Dear Dr. Gott: I am a 45-year-old female. I have two children, ages 10 and 7, and I'm in good physical condition. I exercise regularly, eat well, take a multivitamin and calcium supplement, and never miss my annual OB/gyn checkup and mammogram.

My problem is my hair has been thinning for about two years, and I don't know how to stop or reverse it. My dermatologist dismissed it (took a blood test but never examined my scalp) as female pattern baldness, although no other females in my family seem to suffer from it (the men do, however). All my blood tests came back normal.

I have never had thick hair, but it's always been nice, healthy hair. I do color it to cover gray, but I use a vegetable-based dye and have it done professionally.

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