Evaluation of Serum Zinc Level in Patients with Alopecia Areata

A 36-year-old man with androgenetic alopecia suspects copper and zinc deficiencies may be accelerating hair loss and is supplementing copper to address this. He is also monitoring blood sugar levels due to previous prediabetes concerns and plans to test for insulin resistance.

Zinc supplementation caused significant hair shedding for the user, who had been successfully managing hair loss with finasteride, minoxidil, RU58841, and microneedling. The user discontinued zinc after noticing no libido increase and believes the hair loss was due to zinc's interaction with other minerals or hormonal changes.

A 27-year-old male experiencing increased hair loss despite using 0.5mg dutasteride daily, minoxidil nightly, and optimizing vitamin D, is considering zinc supplementation and seeking a dermatology referral. Concerns about potential shedding, thyroid levels, and zinc dosage are discussed, with advice to monitor and avoid over-supplementation.

The conversation discusses hair loss and bloodwork results, focusing on zinc, vitamin D, and ferritin levels. The user is experiencing telogen effluvium after surgery and seeks advice on supplementation.

Micronutrient testing and deficiencies related to hair loss, particularly androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Discussion includes the impact of iron, selenium, zinc, copper, folate, B12, vitamin E, vitamin D, amino acids, and fatty acids, alongside treatments like dutasteride or finasteride.

Vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, zinc, and iron may aid hair growth, especially in cases of deficiency. Pumpkin seed oil, saw palmetto, horsetail, and AminoMar show some promise for improving hair health and count.