Why haven’t one of you High-Functioning autists solved hair loss?

[Te1963]

There's no question that you are right about the hormonal involvement and the onset of puberty. The fact that many of us begin to lose our hair at that time isn't just a coincidence. However, I have watched as many friends have begun to experience hair loss at later ages too. Some in their late twenties, some in their thirties, and so on. Hormones alone don't answer the question of the cause of alopecia. There's not much that I can do about the fact that, as a new member, I don't seem to be permitted to provide links to the actual medical research connecting all of the dots which I have described. However, if you investigate things like the medication, ruxolitinib, you will find that it is approved for treatment of bone marrow disease and yet also appears to completely reverse baldness (unfortunately, only for as long as you keep taking it). There's no doubt that alopecia is a very complex condition and that different factors are involved in each individual. Many people suffering from coeliac disease only have to remove gluten from their diet in order to reverse their baldness. Like many others, that wasn't the case for myself. To me that just indicates that a more complex picture had developed since I lost my hair and, at the moment, I am trying to connect some dots between coeliac induced hyperparathyroidism and why the body produces the 5-alpha reductase which converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Other people just need to include things like vitamin D or K in their diets to cure their alopecia. Always just more questions. Of course, I could spend my time making jokes about our conditions, like many others on this site, but the question on this thread posed the specific question about why no one at the low end of the autism spectrum had solved alopecia. Although this question was asked relatively flippantly the fact is that I have been trying to demonstrate that most of the answers are already out there in the available research. You just need to look.

 

[Te1963]

Looking at minoxidil, and how it induces vasodilation and increased blood supply to the scalp, raises another issue which is exampled by things like swollen legs. I lived with swollen legs for over twenty years, with medical advice that it was caused by my kidney condition. It wasn't. I started using a ceramide cream on my legs a while ago and the swelling disappeared within a month. Overnight the legs actually shrank after initial application but it was just a temporary response and the legs swelled again, but not as much and reducing day by day with further applications. Blood vessels are lined by vascular smooth muscle cells which respond to a range of chemical stimulations in inducing vasodilation or vasoconstriction. Ceramides are a type of sphingolipid which can reactivate calcified vascular smooth muscle cells in order to induce normal responses again. That's fine for legs but the creams can block the pores of the scalp so I'm not recommending them. In coeliac disease just removing gluten from the diet may not be enough to fix the vascular hypertension induced by the histamine. Things like B vitamins can reduce that hypertension yet the MTHFR gene mutation will render synthetic forms of folic acid useless to the body and requires very specific supplementation to address. Of course you can use minoxidil but I've never been keen on supporting pharmaceutical company profits. Minoxidil works by increasing blood flow to the scalp. Many people here have likely recognised that the skin of their scalp has become very thin. That indicates the reduced flow of blood. I've read all sorts of rubbish about massaging the scalp and so on, in order to improve blood flow. I don't know whether any of that ever worked for anyone but it never helped me. Creams often improved my scalp health but reduced my hair growth and clogged pores. There are a lot of foods and supplements which can induce vasodilation but the vascular smooth muscle cells must be working properly or the treatment will fail. Since ceramides and sphingosine are both used in the construction of hair follicles, increasing their strength and elasticity, the presence of these sphingolipids appears to be crucial to the situation.

 

[Arshan163]

High-Functioning autists put man on the moon, created airplanes and solved some of the most difficult questions and problems of life through an extremely religious dedication for many decades. I’m fascinated to read about 19 century scientists and the excruciating pain they put themselves through trial and error, some even putting their own lives on the line to further scientific knowledge.

Yet, something that threatens the very reproductive success of our genes, like balding, is still not solved? I understand that a cure in itself may be hard to produce but at least we should have a coherent theory that is without contradictions which can explain the nature of MPHL? I mean, you don’t even need any resources in this day and age; the internet provides with all the scientific journals you would ever need yet we can’t put together one coherent theory that isn’t full of holes?

I cant say that I'm a high functioning autist but my team and I have been studying hair loss for years! We're researchers, engineers and pharmacists at UCSD. We've actually created some promising technology to help figure out how to treat hair loss but you're completely right. Theres not enough resources going in to solving this problem that so many people face

 

[Feramon1]

I cant say that I'm a high functioning autist but my team and I have been studying hair loss for years! We're researchers, engineers and pharmacists at UCSD. We've actually created some promising technology to help figure out how to treat hair loss but you're completely right. Theres not enough resources going in to solving this problem that so many people face

Can you find out a little more about her?

 

[Manochoice]

Dum

High-Functioning autists put man on the moon, created airplanes and solved some of the most difficult questions and problems of life through an extremely religious dedication for many decades. I’m fascinated to read about 19 century scientists and the excruciating pain they put themselves through trial and error, some even putting their own lives on the line to further scientific knowledge.

Yet, something that threatens the very reproductive success of our genes, like balding, is still not solved? I understand that a cure in itself may be hard to produce but at least we should have a coherent theory that is without contradictions which can explain the nature of MPHL? I mean, you don’t even need any resources in this day and age; the internet provides with all the scientific journals you would ever need yet we can’t put together one coherent theory that isn’t full of holes?

Vitamin D plays so many roles in the development of alopecia that I regard it worth detailing. Allergies induce vitamin D deficiency via a complex pattern of inflammatory signaling involving TGF-beta and prostaglandin production. Vitamin D regulates bone mineralisation and helps to maintain osteoblast calcium homeostasis. Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to the development of alopecia. Vitamin D inhibits interleukin expression. Finally, mutations of the genes which direct construction of vitamin D receptors are directly implicated in patterns of non-male pattern baldness; reducing signaling/reactions resultant from binding of vitamin D and specific steroid hormones to those receptors. Although such mutations are specific to those types of baldness there have been studies of the specific genes which make alopecia areata more likely to occur. The list is quite extensive and it's likely that the more of such nonsense gene mutations are present in an individual the more predisposed the individual is to developing male pattern baldness. The real trick, in preventing this from occurring or reversing it, seems to be to understand the process, avoid allergens and toxins, and provide necessary nutrients to ensure bone and hair health.

What a dumb, demeaning and obtuse title...

 

[Armando Jose]

We've actually created some promising technology to help figure out how to treat hair loss

Common hair loss?

 

[Te1963]

When you look at the research the issue which stands out is the complex web of roles which sphingosine and ceramide play in maintaining hair growth and integrity. Sphingosine plays a role in keratinocyte differentiation, which can affect their role in producing hair. Ceramide is responsible for keratinocyte production of caspase 14, which plays a role in protecting hair from sun damage. Both sphingosine and ceramide are essential to hair strength and elasticity. Alkaline phosphatase, which is present in high levels in alopecia, is involved in conversion of sphingosine-1-phosphate to sphingosine. Since activation of sphingosine-1-phosphate 2 receptors is essential to stimulate hair growth I presume that excess conversion, resulting from high levels of alkaline phosphatase, causes a deficiency in sphingosine-1-phosphate levels so reducing that signaling. The presence of high levels of sphingosine kinase probably reflects the bodies efforts to try to maintain normal levels of sphingosine-1-phosphate despite the activity of the alkaline phosphatase.

The high levels of interleukin-6 are also concerning. This is produced by osteoblast (bone forming) cells in order to stimulate the growth phase of hair (anagen). This indicates that there is a constant effort to stimulate the hair growth, which isn't working. High levels of interleukin-6 are also produced as part of the allergic reaction in coeliac disease and also occur during chemotherapy, as the body attempts to protect itself from the effects of the medication. Healthy hair requires non-growth cycles; catagen, telogen, and exogen. So what occurs when there is a constant stimulus for the growth phase with no respite?

 

[Armando Jose]

Good question BTW
So what occurs when there is a constant stimulus for the growth phase with no respite?

 

[Te1963]

I had the alternative thought to check whether the dihydrotestosterone might induce the exogen cycle, detaching the hair follice. What I found out was that cyclin dependent kinase p27, which is involved in the anagen cycle of hair growth, undergoes proteolytic degradation induced by caspases triggered by dihydrotestosterone. The DHT binds to sphingosine kinase 2, so triggering the caspase activity. This all appears to be part of a protective cycle to prevent cancer, with many studies revolving around this action. The specific caspase, raised in alopecia, appears to be caspase 1. Caspase inhibitors seem to be in their early stages at the moment and no research papers indicate their potential use in alopecia. Regardless, I consider such a course of action risky at best due to their roles in preventing cancer.

 

[poppinz]

What if the main reason of hairloss are demodex mites? Hairloss mostly starts at front and temples where there is the most sebum.
DHT increases sebum secretion -> mites proliferate. In case one's immune system is strong, it keeps them at acceptable level.
Mites damage hair directly, by residing in the pores and reducing scalp oxygenation, probably by eating hair roots too.
Then the body, trying to reduce the inflammation, "decides" to get rid of hair and mites altogether, so it reduces the blood flow to head.

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

What if the main reason of hairloss are demodex mites? Hairloss mostly starts at front and temples where there is the most sebum.
DHT increases sebum secretion -> mites proliferate. In case one's immune system is strong, it keeps them at acceptable level.
Mites damage hair directly, by residing in the pores and reducing scalp oxygenation, probably by eating hair roots too.
Then the body, trying to reduce the inflammation, "decides" to get rid of hair and mites altogether, so it reduces the blood flow to head.

@losingbattle88

 

[poppinz]

@losingbattle88

I know the question was raised and dismissed (by some) before, but haven't actually see any valid reason for dismissing.

 

[Te1963]

It's possible. A lot of people seem to have their hair loss improved by things like tea tree oil, which is used to fight demodex infections. It's often difficult to tell, when investigating the cause of diseases, whether the things which appear to be an end result are actually the cause or whether what appears to be the cause actually is. Demodex mites do factor into the dermatitis which I previously discussed. A site called rosacea support org has a good article on how to kill demodex mites, explaining what they are and how to use alcohol, tea tree oil, dill weed oil, or carraway oil to kill them. It explains how to safely dilute the oils in order to avoid poisoning resulting from their toxicity.

 

[Te1963]

poppinz, Looking into your suggestion it appears to fit with the picture which presents in alopecia. Ill health apparently induces the right set of conditions for demodex mites to thrive and multiply. Onset of puberty, and the sudden rush of hormones, appears to feed this situation. Since the mites are capable of biting into healthy cells it is likely that anything which compromises cellular integrity will exacerbate infection.

 

[poppinz]

@Te1963 The irony is I am a longtime rosacea sufferer, and it looks like it was somewhat a blessing in disguise (for my hair). Increased blood flow through my face kept my scalp nourished. It's when rosacea started to improve that hairloss really worsened. So either increased blood flow is another body strategy to deal with demodex, or rosacea and mites are not really related.

 

[Te1963]

poppinz, It turns out that demodex is only involved in some cases of alopecia; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26959693/ I'm still giving it a try myself since I have long experienced dry eye symptoms and am interested to know whether one or both conditions might be helped.

Your condition could relate to some of the information I have discussed previously. I can't count the number of different diseases which medical researchers have linked to one type of gastrointestinal issue or another but, of course, they have related both rosacea and alopecia to gluten, surprise, surprise. http://www.thesavvyceliac.com/2017/02/13/rosacea-celiac-disease/ I have also read far too many articles linking nitric oxide and vasodilation. The truth is far more complex, with the ceramide, sphingosine, and many other factors involved. It's so complex that low levels of dopamine induce vasodilation but in high levels it acts as a vasoconstrictor. However, of course, rosacea has been linked to nitric oxide levels; https://rosacea.blogspot.com/2006/03/rosacea-and-nitric-o I just don't trust a lot of medical research these days, lol.

 

[poppinz]

@Te1963 the mechanisms (and solutions) are very complex indeed, however I believe that primary causes of diseases have to be rather straight forward, that's why I suspect demodex. I don't trust a lot medical research neither.

 

[Te1963]

Trust me when I say that I know how complex the mechanisms in disease are. I kept receiving criticism from physicians after my health crashed due to work exposures. They insisted my condition was psychological and didn't need investigations. They began to reassess their opinions after I was able to prove that I was exposed to engineered silica nanoparticles which induced respiratory failure and autoimmune myopathy. This was the point when some of them began to encourage me to do more research leading, eventually, to me learning that they are likely to have induced Parkinson's disease. Hopefully, that's as deep as the rabbit hole goes. The amount of absolutely garbage medical research which I had to discard, in favour of insightful research, was daunting.

I frequently found that I was completely off track in my suspicions. My birth family all have multiple sclerosis; something which took me several years to completely discard as the cause of my condition. Something which I have learnt is that what I'm really looking for very often is a reaction very similar, in biochemical effect, to what I believe is happening.

 

[Te1963]

poppinz,
After your input I am considering the possibility that the osteo issues and stem cell differentiation, resulting from coeliac or other conditions, induce increased sebum production. This probably also involves other substances which normally protect the skin and eye's. You likely already know that demodex infects the sebaceous glands which produce meibum to protect the eye's. The structure of the meibum is actually altered by the combination of substances produced by the demodex and their decomposing remains, inducing a condition referred to as dry eye's. The altered meibum is thicker and less protective of the eye's. Something similar could be occurring in causing clogged pores. Because demodex feeds on these kind of oils, as well as our cells and hair, the body would be likely to try to increase their production in order to increase the protection. That would have been likely to have resulted in your rosacea. You would already be aware that hormones strongly affect rosacea. This seems to be because it increases the production of those protective oils. Demodex thrives on the hormones, with demodex infections increasing upon onset of puberty, likely increasing the damage they are causing and stimulating the bodies production of the oils. Those of us who experienced acne, and other skin conditions, were likely dealing with demodex infections which triggered these. My guess, regarding your own post-rosacea alopecia, would be that a combination of their feeding upon hormones in the rosacea and of substances released by them may well have altered hormone balances/levels in your body. With the alteration in those hormones it might have increased oil production in the scalp, possibly attracting them there. If nothing else it is something to consider.

 

[Mr. Slap Head]

Don’t let the bald bugs bite. @losingbattle88