My hair is shedding BADLY )':

[prettyinpink]

I gotta make this post!

My hair has always been thick. It started shedding at 17 and its been getting thinner. I'm 19 now and I have to wrap the ponytail around 3x. I use to only get it around 2. I started taking bc at 16, but didnt notice shedding for a long time. I stopped bc 3 days ago and dont notice anything. I dont think its thyroid, because I got it checked 3yrs ago. I dont think its stress, protein, or vitamins because I eat healthy. I went to the dr and she said, oh its normal to shed 120 hairs a day (something like that) I shed about that on a day I dont comb or shower. On a day I comb or shower I lose balls of hair. I'm talking handfulls. I hardly see breakage. I use a wide tooth comb and no heat. i shampoo once a week

Help me? :wail:

Thanks

[Firefox7275]

Shedding is normal, shedding to the level of thinning is not, have you been clear that the latter is the problem? Take the handfuls of hair to the doctor if necessary, maybe a photograph of you with thicker hair a year or two ago. Do bear in mind that as a 2c wavy you probably will shed more on wash day than a straight hair because hairs get caught in curls and waves, combing may well not remove all the shed hair.

It's always worth reviewing your diet, I work in lifestyle healthcare and rarely see someone who claims to eat a healthy balanced diet that actually does. Hair needs more than vitamins and protein, it needs the right amount of overall calories for your age and activity level, minerals, essential fatty acids, overall fats and so on. Be sure you are eating plenty of oily fish, low sugar fruits and non starchy vegetables in the full rainbow of colours, plenty of mineral rich foods (nuts, seeds, beans, lentils), plain dairy products. Also ensure you are maintaining a healthy weight AND a healthy bodyfat percentage for your height and age group, being underweight can affect your hormones and thus your hair.

[biogirl87]

prettyinpink, how many hairs do you have come out in the shower when you wash your hair? Just asking because typically when I wash my hair I get smallish balls of hair coming out in the shower, but the few times I've counted the hairs that came out in the shower, it still put me within normal number of hairs people shed on average once I divided the number of hairs that came out in the shower by the number of days between my wash days.

[Luna12345]

Sometimes it's only temporary. You can try using an antifungal shampoo. Maybe you have seborrheic dermatitis? Do you have what appears to be a lot of dandruff and a itchy scalp? Try using Nizoral shampoo, I've heard it helps hair grow and you can usually buy it at the pharmacy.

[jacqueline101]

I'd take your hair balls to the doctor and a photo of your thicker hair. I'd date and label the hair ball bag. I'd also tell the doctor you want her to check your scalp for issues like dandruff and so fourth. If that's ruled out then ask for lab work.

[prettyinpink]

Thank you ladies! I took a picture of my nasty shower drain. I'm going back to the dr now :D

[Madora]

Random thought...do you brush or comb your hair every day? If you skip days, then the fallen hairs accumulate among the other hair...and when you finally comb your hair out, voila...it seems there is a lot more fallen hair than usual.

Hope you received a good report from your doctor. Low anemia can cause fallout also. Good luck!

[prettyinpink]

Anemia can? I never even thought about that! I was anemic when I was little

[BlazingHeart]

Oh yes, anemia can. A LOT of health issues and dietary deficiencies can. Think of it this way - when your body isn't running well, it's going prioritize where it spends its resources. Hair and skin tend to suffer when health suffers.

Let's see...at 19, you're at an age where thyroid problems become more common in women (I myself was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at 19). Birth control can affect hair. Lack of essential fats, protein, iron, B vitamins, vitamin D, and other dietary issues can affect your hair. Skin conditions like psoriasis and sebhorreic dermatitis and even severe dandruff can affect your hair. There really are loads of things that can do it, which is part of why it's important to speak to your doctor if your hair starts thinning. It's kind of a canary in a coalmine when it comes to health - it can be a pretty sensitive indicator that something is off with your body.

[sweetinlace]

The last time I washed my hair I noticed A LOT of hair coming out. Afterwards I sat down and counted them all. Took me half an hour to count the 240 strands. My hair is very wavy, and this past week I've been fingercombing almost exclusively. I'm pretty sure that's why there was so much. However, this week I'm keeping track (the best I can anyway) of how many strands I lose each day.

Maybe you could keep track to see if it is really as much as you think it is.