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View Full Version : Help! Major, Creepy Shed Incident



dorothea-brooke
August 17th, 2008, 03:15 PM
My dear LHCers,

Help! I am utterly freaking out at the moment. I just came from my weekly shampoo, and handfuls -- I am not exaggerating -- handfuls of hair came out in the shower. It just wouldn't stop; it was like a horrible dream.

(I am, in fact, afraid that I'm going to have nightmares about this.)

Every time I tried to run my fingers through it to (gently) detangle, a long, thick, horrifying rope of hair came out in my hands (I would estimate about 20-25 hairs per "rope.") I lost a wad about the size of a cricket ball in one shampoo! What could have caused this? I did two things differently, neither of which should have made this happen as far as I know:

1. I did a heavier-than-usual pre-shampoo oiling, using a shea/coconut/jojoba mix.

2. I did CWC (scalp wash only) instead of my usual WC. I figured I needed the extra step to cut through the oil.

Please, I need your reassurance and advice! This is truly one of the creepiest things I've experienced in a while; it was primal and Freudian. :o I'm afraid to wash my hair next week!

shudder:

TIA :flower:
dorothea

FrannyG
August 17th, 2008, 03:30 PM
Don't freak out. Please relax. And breathe.

Okay, I have two questions for you.

First of all how long was it since the last wash? Secondly had your hair been down and combed or brushed at all since your last wash?

It likely happened that all of your shed hairs were contained in your hair until you washed it, and you may have been washing out several days of shed hair.

Also, sometimes, loose hairs look like more in number than there actually is, especially when wet.

I honestly wouldn't worry about it at all. Keep your eye on how often you brush or comb your hair between this and the next wash, and keep an eye on how often you let your hair down to allow shed hairs to escape between washings.

I'm sure you'll be okay. :blossom:

Arctic
August 17th, 2008, 03:35 PM
Did you oil the scalp too? I have read some members get much shedding if they oil or put conditioner on the scalp.

Hopefully it's nothing serious. Good luck!

dorothea-brooke
August 17th, 2008, 03:41 PM
Don't freak out. Please relax. And breathe.

Okay, I have two questions for you.

First of all how long was it since the last wash? Secondly had your hair been down and combed or brushed at all since your last wash?

It likely happened that all of your shed hairs were contained in your hair until you washed it, and you may have been washing out several days of shed hair.

Also, sometimes, loose hairs look like more in number than there actually is, especially when wet. <snip>

Thanks, frannyg! It had been the usual week since washing. But I do comb-detangle then brush it twice a day, for this very reason (so it doesn't all come out in the wash, so to speak!) I lose a fair number of hairs daily that way....

Yes, it's true that the "wet ball of hair" thing is more terrifying that wispy little filaments on the bathroom floor. ;) I will try to hold onto that!


Did you oil the scalp too? I have read some members get much shedding if they oil or put conditioner on the scalp.

Thanks, Arctic! No, just on the ends (bottom third), as usual.

I'm thinking maybe the extra step (pre-wash CO) caused a lot more hairs to be mechanically uprooted (ha ha) than normal.

I'm also re-thinking the wisdom of detangling in the shower. I always do it only after my hair is full of conditioner, but maybe even then it's not a good idea.

I know it's just my imagination, but I feel like my scalp actually hurts right now...! :eek:

Curlsgirl
August 17th, 2008, 03:44 PM
I agree with dear Franny. I have been through this a lot especially since I started wearing my hair up more. I usually wash only once a week too. When you think of the average of hairs that people lose per day (60-100 is normal) and multiply that by 7 days then think about how much hair that is! Of course you lose some daily but the less you comb or brush or anything (I do very little) the more you are going to lose when you wash. Also we lose every more than 100 at times of heavier sheds. It does seem a little freaky I agree but unless it gets worse or something I doubt it's anything. The longer your hair gets remember the worse it's gonna LOOK. I have to be reminded almost every time I wash!

podo
August 17th, 2008, 03:48 PM
Think back for the past year and try to remember anything that was out of the ordinary about your hair, your health, or your stress levels. All these things can affect your hair, and some don't show for months after the fact.

If it continues more than a few washes, I'd consider going to the doctor to make sure there's nothing more serious going on.

Though FrannyG and Arctic are probably right - it just looks worse than it really is. Maybe this is the first time you've really paid attention to how much you shed?

spidermom
August 17th, 2008, 03:50 PM
I do sympathize, as I had a monstrous shed about this time of year in 2005. My hair was coming out by the handful. I remember one day combing out and braiding my hair, then sitting on the commode and noticing that there was literally a PILE of hair on the floor where I had been standing in front of the mirror. I very nearly panicked! I don't know what brought it on or what ended it, but I had 10,001 baby hairs standing up all over the place very soon after that, which thankfully blend into the length now. I think that sometimes something in your inner cycle says "time to shed," and there's nothing you can do but grin and bear it. I hope that your shed ends soon and you get a lot of brand, spanking new and perfect baby hairs that grow fast.

dorothea-brooke
August 17th, 2008, 03:56 PM
When you think of the average of hairs that people lose per day (60-100 is normal) and multiply that by 7 days then think about how much hair that is! Of course you lose some daily but the less you comb or brush or anything (I do very little) the more you are going to lose when you wash

Yes, you're absolutely right, Curlsgirl. It's true that I probably lose 30-40 hairs a day from combing, but that leaves a surplus of up to 210 to lose on wash day (plus that day's hairs...).

It's funny -- I've often responded to other people's shedding posts with exactly this same wisdom (more or less), but I do need to hear it again myself! :p


Maybe this is the first time you've really paid attention to how much you shed?

Oh, noooooo! :o No, I'm kind of obsessed with how much I shed. I notice huge variations from week to week, even -- but this was the worst thing I've ever seen. :eek:

But thanks again for the reminder -- if it keeps up, I will definitely head to the doc. It might even be just a vitamin thing....


I think that sometimes something in your inner cycle says "time to shed," and there's nothing you can do but grin and bear it. I hope that your shed ends soon and you get a lot of brand, spanking new and perfect baby hairs that grow fast.

Thanks, spidermom! Me, too. :D

Thanks all of you! I'm calming down a bit now. :flower:

Honey39
August 17th, 2008, 03:59 PM
I had a massive shed about two years ago - it was a lot like you describe, and it was so so scary!! I identify with you. But honestly, it didn't last too long (about 3 months?) and my hair is so thick again.

Remember, it's long hair, which makes it look 'more'. Also, ditto what others have said, if you're wearing it up and then you shed, it's gonna look a lot when you shower. But yeah, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about!

The other thing I did was to keep an eye on it - and if it continues at that rate for say, a month, then go to your doctor; having that as a kind of action point really helped me! I didn't need to, but I felt I had a plan. I also ate supplements for hair (iron, biotin, zinc, yeast, kelp), and ate really healthily and drank loads of water.

It's horrible when your hair sheds a lot, but it's just what your hair does sometimes...try not to panic, but keep an eye on it and maybe practice 'benign neglect' - being gentle with it, putting it up, and not going mad on treatments.

Good luck!

systemaurora
August 17th, 2008, 04:12 PM
was this the first time you tried the scalp only part of the wash? I seem to shed (note the word "seem")when I do a scalp only thing way more than with full wash.

dorothea-brooke
August 17th, 2008, 04:24 PM
It's horrible when your hair sheds a lot, but it's just what your hair does sometimes...try not to panic, but keep an eye on it and maybe practice 'benign neglect' - being gentle with it, putting it up, and not going mad on treatments.

Good luck!

Thanks for all that advice, Honey! :flower: (I snipped it just to keep my post shorter!) I've just made a stern resolution to put it up each morning and not touch it again till night. No more re-doing my updo 18 million times during the day and running my fingers through it in between. :rolleyes: Yes, "benign neglect" is the ticket!


was this the first time you tried the scalp only part of the wash? I seem to shed (note the word "seem")when I do a scalp only thing way more than with full wash.

I've been doing this method for a couple of months, systemaurora. I'm intrigued by this insight, though -- is there a theory about why this might be the case? :confused: