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Lupa
The Root Cause
Hair loss isn't just a hair problem
For many women, hair is tied to identity and confidence, so when it starts to thin, the impact goes far beyond the hair itself. Yet most treatment focuses only on growing it back. But hair loss has a reason. Sometimes one, often several.
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Topicals, prescriptions, and procedures treat the scalp, not the cause, and results usually last only as long as you keep using them. Supplements can help when there's a true deficiency, but without testing, they're a shot in the dark.
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So I start somewhere different: with the woman behind the hair loss. Her history, hormones, thyroid, iron, nutrition, metabolism, immune system, and gut health, and everything else that may be disrupting the hair-growth cycle. Because hair loss isn't just a hair problem.
It's often a clue. The question is: what is it trying to tell you?
What else could be part of the picture?
Beyond Hair
These are conditions I investigate right alongside hair loss, since they're so often connected.
Autoimmune Conditions
Hashimoto's, lupus, alopecia areata, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's
Nutritional deficiencies
Anemia with or without iron deficiency and other nutrient-related causes
Hormonal imbalances
PCOS, perimenopause, postpartum shifts
Gut & digestive issues
Dysbiosis, malabsorption, chronic digestive symptoms
Thyroid dysfunction
Hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and related imbalances
Chronic fatigue
Persistent, unexplained low energy
Metabolic health
Insulin resistance, blood sugar dysregulation
Skin Concerns
Eczema, acne, rosacea
Naturopathic Doctor, founder of lupa
Dr. Michelle Valdes
I'm a naturopathic doctor specializing in root-cause care for women's hair loss. My practice also addresses the conditions so often connected to it: hormonal imbalances, autoimmune disease, thyroid dysfunction, gut health issues, nutritional deficiencies, and metabolic dysregulation.
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My approach is deeply rooted in personal experience. In my early twenties, after years of unexplained symptoms and consultations with multiple specialists, I was diagnosed with lupus. The diagnosis gave a name to what I had been experiencing, but it also changed the way I thought about health. Rather than viewing symptoms as isolated problems, I began looking at the body as a whole and asking a different question: what is the body trying to tell us?
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Through an intensive, root-cause approach, I was able to put my lupus into remission within a year of diagnosis. That experience ultimately led me to pursue naturopathic medicine, with the goal of helping other women find answers when their symptoms don't fit neatly into a single diagnosis or specialty.
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Today, I work with women from a whole-person perspective. My philosophy is simple: symptoms have a reason, and understanding that reason is where meaningful change begins.
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The name Lupa is a reflection of that philosophy. In Portuguese, lupa means magnifying glass, representing the closer look I believe women deserve. In Latin, it means she-wolf, and it shares its roots with lupus. The name represents both where my journey began and the perspective that continues to shape my work.
Lupa
Lupa
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Investigate
Free fit call, then a real intake
A free 15-minute call to see if we're a fit. No diagnosis, just a conversation. Then a 90-minute deep dive into your history, symptoms, and goals.
Test
Foundational + functional testing
You'll have blood drawn at a lab that's convenient for you. Some functional panels ship as an at-home kit instead, and everything is priced and explained upfront.
Analyze
Results, in full context
A 60-minute session where your labs are read against your complete picture. You leave with a full written report explaining what each result means.
Treat
A protocol built around your causes
Nutrition, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle changes built around your labs, not a generic starter kit.
Follow-up
Adjust as you respond
Hair grows in cycles measured in months, not weeks. Your plan evolves with regular check-ins.
Investigate → Test → Analyze → Treat → Follow-up
How it works
Start Here
New Patient Package
$695
A 90-minute initial visit to map your case, and a 60-minute follow-up to review your labs and build your plan.
Healing takes time. Hair grows in cycles that span months, and hormones, gut health, and nutrient stores don't recalibrate overnight, no matter how targeted the plan. That's why care here isn't built around one visit and a hopeful goodbye. The packages below exist to walk you through the months it actually takes to see the change you came for.
Foundational bloodwork is often billable to your insurance directly through the lab. Coverage depends on your specific plan. If you're outside Connecticut or California, see the FAQ section for how lab ordering works for you.
Existing Patients
Follow-up Visit
$200
45 min. For a flare, a check-in, or a protocol adjustment.
Every case starts with foundational bloodwork. Many also call for something deeper, depending on what your case actually needs. These are only ordered when relevant, and always priced and discussed with you first.
DUTCH Plus (cortisol & hormones)
GI-MAPÂ (comprehensive stool analysis)
Organic Acids Test (gut, mitochondrial & nutrient markers)
3X4 Genetics (nutrigenomic & metabolic pathways)
Mycotoxin Panel
Food Sensitivity Panel
SIBO Breath Test
Optional Functional Testing
What it costs
Investment
If your case needs it
Most popular
Half-Year Care
$1,250
Your New Patient Package, plus a monthly 30-minute check-in for 5 months. Includes a discount on supplements through Fullscript.
Maximum Support
Full-year Care
$1,900
Your New Patient Package, plus a monthly 30-minute check-in for 11 months, built for a condition that takes real time to resolve. Includes a discount on supplements through Fullscript.
$450
$399
$350
$350
$350
$200
$275
Before you book
Questions
A dermatologist typically treats the scalp and hair directly. I investigate what's happening upstream, things like inflammation, hormones, gut, and nutrients, that may be driving the hair loss in the first place. Many patients see both.
No. As a naturopathic doctor, prescribing medication isn't within my scope of practice. It's also not the direction I'd take even if it were. Medication can manage a symptom, but it doesn't treat the root cause behind it. My work is entirely focused on finding and addressing what's actually driving your hair loss through testing, nutrition, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle change, not managing symptoms indefinitely.
All consultations are virtual, so you can get care from the comfort of your home.
I'm licensed to diagnose, treat, and order labs for patients in Connecticut and California. If you live outside those states, you're still welcome to work with me on an educational basis. In these sessions I don't diagnose, treat, or prescribe. Instead, I can help you understand the factors that may be contributing to your hair loss, suggest testing to consider, walk you through your lab results, offer supplement and lifestyle guidance, and prepare you for more informed conversations with your own healthcare provider.
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Because I can't order labs outside my licensed states, you can either request foundational bloodwork through your own healthcare provider or order it yourself out of pocket. Bundled testing options are available, typically ranging from $75 to $375. You can bring those results directly to your session.
Not necessarily. If you've had relevant labs done within the last 2 months, share them during your intake and we can build on what you already have instead of duplicating tests unnecessarily.
No, not for visits or testing. Insurance reimbursement is built around short, standardized appointments. It doesn't account for the time it actually takes to review your full case, connect your labs to your symptoms, and build a plan that's specific to you. Working outside of insurance is what allows me to give your case the time it needs. Pricing is flat and disclosed upfront, and I'm happy to provide a receipt you can submit for HSA/FSA reimbursement.
I ask for at least 24 hours' notice to reschedule or cancel a visit. Appointments cancelled with less notice, or missed entirely, are subject to a $75 fee, or $150 for a missed New Patient Package visit, given the time reserved for it.