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Thread: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

  1. #1
    Eternal APL Katze's Avatar
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    Default HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    I know 'postpartum shedding' is 'normal.' I always thought 100 hairs a day. But the 'normal' 150 + hairs a day I have been shedding for the past 3 weeks have suddenly increased.

    Yesterday I lost over 500 hairs. I counted them.

    This morning I woke up and just fingercombing my hair I pulled out another 250 or so.

    I have to admit I ended up crying and wondering if I would have to shave my head before my wedding in two weeks. I'm not only losing long, old hairs but lots of different lengths of new growth as well - shorter hairs with tapered ends at lengths from 2 inches to 8 inches - so post LHC growth is falling out as well as pregnancy growth.

    BF and a good friend who was here both say they can see nothing. I feel like my hair is about half its pregnancy thickness already, but at least it is not falling out in patches or anything.

    Every time I handle my hair (fingercomb, brush, detangle, comb, braid...) big handfuls fall out. I am taking the best care of myself possible, eating and sleeping as much and as well as I can, drinking water, taking my prenatal vitamins plus extra C to help antioxidize, and fish oil. But my skin is in terrible shape - red patches of eczema on face and hands, and my scalp has crusty red patches as well as dandruff.

    I have been doing OCM regularly the past week, SMTs on hair every week or so, but nothing seems to be helping my hair not fall out or my skin and scalp not be irritated. Planning on honey masks for face and scalp tonight, as this normally helps.

    Tomorrow I will call my doctor who also does homeopathy and ask him for some kind of medicine (I am hoping homeopathy has something - he already has helped me out of a deep postpartum depression) because I am leaving for the USA in FOUR DAYS and getting married in two weeks!

    I really don't want to look like I have mange when I get married and take pictures I will be looking at for the rest of my life.

    Is there anything I can do? When will it stop? Any other vitamins I can take (I am breastfeeding) that will help?

    somebody please tell me all my hard work taking care of my body and my hair is not going to go to waste...



    Edited to add: my hair is not particularly thick to begin with, and I have very severe taper that makes the ends look ratty despite lots of trimming. That is why I would consider an emergency cut (to APL or so) if this goes on for another week.
    Last edited by Katze; June 21st, 2009 at 06:46 AM. Reason: added something
    Feb 2013, solid BSL again but shedding. Wondering if this is really terminal length. Hairtype 1b/2b, F/M, ii

  2. #2
    Member Samikha's Avatar
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    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    Take a deeeep breath. It probably is "just" postpartum shedding, though I understand it feels very dramatic and scary. Your doctor will be able to tell you what is in the normal range or not. I can't offer any practical advice, but try not to freak out until you've had your doctor's professional opinion.

    When I have heavy shedding periods 200 or 250 is the norm. I get strands of hair coming away every time I touch my hair too. Considering all the hormones that have been at work in your system, double that is not unreasonable. Hang in there! You'll figure this out. You'll look good for your wedding. Your work is NOT going to waste. Every body and head of hair has its rough patches. The good thing about them is that they end.

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    Crystal Tipped LutraLutra's Avatar
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    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    I'm sure what Samika says is right. A visit to your Dr should help. Your body has gone through some crazy hormonal changes since you've been pregnant.

  4. #4
    Member Bluebell's Avatar
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    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    Ohhh, 'm so sorry you have this major postpartumshed!
    Like you said, be prepared to have to cut your hair a bit. I had to when my hair was shedding like crazy after giving birth.
    The good news, armpitlength hair is long enough to create a lovely romantic wedding updo!
    Take care
    You are all decorating my world
    It looks beautiful!

  5. #5
    Member gmdiaz's Avatar
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    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    You do need to get checked out by the doctor for sure!

    But it sounds like you've got a LOT going on right now, traveling, a baby, getting married! Good Grief! Could you be in any more change, I ask you?

    All the things that I use that might help would be dangerous for you without a doctor's approval, since your breastfeeding.

    The best advice I can give you, is to try to remain calm and rest when you possibly can. The honey mask sounds like a good idea! I don't suppose you have any or can get real quick that special Wedderspoon Manuka honey? That's supposed to be so great for helping calm skin issues.

    And I agree, don't worry about your hair! There is no way you're not going to look beautiful with your hair pulled up into a fabulous wedding updo! And I know this is just a temporary thing. Just focus on calming down your skin and getting through the wedding. . .and having fun!

  6. #6
    Perfumista amaiaisabella's Avatar
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    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    Oh, honey, I feel your pain. Been there, though not with such an important event ahead of me!

    Before henna, my hair hated protein, but it's really responding well to treatments now, and that's definitely cut down on my shedding. I don't know if you use honey in your SMTs, but I noticed that honey increased my shedding a lot. Oils have also increased my shedding, depending on what kind I used (EVOO less shedding, jojoba I had a pile of hair I was sure could form a new person!)

    I hope you don't have to make the cut, but if you do, I'm sure you'll look fabulous. *waves from APL*
    Knowledge is power. Power corrupts.
    Study hard. Be evil.

  7. #7
    Member DragonLady's Avatar
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    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    I have to chime in to agree with everyone else. You're going through enough stress for four people. Remember, that even if a change is good and making you happy, it's still stressful.

    Try to focus on the important things, and just let your hair do what it will. I'm sure that when your life has calmed down a bit everything will return to normal. And in the meantime, brides are always beautiful -just put your hair up (maybe buy a beautiful clip or something for the occasion) and focus on the reason for the day.

    You'll be fine.
    Lady Saphira of the Crystal Wings in the Order of the Long Haired Knights!

  8. #8

    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    I have no experience with post partum shedding, but I do know MAJOR stress shedding.

    It's possible you may need some kind of vitamin. From what I remember from biology class, breastfeeding really takes a nutritional toll on the mother--all those nutrients in the breast milk have to come from somewhere! So ask your doctor about a vitamin supplement that might be safe for your condition.

    File this under 'easier said than done', but remember, I've been there, too! Stressing about your shedding may make it worse. I stress shed, and stressing about shedding turned into a vicious cycle for me. The more I worried about it, the more I shed! Yikes! I don't want you to go down that path.

    It was a hard road, but learning to love my hair, even thin and ratty as it is at the ends (I can't bear to chop either!) really turned out to be a good thing. It's a matter of reframing from 'doing this treatment because I'm freaking out' and 'being loving to what I have'. Seems like a small difference, but it's huge. One comes from stress, one comes from self-love.

    I stress shed several years ago--if you look at a braid of mine, you can see a major taper at about BSL. I bring this up as proof that *it comes back*. All my stress shed is growing in. And I have another crop that's just a wee too short to pull back, almost like someone cut a deliberate layer into my hair at that length. When my body was done freaking out, it got to work growing that hair back, apparently all at once. So, there IS hope!

    HK

  9. #9
    Eternal APL Katze's Avatar
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    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    Thanks everyone.

    I only feel beautiful when I look healthy. I don't look healthy at the moment. My hair is the worst of it. But my skin is wrinkly and hanging in a crepey way on arms and decollete - think thin old lady skin - and my face is wrinkly, oily, and dry in addition to the eczema. Regular OCM is not helping at all, and the supposedly 'healing' cream I got from the pharmacy is full of silicone.

    Honey has normally been wonderful for both my hair and skin - regular SMTs since coming to LHC have totally turned my sebhorreic dermatitis around. I don't have (and can't get) any special honey on this short notice, but I did get a cheap squeeze bottle for the bathroom that I can literally just squeeze on skin and hair.

    I don't think honey would suddenly cause shedding when it has always been so good...but then everything else I do for my health (rest, good food, vitamins, fish oil, lots of water) is also not helping. Honestly, LIFE is causing shedding right now and I have never hated my hair more.

    I am going to wait another week and if my hair keeps falling out like it is I will cut. Anything other than a buzz cut isn't going to stop the shedding issue, but cutting to APL will at least make it look thicker. A real shame, because I am almost at waist.

    My hair was so lovely during pregnancy. Now it is frizzy and poofy and won't lie flat, but is thinner on the ends.

    I am so bummed.
    Feb 2013, solid BSL again but shedding. Wondering if this is really terminal length. Hairtype 1b/2b, F/M, ii

  10. #10
    Member sagebabies's Avatar
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    Default Re: HELP - shedding 500 hairs a day?!?

    I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry you have to be going through this. I've had pretty major sheds after each pregnancy....but it always grows back so hang in there.

    I am due to have baby #4 any day now and I am DREADING the upcoming shed.

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