Hair texture changing to weird crimpy texture...worried!

[pullanmuru]

Hi, I don't know if there's already a thread about this but I'm facing a weird dilemma and was wondering if any of you hair wizards know anything about it.

The problem is I have a lot of these short hairs that have weird texture. I've just started noticing this. When I run my finger along the individual hair, it doesn't feel smooth like my normal hair does. It feels as though there are tiny tiny crimps in the hair, like so small that you can't even see them but you can feel that the hair isn't straight/smooth.

I'm so worried that something awful has happened and now all my new hair is like that.. I can't imagine it being very nice if all my hair was like that. The hair looks quite normal but it feels weird.

I know that hair texture changes with age but I'm only in my early thirties, surely this is too soon...

Also I'm shedding quite a bit at the moment.

I wonder if anyone has experienced or heard of anything similar? I'm also worried it might be an underlying illness or some deficiency (although I think I eat healthy, only protein is something I might not get enough..)

[Bagginslover]

My hair has been getting more and more of these over the years, it started in my 20's. I don't know what has caused it, butit did start me pulling my hair out, so please, don't be tempted to do that, as I'm still struggling with it 10 years on :(
Lots of my crinklies I can see the crimps on now, as well as feel them, some are almost kinky they are so crimped (which is an oddity in my 1b hair!).

[Tota]

My hair changed gradually from 1b to 2a after I stopped taking BC pills. My doctor told me that it's a normal side effect because my hormone levels changed and those can have a massive effect on our hair. So all this - going on/off bc pills, birth, pregnancy, thyroid issues and many more can cause change in your hair texture.

[MeowScat]

I used to have that too! We're almost hair twins so maybe I can help?

I had this when I was growing out dye / bleached highlights, heat damage and harsh brushing damage. I'm still growing it out but I only have about 8 inches left at the bottom. It has stopped within the past few years since growing it out and babying it.

With me, those were broken off hairs that were exhausted from past abuse.

Is your hair pure virgin or do you have any dye, heat or harsh brushing in your past?

[pullanmuru]

The part were my hair is this weird new texture it's not chemically treated, just henna and manic panic occasionally...and no heat styling whatsoever. I don't believe it's the condition of the hair that's the problem. The lengths of my hair are much smoother although they've been through a lot worse like chemical dyes and so on...this problem is with these new short hairs...

I did change to a lower estrogen bcp 1,5 years ago. I wonder if that could have such an impact on my hair. I hope not...

But thyroid? I didn't think of that before,but now you mentioned it, I googled it and I seem to have some of the symptoms related to hypothyroidism, like being cold all the time, feeling tired, brittle nails, difficulty concentrating, dry eyes, high cholesterol...but then again these could be due to million other reasons as well!

[piffyanne]

The part were my hair is this weird new texture it's not chemically treated, just henna and manic panic occasionally...and no heat styling whatsoever. I don't believe it's the condition of the hair that's the problem. The lengths of my hair are much smoother although they've been through a lot worse like chemical dyes and so on...this problem is with these new short hairs...

I did change to a lower estrogen bcp 1,5 years ago. I wonder if that could have such an impact on my hair. I hope not...

But thyroid? I didn't think of that before,but now you mentioned it, I googled it and I seem to have some of the symptoms related to hypothyroidism, like being cold all the time, feeling tired, brittle nails, difficulty concentrating, dry eyes, high cholesterol...but then again these could be due to million other reasons as well!
I've been finding the same thing in my Virgin hair, and I've got those symptoms, too.

Maybe we should go to the doctor together for moral support! :rolleyes:

[MonaMayfair]

Do get your thyroid checked out. My hair changed from fairly straight to very wavy and dry, then basically similar to what you describe. Then it started falling out a couple of months later.

It was my thyroid (underactive, but overactive has confusingly similar symptoms, all quite random)

It started in January (this was around 4 or 5 years ago) and I didn't see the doctor until October, when the hair loss drove me there. I didn't go earlier because I didn't put all the symptoms together and knew nothing about thyroid.
I'd had hair loss from having a general anaesthetic before, and the doctor was no help at all then, so that's why I thought it was a waste of time to ask them for help this time.

Anyway, if I'd gone earlier I could have got on the medication sooner and maybe saved more hair. I still get recurrent shedding, but my hair looks perfectly normal (I had a LOT of hair originally)
It did go back to a normal texture after being on the medication for around 6 months, but is still wavy (which I like anyway) whereas I considered it straight before.

It may not be this at all of course (I hope it's not) but just in case do get it checked out if you can.

[MeowScat]

Hormonal changes can change your hair.

I'd go to a doctor and get blood work done. It could answer a lot (or all) of your questions. Your hair can be a great indicator of what's going on inside of you. Make an appointment just to find out. You very well might only need a prescription.

Tell him / her ALL of your symptoms, including the change in your new hair growth texture.

I'm a fellow female in my 30's and I'm noticing changes too. Even my skin is different now. Oh what fun. :rolleyes:

[silverthread]

Been there, done all that! I'm 50, and my hair texture started to change during my late 30s (a lot of other things started to change, too). I never went to the doctor for it because I figured it was pre-menopause kicking in. For years, I was shedding 100 hairs every other day when I washed my hair with basic SLS shampoo (no conditioner). Then, about 6 months ago, I cut grain and milk out of my diet, and started taking MSM, eating more protein and fat, all to regulate my hormones. I also quit SLS shampoo, and stopped blow frying my hair. I began giving myself scalp massages and preening. Slowly, my hair became healthier and thicker (2" to 2.75" pony circumference). I lose about 30 hairs when I wash my hair now, which is every 3 to 4 days. I don't use color or product on my hair. My hair still isn't perfect, probably never will be, but I have a lot more of it, and it's soft and healthy looking, and 50-percent gray.

Iodine plays a big part in thyroid function. If you don't eat fish, start eating it a few times a week. Seaweed is also a great source of iodine. If you hate sea food, try taking high quality fish oils. Cut out sugars (except for a daily piece of fruit), grain and milk products.

As your body detoxes, you may continue to shed for a month or so, but it will stop. The best part is, you won't have to take prescription medications for the rest of your life, and start the whole crazy prescription-medication cycle. Once you start one prescription med, you'll need another one to counteract the side effects of the first one. Then you'll need another to counteract the side effects of the second. And so on and so on.

[Kelikea]

I have always had weird random hairs that are more textured and course, and even a different color, from my other fine, blonder hairs. They range from dark brown to red and are sort of kinky. I just find them every once in a while, but there used to be one on the top of my head, about 3 inches long that like to stick up when it rained:) I never worry about them.

[pullanmuru]

Been there, done all that! I'm 50, and my hair texture started to change during my late 30s (a lot of other things started to change, too). I never went to the doctor for it because I figured it was pre-menopause kicking in. For years, I was shedding 100 hairs every other day when I washed my hair with basic SLS shampoo (no conditioner). Then, about 6 months ago, I cut grain and milk out of my diet, and started taking MSM, eating more protein and fat, all to regulate my hormones. I also quit SLS shampoo, and stopped blow frying my hair. I began giving myself scalp massages and preening. Slowly, my hair became healthier and thicker (2" to 2.75" pony circumference). I lose about 30 hairs when I wash my hair now, which is every 3 to 4 days. I don't use color or product on my hair. My hair still isn't perfect, probably never will be, but I have a lot more of it, and it's soft and healthy looking, and 50-percent gray.

Iodine plays a big part in thyroid function. If you don't eat fish, start eating it a few times a week. Seaweed is also a great source of iodine. If you hate sea food, try taking high quality fish oils. Cut out sugars (except for a daily piece of fruit), grain and milk products.


Thanks for this advice, that's all very interesting. I'm a vegetarian so I don't eat fish at all. And seaweed, I'm not even sure where I would buy it or how I would eat it, other than wrapped around sushi :D But I'll definitely look into that... In Finland our table salt has added iodine. The problem is I don't add normal table salt to my food very often. I use herb variety which I believe doesn't have added iodine.

I'd just love to get a thyroid test but since I don't have any obvious signs like weight gain or puffiness or swollen hands or feet, I'm afraid the doctor will think I'm just imagining everything because my symptoms are after all rather vague...it's not like I'm losing ALL my hair or something serious like that...my hair strands just feel really strange...like they're damaged...like I would imagine an old person's hair would feel. Even my boyfriend noticed the difference.

[Kelikea]

I have always had weird random hairs that are more textured and course, and even a different color, from my other fine, blonder hairs. They range from dark brown to red and are sort of kinky. I just find them every once in a while, but there used to be one on the top of my head, about 3 inches long that like to stick up when it rained:) I never worry about them.


Yes, I'm quoting myself:rolleyes:
Anyways, I just happened to find an example today, right on the top of my head. I was just kind of rubbing the top of my head when I felt it, and just had to yank it. Here is a picture of one of my "normal" shed hairs, and then the dark crimpy one I yanked today:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zbJr4Kfa6ho/UFp9c79oYVI/AAAAAAAAAso/7wKNeelP0y4/h120/09.19.12hairs.JPG

[pullanmuru]

^wow that's majorly different. Mine is not that crimpy.

But now I remember that when I had my virgin roots showing before I hennaed them, I had some WHITE hairs. Not grey, WHITE. Bright white. I wonder if I'm getting old...in my early thirties...this is so weird...my hear breaks easily as well. It's like it's become a old woman's hair :( I don't like it.

[Ambystoma]

I have a few of these too and they're really dark - they're the same length as the rest of my normal hair though and pretty rare, It seems like some follicles are just odd in my case!

[Kelikea]

I have a few white hairs, too. They seem pretty fine and smooth, though, more similar to the rest of my hair. The kinky ones are fun, though. Its like...SURPRISE!