My hair is driving me crazy! Please, can you help me?

[NatNat]

This has been bothering me since February, and has gotten to a point where I cry about it at least once a week. My bf has mentioned that he thinks I'm too rough on my hair, but I didn't take notice until one day in February, when it refused to do anything I wanted and I ended up brushing out my entire 100 shed hairs plus more that morning :( Ever since that day, I've been really conscious of my shed hairs - counting them when I pull out a bunch and checking my clothes throughout the day to see if any fell on them.

I wash my hair every other night, and then usually by the morning after I have slept on it its greasy. In the morning, I used to like straightening it, but now I try not to do that anymore as it tends to make my hair more oily and scalp shows through. So now I am tying it up more but it just always looks so greasy.

Some back story - About two years ago I was having it bleached blonde every month - but for some reason it seemed more healthy that way than I have it now.

In January of this year I decided to go back to as close of my natural brown as possible. Just lately it seems like I shed so much (much more than normal but no bald patches) and it gets greasy so fast! I used to only wash every three nights and that worked fine but now its as if I can't even go one night without washing.
It's as if its changed so much from those couple of years ago :( I don't know. I've also started this shampoo called "Revita" to help strengthen the hair and lessen shedding - but so far nothing has changed.

Why is my hair being so difficult?

[stephy190]

Lots of things can cause hair loss, from stress to health issues but its usually small things like I realised when I use really hot water to rinse my hair in the shower I get sooo many hairs falling out! When you use cold water to rinse your hair it really helps close the follicle and lock in moisture too and prevents strands from falling out! Also try not to straighten your hair as much.. maybe limit to once a week or take a break for a while and leave it natural! :) Don't worry everyone goes through shedding phases, its a natural part of hair cycle and sometimes its just due to too much heat on the hair (including hot water) as it can actually open up the follicle that holds the hair so it falls out easier. So maybe just need to go without heat for a while! Good luck and hope this helped!

[Wosie]

When was the last time you clarified your hair? Does it feel waxy, or like it might have some build-up? Do you still brush your hair roughly or do you take your time to slowly brush it through these days?
Some people's hair (scalps) are naturally oilier than others, and some scalps won't ever like stretching washes. It's fine to wash one's hair every day if the oiliness is bothering you, as long as you use a mild washing method/products.

I checked up Revita and it seems that some others have noticed an increase of shedding in the outset of using it. I don't know if it's a common thing, but just a F.Y.I. I hope your hair'll get back on track as soon as possible. :blossom:

[tigereye]

I think the first thing is to figure out whether you really are shedding more or are just noticing it more. The easiest way to do that is to ignore the number of shed hairs and look at your ponytail circumference. Even when I was shedding normally, the number of shed hairs often shocked me. It was well over 100, but that was just normal for me, and I had thick hair. I just lost about an inch off mine within two months due to a combination of the mini-pill and stress. It's been growing back since February or so but I'm not getting my hopes too far up since ill probably be on Roaccutane soon, and increased shedding is a well known side-effect. Ah well, guess I'll be in the ii zone a while yet
The other thing is to make sure it's not related to any lifestyle changes - have you started dieting, eating more salt or sugar, are you drinking plenty, are you stressed? The worse culprit for me is stress. I regularly had a massive shed around exam time each year at school, then the same at university.

Also, look at your regular routine. Some scalps, like mine, are so dry they can only be washed once a week else they get irritated and itchy and our hair dries out. Others can stretch or wash as they like, whilst others simply have to wash every day to keep their scalp happy. Ask yourself if there daily washes with a gentle washing routine would work better. I say gentle, because harsh shampoos, followed by days of greasiness can mess up the equilibrium of your scalp especially if you have sensitive skin. Frequent gentle washes might see the sebum production of your scalp reduce because your scalp can adjust to a more constant environment.
Cold water may not do much, but my goodness, it keeps it shiny. :)
The last thing is, since you mention sleeping, is your hair wet when you go to sleep, and do you sleep with it loose? I ask for two reasons. Firstly, if you go to bed with it wet, and wake up with it dry but greasy, I would bet that build up is the issue, and it needs a thorough clarifying before moving any further with the issue. Secondly, because in my experience, sleeping with my hair down after February or so means my neck (and now body since it's getting close to tailbone now) gets too hot, and like I said, I don't deal with heat well. Too hot and I sweat into my hair, which makes it look greasy and disgusting in the morning. So I sleep with it in a braid, which dangles down the end of the bed above my pillow, and switch out my winter duvet for a summer one, so that I'm cool and my hair is out of the way.

[Laurenji]

tigereye, I didn't know the mini-pill causes shedding! I'm freaking out right now because my ponytail is noticeably thinner, and I can see through my hair down to my scalp on one side. I know that you get shedding post-partum, but I wasn't sure how much is normal (I've never been able to see my scalp before), but I'm also now on the mini-pill because it works with breastfeeding. Hmmmm....

[Teeny]

I hope things get better! :)

On the shedding front, I started taking biotin vitamins that are 2500mcg at the end of March. For at least the past two weeks, there haven't been any shed hairs in the drain after I shower. I used to be able to pull a decent amount out of the drain, but it isn't happening now. I'm not brushing or combing more or doing any particular style where those might cause the shed hairs to come out before I shower. Maybe biotin decreases shedding?

[tigereye]

tigereye, I didn't know the mini-pill causes shedding! I'm freaking out right now because my ponytail is noticeably thinner, and I can see through my hair down to my scalp on one side. I know that you get shedding post-partum, but I wasn't sure how much is normal (I've never been able to see my scalp before), but I'm also now on the mini-pill because it works with breastfeeding. Hmmmm....

It probably depends on the type of pill, but I'm on cerelle (also sold as cerazette), and it's one of the uncommon side effects. It's less well known because it's less common than the other more common side effects, but it was the only thing my doc could put the hair-loss down to, especially since the stress-period didn't set in for a month or so after that, when I lost more. Pre-pill, I had a 4-inch ponytail. At the lowest, it was barely 3", and will take a while to creep back up I think.
The combined pill made no difference to my hair or skin, but the mini-pill made my skin worse and my hair thinner. Unfortunately, I can't change since I can't use the combined pill any more and I have to be on something for the doctors to even think about giving me Accutane.

[molljo]

The last thing is, since you mention sleeping, is your hair wet when you go to sleep, and do you sleep with it loose? I ask for two reasons. Firstly, if you go to bed with it wet, and wake up with it dry but greasy, I would bet that build up is the issue, and it needs a thorough clarifying before moving any further with the issue. Secondly, because in my experience, sleeping with my hair down after February or so means my neck (and now body since it's getting close to tailbone now) gets too hot, and like I said, I don't deal with heat well. Too hot and I sweat into my hair, which makes it look greasy and disgusting in the morning.

This was my first thought. There was a thread around not long ago about how lots of people can't sleep on wet hair. I can easily stretch washes every 5 days, but if I wash it at night, I'm a greasy mess by the end of day 2. Try washing your hair in the morning and see if you notice a change, you might be surprised at the difference!

I would try to lay off the counting shed hairs. You seem a bit obsessed, and that can't be helping your stress levels, which will only make the problem worse. I agree that you might not be shedding abnormally at all, just paying more attention than you did in the past.

[xoChesleyy]

I hope things get better! :)

On the shedding front, I started taking biotin vitamins that are 2500mcg at the end of March. For at least the past two weeks, there haven't been any shed hairs in the drain after I shower. I used to be able to pull a decent amount out of the drain, but it isn't happening now. I'm not brushing or combing more or doing any particular style where those might cause the shed hairs to come out before I shower. Maybe biotin decreases shedding?

I second biotin. I have been taking it for probably around 3 years now, and it has helped my hair tons.

NatNat, your hair shedding could be caused from a number of things. But keep in mind that your diet is also a contributing factor.. Make sure you are getting enough protein, eating fruits and veggies, drinking plenty of water, and being as stress-free as possible!

Also, I don't know how much this would help with shedding, but not brushing your hair as often would definitely help with breakage. If you have to brush it, make sure that you are brushing starting from the bottom, and working your way up.

I'm sorry to hear about your hair troubles! I hope they clear up for you soon. :smile:

[Flor]

Lots of things can cause hair loss, from stress to health issues but its usually small things like I realised when I use really hot water to rinse my hair in the shower I get sooo many hairs falling out! When you use cold water to rinse your hair it really helps close the follicle and lock in moisture too and prevents strands from falling out! Also try not to straighten your hair as much.. maybe limit to once a week or take a break for a while and leave it natural! :) Don't worry everyone goes through shedding phases, its a natural part of hair cycle and sometimes its just due to too much heat on the hair (including hot water) as it can actually open up the follicle that holds the hair so it falls out easier. So maybe just need to go without heat for a while! Good luck and hope this helped!

Ugh! I'm sorry, but this is just all wrong. There's hairloss and there's natural shedding. Hair loss is not caused by hot water. Increased shedding due to hot water only means that one would be shedding less in between the washes. Hair that is shed due to natural end of the growing cycle CANNOT be stopped from eventually shedding. Scalp massages, thorough brushing and all the types of hair manipulation cause it to come out in bulk, instead of gradually one by one during the day, but if it's gone to the resting stage, then it WILL come out, no matter what.

I wish people would stop spreading this "don't touch of your hair and it won't shed" nonsense.

[Rosa Harris]

Ugh! I'm sorry, but this is just all wrong. There's hairloss and there's natural shedding. Hair loss is not caused by hot water. Increased shedding due to hot water only means that one would be shedding less in between the washes. Hair that is shed due to natural end of the growing cycle CANNOT be stopped from eventually shedding. Scalp massages, thorough brushing and all the types of hair manipulation cause it to come out in bulk, instead of gradually one by one during the day, but if it's gone to the resting stage, then it WILL come out, no matter what.

I wish people would stop spreading this "don't touch of your hair and it won't shed" nonsense.

So true. Hot water only opens the pore making the already-going-to-fall-soon hair fall out so they come out in the shower that way instead of everywhere else.

Really you are probably just noticing the easier to see dark hairs than the harder to see blond hairs. Your hairfall probably has not changed much if at all. My mom freaked when she went back dark red from blond. She thought she was losing all her hair. Also, longer strands look like a LOT more than shorter strands do. Gosh - my son always left a fickin huge hairball after every shower when his hair was thigh length! Normal hairfall is 40 - 120 hairs a day.

[NatNat]

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE! :) You've all been so helpful and have given me a lot to think about.

I'm not a big vegetable fan and recently my doctor told me I was low on potassium - so now I've started eating more bananas and orange juice. I also started on B vitamins and vitamin D as well. I'm tempted to try biotin but am worried it will cause acne?

I've also asked my boyfriend to hide my hair brushes for me, so now I will only be able to use my wide toothed comb lol whatever it takes :)

Also regarding the clarifying, perhaps I am using too much hairspray and will cut down on that, I have a clarifying shampoo and when I do use it (probably not as often as I should) my shedding decreases so much. Maybe I should use it almost every other wash? *the one I have is Tresemme*

I've always shampooed at night, but try to make sure its dry completely or close to when I go to sleep. I guess its probably worse the next morning when its still a bit wet and i go to sleep. Perhaps I'll try blow drying with heat protectant when its not completely dry at bed time lol

Again, thank you all for your replies. I knew I needed to talk to someone about this, I was going crazy!!

[jeanniet]

If you've been straightening and bleaching in the past, your hair is probably quite damaged and some of what you think is shedding is actual breakage. Being more gentle with your hair will help to minimize breakage, but you'll have to grow the damage all the way out and trim it off.

Biotin is readily available from food sources. Megadosing anything isn't a particularly good idea. If your diet needs improving, work on that instead.

[tigereye]

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE! :) You've all been so helpful and have given me a lot to think about.

I'm not a big vegetable fan and recently my doctor told me I was low on potassium - so now I've started eating more bananas and orange juice. I also started on B vitamins and vitamin D as well. I'm tempted to try biotin but am worried it will cause acne?

I've also asked my boyfriend to hide my hair brushes for me, so now I will only be able to use my wide toothed comb lol whatever it takes :)

Also regarding the clarifying, perhaps I am using too much hairspray and will cut down on that, I have a clarifying shampoo and when I do use it (probably not as often as I should) my shedding decreases so much. Maybe I should use it almost every other wash? *the one I have is Tresemme*

I've always shampooed at night, but try to make sure its dry completely or close to when I go to sleep. I guess its probably worse the next morning when its still a bit wet and i go to sleep. Perhaps I'll try blow drying with heat protectant when its not completely dry at bed time lol

Again, thank you all for your replies. I knew I needed to talk to someone about this, I was going crazy!!

I doubt you'll need to use it every other wash. Even the real mega -cone lovers only need to do it'd very couple of weeks really. What it sounds like to me is that you're just doing too much. Blow dry on cool/cold and avoid adding extra greasiness-inducing layers of stuff from heat-protectant. Ditch the hairspray if at all possible. If it's for texture, grab some dry shampoo instead. In fact grabbing some dry shampoo anyway can't hurt.

[FallingDarkness]

If the grease is really bothering you, then maybe you should try to CO daily. That way your hair will be less greasy, and you won't be damaging it so much with the shampoos.
Also, I recommend more updos to protect your hair. Braids are always really pretty, and they show off some of your length as well.
As for shedding, I think all the other LHCers have got that covered for you... Just don't stress. With some love, gentle handling, and care, your hair will be back to normal in no time.

[NatNat]

Okay I'll get rid of the hairspray, I do have some dry shampoo I like called batiste, I'll try to use it more often!

[NatNat]

I hope things get better! :)

On the shedding front, I started taking biotin vitamins that are 2500mcg at the end of March. For at least the past two weeks, there haven't been any shed hairs in the drain after I shower. I used to be able to pull a decent amount out of the drain, but it isn't happening now. I'm not brushing or combing more or doing any particular style where those might cause the shed hairs to come out before I shower. Maybe biotin decreases shedding?

What brand of biotin do you take? I think I'll have to pick some up!