in the test. I mean basically that, they fail in taking account of other factors that play a role. Since it’s hard to control constants in a controlled study using people from different life styles and backgrounds.

We also realize as a fact that zinc deficient people can have hair loss. I think that the reason alcohol effects certain people are because it depletes them of vitamins, minerals, and water. When your body is low on these things the following happens:

1. The nutrients needed by the body is depleted
2. Without water the body is unable to filter out bad products in our system.

Of course there are other factors that play a part such as exercise. It is believed that proper exercise on a regular basis encourages hair growth. And sleep too!

Questions:
Why is it that statistically women are less likely to suffer from hair loss? This may be due to their estrogen being normally higher when compared to men. Women have been known to lose hair when their DHT levels are high or their hormones are not at their proper levels.

Bottom Line:
Scientifically speaking: (depending on age, fitness, sex, complications, etc.)
Normal levels for your sex of testosterone, DHT, estrogen (Estradiol, Estrone, Estriol) and zinc are what are known to promote hair growth. When any of these levels are too much or too little, they not only effect each other but discourage hair growth. Of course there are probably other factors not known yet.

Fixing the problem: The problem with supplements and medication is that they only work if the cause is known (why is your DHT levels to high? Why is your estrogen to low? Why is your testosterone high?). Obviously, this requires a good and knowledgeable doctor that can assist you with ones particular cause of hair loss.

Ultimately your body when properly taken care of can regulate all the necessary levels needed as long as you don’t suffer from any diseases or special conditions such as genetic code anomalies and whathaveyou. So wishing to combat the issue of hair loss, it would probably be easiest, cheapest, and most effective to eat healthy, exercise daily, and get normal hours of sleep and sunshine.

I would appreciate any additional input, corrections, or advice one can offer on this matter.
christine said on June 24, 2010
i read your articles and it sounds like me. i tale natural hormonesand drink a lot.and now im having a lot of hair loss.as of today im going to stop drinking. so please pray for me.i been through a lot. thanks
Anna said on June 25, 2010
Wow! Now I can add alcohol to my list of things I cant have. For the last five years I have encountered so many hair loss misshaps! I always find the reason and then I fix it and move on. Some hair grows back but with every hair loss episode less and less grows back. My first experience was during the high protien diet. My iron levels have always been low, and my mistake was not taking suplements. During my diet I used a product called OPC which had high antioxidents including Bilberry, Grape Seed Extract, and Red Wine Extract. The product really improved my imune system but stopped my iron absorption cold. It took a few doctors to figure out the iron was low but not the reason why the iron was low. So I found out it was the type of anitoxidents in the bilberry and red wine and even the grape seed extract that was blocking my iron absorbtion. Not all people will have that problem, however if you are prone to aneima you certianly will. So I lost 50% of my hair and 25% grew back. Then I had a baby at age 40! Three months in to breastfeeding my hair started falling out in huge amounts daily. I went to a breastfeeding group and was happy to find the biggest complaint from the other mothers was hair falling out due to hormones. Then again 6months later the doctor talks me into having an IUD. The Mirena IUD with hormones in it. 7months later the hair begins to fall out in huge amounts and I stopped having periods. I also had PPD (post Pardum depression.) So once again I see several doctors and we do Iron testin and thyroid testing and all is ok. They said my hormones were normal range. I went online and found out that hundreds of women had horrible problems with Mirena so I had it taken out. I started to feel better emotionally but my hair loss tappered off slowly. At this point I have hardly any hair at all. It was so thin that sunlight came through my shoulders and neckline. It was like transparent hair in the sun. Then came the hair extensions, really BAD idea, do not go there! So a few years later I’m finally over the hair extension problems and I have back about 30% of my hair. I then find myself in a battle with peri-menopause. I begin to take herbs like St. John’s wort and Valerian and parsley leaf too. They are wonderful and do the job they claim to do. So by now I know what to do and I startt researching the web but come up with nothing at all for weeks. I should be ok on the herbs. NOT! I started losing my hair again and Prayed to God to help me find the answer and He delivered. I found out that all foods and plants have polyphenols and tannins in them. Some polyphenols are stronger or harsher than others and they do interfere with Iron absorption. Polyphenols I believe have different types and functions. I guess that is why doctors say to eat from a variety of foods. So the herbs I listed all caused me a low iron issue even though I am on precsription iron! So I’m not sure what to do next cause the hair has stopped falling a little bit since I stopped he herbs, but I have been drinking alot off and on during the week. Wow! I cant believe you made it to the end of my post.

Thank You
Anna
Marcy said on July 5, 2010
There is nothing worse than feeling your hair roots dry up and die, last summer half my hair fell out. Do to my drinking and thyriod disease. Now and then I can still feel my roots dying but I am doing better. Although I still drink too much , I’ve managed to save my hair by taking 20 mg DHEA every morning and switching to a natural Thyriod drug. I also take lots of vitamins and drink lots of water. When I don’t take the DHEA however, I can feel my hair acting up immidiately. I really need to quit the booze. Alcohol definately causes hair loss.
Anna said on July 8, 2010
Does anyone know how long it takes for hair o stop falling out after you stop drinking?
Anna said on July 14, 2010
Drinking alccohol in excess can cause hormone imbalance too. I think it made me have too much estrogen. I’m using natural progestrone cream twice a day. It is stopping the hairloss fast. My hair is not falling after three days of taking it. I quit alcoholl completely. Doctor gave me vistaril for anxeiy. That helped me stop drinling. I feel so much better.
Sue said on July 23, 2010
A few years ago I started drinking a glass of wine with meals and then two and sometimes more on the weekend. I started noticing increased hair loss, a puffy face and digestive issues which I had never had before. I went to the dr and my thyroid, hormones, etc. were o.k. So of course if all of the tests come out o.k. our dr’s don’t know what to say. I stopped drinking as that was the only change in my lifestyle since the hair loss, thinning started. It helped alot although I still struggle with some loss, I notice increased loss when I have more than one glass or am dehydrated. I also was and do experience night sweats which bring on anxiety attacks, I will be sound asleep and wake up with some anxious thought and then get really hot, it passes and I go back to sleep. I wonder if alcoholism and dehydration play a role in this type of hair loss.

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This article was written on October 4, 2005 was posted in these categories Hair Loss Causes .