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ST1CKY
January 31st, 2013, 08:06 AM
So december of last year, around the same week as my birthday, I finally reached my first goal and had solid waist-length hair! hooray!
All good, but then I went to wash my hair so I could blow dry and straighten it to check the length better, and I noticed that my hair was falling. A LOT. Like insanely.
My hair was also very tangled so I decided to untangle it with the tangle teezer while I was deep conditioning, and I did
I made sure everything was nice and slippery and that I was using the tangle teezer as delicately as possible, but still, when I touched the bottom of the knot, a whole clump of hair came out, it didn't even tug or anything, it just... fell off, simple as that
at that point I was freaked out enough and quickly just rinsed my hair and got out of the shower. I didn't even comb or finish detangling it until it was dry the next day.

But even dry and only combing through one small section at a time, my hair was still falling
I finished combing my hair and went to collect the fallout from the sink to throw it on the waste bin, and honestly, 1/3 of it was filled just with my hair.
My mom bought me some hair strenghtening pills and then I have been avoiding washing and combing my hair like the plague and only wear it braided, but still, it falls out SO much.
My ponytail thickness is like, half as full. When I put my hair up you can see the gaps on the sides of my head and on my hairline.
This may sound a little obsessed but for a few days I cried every time I looked at my hair

And the worst part is that I don't even know the culprit

It could be because of relaxing - I had relaxed my hair around october or so
I really didn't want to, but my mom threatened me (seriously lol she hates when I look frumpy) to do it
My hair fell off because of relaxing before when I was around 10 and my mom decided she wanted to experiment with my hair
That time I remember I felt my scalp burning and itching
This time I didn't, but I could still smell the chemicals even after washing it at the hair salon, which is unusual
luckily, because I couldn't stand the smell I re-washed my hair and clarified it, so if relaxing is the culprit, I still have some hair on my head because of this
(and even if this isn't happening because of relaxing, i'm seriously done with it, will never to that **** again)

It could also be because of stress
Because I start college this year and since the middle of last year my mom, my sister, my friends, and even some aunts I see once every six months has been badgering me about it
I talked to my dermatologist about it (I visit him pretty much every month, we're trying to find a good treatment for my eczema) and he thinks it may be stress as well
But honestly, I don't feel any more stressed than usual
Or at least I didn't before this whole hair thing started lol

It could be something wrong with my nutrition, because usually we would pay monthly for our neighbour to cook for us, because everyone in my house either can't cook or don't have time to cook
However, this neighbour of ours is sick and can't even cook for herself anymore, much less us
So now I eat any old thing that is quick, not exactly that is good for me


Really sorry for the wall of text but ugh this is really driving me crazy
I have been taking SUCH good care of my hair these pasts few months that seeing if all fall like this out of the blue really makes no sense in my head
And ot only it falls all the time but it is still very tangled all the time
It's like the more I care, the worse it gets :(

hafattack
January 31st, 2013, 08:15 AM
I am so sorry to hear that you are having hair fall! I am in the middle of a winter shed and i can agree that it is scary and it sucks! In this case i opt to blame the stress and the relaxer.. I have never had it done but have heard of relaxer being very harsh to hair and scalp. Part of my hair fall is from stress about school as well. Find ways to manage time and take time to relax has what helped me. Also smile... fake it til ya make it!

Celtic Morla
January 31st, 2013, 08:29 AM
I would say it was th erelaxer since it only started afterwards. A shame that people who have different hair feel they must fit into the stereotype of straight hair-you should try this psychology on your mother. Not sure of your race but emphasis the hatred of ones own ethnic background and trying to conform to a standard of another race/ethnicity.. she might lay off if you use this. Youve damaged your hair and it is suffering. Try oiling it a LOT and keeping it braided so th eoil wont look too greasy keep it up until th ehair seems ot stop absorbing oil.It migh twork but you just need to not fall for the societal BS to have straight white hair.

No flaming please this is a psychological warfare tool!

Madora
January 31st, 2013, 08:54 AM
To be on the safe side, schedule an appointment with your physician and have a complete blood panel drawn up to rule out anemia. Anemia can cause severe hair loss (been there!). Also, refrain from harsh hair habits (straightening, hot curlers, chemicals). Your hair needs tlc. Also, when detangling, when you find a snarl, take it apart with your fingers..do not just swipe the tangle teaser thru it, hoping to undo the snarl. When you locate a snarl, hold the strands horizontally and then use your fingers to gently separate the strands.

ST1CKY
January 31st, 2013, 09:37 AM
I am so sorry to hear that you are having hair fall! I am in the middle of a winter shed and i can agree that it is scary and it sucks! In this case i opt to blame the stress and the relaxer.. I have never had it done but have heard of relaxer being very harsh to hair and scalp. Part of my hair fall is from stress about school as well. Find ways to manage time and take time to relax has what helped me. Also smile... fake it til ya make it!

I've been talking with my sister about it and she went to law school, which I imagine is stressful on it's own, and said that every time it was exam season her hair would fall off in clumps as well
I already dread having to go to college without having to worry about my hair falling or my skin flaking, now with that added bonus, man, I don't want to go ç-ç


I would say it was th erelaxer since it only started afterwards. A shame that people who have different hair feel they must fit into the stereotype of straight hair-you should try this psychology on your mother. Not sure of your race but emphasis the hatred of ones own ethnic background and trying to conform to a standard of another race/ethnicity.. she might lay off if you use this. Youve damaged your hair and it is suffering. Try oiling it a LOT and keeping it braided so th eoil wont look too greasy keep it up until th ehair seems ot stop absorbing oil.It migh twork but you just need to not fall for the societal BS to have straight white hair.

No flaming please this is a psychological warfare tool!
I think it is easy to fall for relaxing your hair because it needs so little daily maintenace
No need to worry too much about it looking frizzy or untamed, it takes less time to wash and comb and dry, etc
But seriously, not worth it
I already told my mother I'm freaking done with it, I'll never let her have a say about my hair even again lol



To be on the safe side, schedule an appointment with your physician and have a complete blood panel drawn up to rule out anemia. Anemia can cause severe hair loss (been there!). Also, refrain from harsh hair habits (straightening, hot curlers, chemicals). Your hair needs tlc. Also, when detangling, when you find a snarl, take it apart with your fingers..do not just swipe the tangle teaser thru it, hoping to undo the snarl. When you locate a snarl, hold the strands horizontally and then use your fingers to gently separate the strands.
The way I usually detangle my hair I try to separate it a bit with my hands, then put the tangled bit on my palm and try to work it out
That is why I was so freaked out, to have a clump of your hair on your palms out of the blue seems a lot like horror movie body-decay things lol I almost screamed
And about the blood tests, thanks for the sugestion, I'll see if I can try it

jacqueline101
January 31st, 2013, 11:45 AM
I'd say you're allergic to the relaxer .

ST1CKY
January 31st, 2013, 12:11 PM
I don't think I'm allergic because usually I relax my hair every six months or so and it's always the same brand
Problem is it seemed like something screwy happened this time

spidermom
January 31st, 2013, 12:14 PM
I'd blame the relaxer, too. You should see new hairs coming in; take good care of them!

omgitssarah
January 31st, 2013, 12:36 PM
I wouldn't rule out allergies, they can really appear out of nowhere, even with things you've always been okay with before.

PetuniaBlossom
January 31st, 2013, 02:18 PM
The connection between high stress and hair loss is well-known, and even skin conditions such as eczema, auto-immune disorders, etc., is also well-known to be stress-related. By all means, get the blood work done, but it really does sound like your stress level is an important factor here.
If your mother wants hair relaxed, she can jolly well relax her own!
If you dread going to college, maybe that's a choice that needs to be revisited? Maybe take a gap year off first?
Taking good care of your hair is simply a part of taking good care of your self, your total self.
I hope it will all turn out well for you.

ST1CKY
February 1st, 2013, 07:16 AM
If you dread going to college, maybe that's a choice that needs to be revisited? Maybe take a gap year off first?
I already did
And I've been told that either I go to college or I get kicked out, so not much of a choice haha

jeanniet
February 1st, 2013, 11:20 AM
If you are relaxing every six months, it could have a cumulative effect on your hair. So I'd say #1 problem is the relaxer, and your hair is probably breaking off, not falling out. The good news is, there's an easy fix for that, and you can have healthy hair again--the bad news is, you'll have to grow it out.

Stress and nutrition are probably contributing factors. Madora is 100% right in that you need to have your doctor run a blood panel to see if you're deficient in anything. After that, get a referral to a nutritionist so you can learn how to prepare healthy meals for yourself with a minimum of work. This isn't just for your hair, but for your overall health. If you have a healthy diet, stress won't affect you as much, you won't get sick as often, and you'll just feel better overall. Plus, it's much easier to learn healthy eating habits when you're younger.

If at all possible, learn to ignore your family. I know just what you mean, because I come from an Asian background and my family is obsessed with education (the right education, ugh--heaven forbid you should be an artist), and some of my relatives are really tyrannical about it. Ironically, my older son put so much pressure on himself at a young age that I had to learn to back off completely and only give him the help he asked for. It made me look at schooling in a whole other way. He taught himself to relieve his anxiety by being overprepared for everything--by the time he started college he had studying down to an exact science. It sounds counterintuitive, but it worked for him, and now he is much less anxious (and a really good student). Sometimes it's just a matter of figuring out what is best for you.

ravenreed
February 1st, 2013, 12:38 PM
I absolutely lose hair when I get stressed out! I always have back to my early childhood. If your hair loss is from stress, you can try to reduce stress in your life by looking into meditation, light exercise, or even just taking time to watch a favorite, up-lifting movie. Something I used to do when I was in school was to take one class just for fun. Art, exercise, what have you, it was a class for pure joy. I also recommend some B-vitamins, especially B-12. Food-wise, look at what you can make that is easy and good for you. There are plenty of quick meals that won't take too long. Good nutrition will help not only your hair, but also your mind. Maybe look into a cooking class? We study better when we are well-fed, for one thing. Finally, as for the relaxer, I would say lay off it as much as possible. If that is the cause of your hair issues, it is likely that it will continue to happen when you use it. Why risk it?

Coolcombination
February 1st, 2013, 01:05 PM
I just went through a massive shed, that I think was due to stress, I lost 1/4 from my circumference. My hair would fall out in clumps in the bath, but now it seems to be stopping. I don't even feel especially stressed though, but it's the only factor that I can think it might be due to. Unless I shed loads every dec/jan and haven't noticed before, hang on in there it's not the end of the world, after all just think of the new virgin growth you'll get once the shed stops! :) oh and biotin may help you out too x

Angelica
February 1st, 2013, 05:07 PM
I would see a trichologist as well as a doctor regarding this. A trichologist specialises in hair and scalp issues and can help give you a diagnosis. So ask for a referral when you see your GP. Also nobody seems to have mentioned that calcium could be a problem. If your nails are weak as well, I guess you have a calcium problem. Also thyroid and diabetes can cause hair problems. I've never heard of "relaxing" the hair, but it doesn't sound good. no chemicals in the hair is good.

I hope the shedding stops and you reach a solution soon. :)

legendya
February 1st, 2013, 05:18 PM
Omg. I lost alot of hair when I started relaxing as a teen. I used to have super thick hair and now its thin. It got very thin when I used Japanese straightening 2yrs ago. It fell out SO much like a few months later. Now, my hair is very thin and you can see the scalp in front. Relaxing is the worst thing you can do to your hair. I know I will NEVER do it again. You should try to cutting cut back on it or quitting altogether.