Episode 064: A Personalized Approach to Hair Loss & Hair Growth with Morgan Bernhardt

Hair loss can be frustrating, emotional, and difficult to navigate—especially when there are so many products and treatments promising results. In Episode 64 of the Irsfeld Pharmacy Optimal You Podcast, Pharmacist Steve Irsfeld sits down with physician assistant Morgan Bernhardt of Simply You Wellness in Bismarck, North Dakota, to explore a more personalized approach to understanding hair loss.

Morgan discusses several common types of hair loss, including androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss), telogen effluvium, and alopecia areata, as well as potential contributing factors such as thyroid disorders, hormonal changes, stress, rapid weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies.

The conversation also explores the TrichoTest, a pharmacogenetic test designed to help healthcare providers personalize hair-loss treatment based on genetic factors that may influence an individual's response to different therapies. Steve and Morgan discuss how this information can complement a patient's medical history, laboratory testing, and clinical evaluation when developing an individualized treatment plan.

You'll also hear their discussion about:

Topical versus oral minoxidil

The relationship between GLP-1 medications, rapid weight loss, nutrition, and hair shedding

Protein, iron, vitamin D, B12, zinc, folate, and other nutritional considerations

What the evidence currently says about collagen supplements

Why meaningful hair-growth results can take four to six months or longer

The importance of scalp health

Emerging approaches including microneedling, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and red-light therapy

Why identifying potential underlying contributors to hair loss is an important first step