The Great Shed -- The Thinning Hair Support Thread

[Neoma]

I'm this thread to provide a supportive community for people who are dealing with hair loss, a.k.a thinning hair. This is not to be confused with fine hair, which simply means the diameter of the individual hairs.

I have waist length, baby fine hair. I used to have a lot of it. Several years ago, I lost at least half of my hair due to a medication that I was taking for migraine prevention. The hair loss was most apparent at the crown right at the hairline. My hair was so thin that I couldn't use my Ficcares anymore. Since I couldn't believe that it would ever grow back, I sold my entire Ficcare collection.

I quit taking the medication, took biotin and used Aveda's Invati system. The thin spot at my crown filled out and I regrew enough of my hair that I was no longer self conscious when I wore it up. However, it never thickened up enough for me to feel comfortable wearing it down.

Fast forward to today...

I've been on a new medication for a few months. A few weeks ago, I started noticing a lot more hair in the drain. Starting a few days ago, I started losing large amounts in my hands as I shampooed. The scalp show-through at the spot at the front of my crown is now dramatic.

I keep a migraine journal and am tracking how many migraine-free days I have. If that number isn't significant, clearly, I'm going to have to give up this med.

In the meantime, my plan of attack is:


Taking biotin
Taking Centrum Silver, which contain additional zinc and selenium, since this med supposedly " bonds with certain minerals and creates a depletion/interaction with zinc and selenium within the body"
Using the entire line of Invati products (Please note: Invati is intended to prevent hair loss due to breakage. That being said, I believe that it helped me to regrow hair during my original Great Shed)


I am resisting the urge to cut my hair. If I cut it, I will simply have short thin hair instead of long thin hair.

Please note: I have dealt with chronic, daily migraines for many, many years. I have tried an extensive list of medications through the years. My neurologist and I are running out of options.

While I understand that some people may have strong opinions about me continuing to take a med that is causing hair loss, I will not waste my time justifying why I choose to do so.



I would like to hear from other people who have dealt, or are dealing, with similar Great Sheds. What caused your shed? (If you know...) What measures did you take to try to slow/stop the loss? Did your hair grow back? Did you cut your hair as a result of your Great Shed? If so, do you regret doing so?

[Arctic]

Sorry to hear about your health problems and hair loss :grouphug:

It's a good idea to have an own thread for those of us with thinning; sometimes it feels that our problems are brushed off in the middle of the happily buzzing forum full of members who don't have other hair problems than that the hair is too short.

I have been having some hair loss too, in the past year. I was away from LHC for a long time, and had had a pixie cut which I was growing out. Somehow I happened to miss the thinning for several months. I noticed increased shedding, but didn't pay enough attention to notice thinning. Then I came back to LHC this February, and started taking some hair photos again, after a looong time. After some day and several photos, I noticed that my hair looked thinner than it had been when I had been taking hair photos in the past. I first brushed it off as photographs distorting the reality, but it started to bother me, and I finally admitted to myself that my has really thinned. Long story short, I first tried self care approach, because I was 100% that the reason was inadequate nutrition I had had for a while. But the shedding didn't stop, and during the summer I started to become really worried. It took me a while still before I contacted the clinic, and I got a nurse's appointment first, and thyroid test (which was ok). I got a doctor's appointment at later date, in the beginning of November.

At this point, I don't know what causes this. Just during the past week or two, the shedding has been less, so I have renewed hope that maybe it would be now over for good, and that things would start to get better.

It makes me sad seeing my old hair photos, my hair was so thick and beautiful.

I have had some medium intensity sheds in the past (not including seasonal type shedding), and also once before I had a big shed, which also thinned my hair out considerably. I was about 20 back then, and I had full recovery, but it took its sweet time. I never knew what caused it, really, but I suspect it was just stress, as it was an age my life went through lot of big changed at a lightning speed. I remember I took silica supplements and vitamins back then.

I have approached my current hair loss self treatment from several fronts. I have improved my diet since February this year, and have sworn to eat a proper meal each day (and have kept that promise on but few days), I eat much more calories, nutrients and more regularly, and so on. I have also started to take my vitamins and minerals again daily, including silica, since I have had good experiences with it in the past. I have started scalp massages, and lately inverted scalp brushing. I have been using caffeine rinses/treatments on and off. I have used hair stimulating essential oils and aloe vera as scalp treatments. I have reduced styling products, and blow drying. I have become very aware whether hairstyles put pressure to my hairline, and have started to favour hairline friendly styling. I have been trying to keep my scalp happy. I've also tried to reduce stress, but that haven't really been working so well :grin: :evil:

I also have some long term medications, which might have something to do with this; I will bring this up with my doctor.


PS. I echo Neoma, and would also prefer to not to have comments like "go see doctor" or some such things. People should be able to discuss about health related issues without constantly being pestered to seek medical help. I'm not so much looking for advice or help, just a corner of the internet where I can freely talk and and exchange experience and give and receive support.

[Neoma]

Arctic, thank you for sharing your experience with thinning hair. I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this. :grouphug:

It sounds like you have a sound plan of action.

I forgot to mention that I went to a dermatologist during the first Great Shed. She said that my follicles looked healthy, that the hair that I hadn't lost was "beautiful" and that I should take biotin and use Rogaine.

I tried Rogaine and it caused my heart to race like a panic attack. I quit immediately.

[Beborani]

I don't need support right now but this was my past. I had a great shed in my late teens going from super thick hair to probably low average. There were two or three things going on, so I cannot pinpoint the reason but I never recovered from that shed. It improved slightly during pregnancy a few years later but I had learnt to ignore my hair--I paid minimal attention whether keeping it long or short--did both over the years. The wave/curliness gave me enough volume to not draw undue attention to the sparseness--only those closest to me commented.

Come perimenopause I had another big shed and this on top of old one was a bit too much--the middle between forehead and crown was very sparse to point of looking bald when wet and for the first time I worried. After some research I tried minoxidil and for me it was the best thing ever. My hair started growing back strong and dense--it is still a work in progress but it has improved so much that for the first time I am enjoying growing out my hair (after preteen/teen years).

I am not pushing minoxidil for everyone but I am definitely a success story and I hope everyone here finds something that works and not give up. I had thought nothing would work and that hair of my youth was permanently gone but those follicles were dormant--needed this stimulant which I stumbled into because of pressure from some close friends who urged me 'do' something and not let it go. I am thankful to them too.

[Neoma]

I don't need support right now but this was my past. I had a great shed in my late teens going from super thick hair to probably low average. There were two or three things going on, so I cannot pinpoint the reason but I never recovered from that shed. It improved slightly during pregnancy a few years later but I had learnt to ignore my hair--I paid minimal attention whether keeping it long or short--did both over the years. The wave/curliness gave me enough volume to not draw undue attention to the sparseness--only those closest to me commented.

Come perimenopause I had another big shed and this on top of old one was a bit too much--the middle between forehead and crown was very sparse to point of looking bald when wet and for the first time I worried. After some research I tried minoxidil and for me it was the best thing ever. My hair started growing back strong and dense--it is still a work in progress but it has improved so much that for the first time I am enjoying growing out my hair (after preteen/teen years).

I am not pushing minoxidil for everyone but I am definitely a success story and I hope everyone here finds something that works and not give up. I had thought nothing would work and that hair of my youth was permanently gone but those follicles were dormant--needed this stimulant which I stumbled into because of pressure from some close friends who urged me 'do' something and not let it go. I am thankful to them too.

Beborani, thank you for sharing your experience with shedding. And thank you for sharing that minoxidil is working for you.

I forgot to mention that the Nioxin system really worked for me during my first Great Shed, too. I really liked that system; it's expensive, but nowhere near as costly as Invati. Sadly, over time it caused me to break out badly -- not on my scalp, but my neck and face -- so I had to quit using it.

[lapushka]

Neoma, this is migraine related. I too tried it all, trust me on that. I have been dealing with migraines / cluster type headaches since puberty and I'm 43 now. What helps me is as soon as I perceive the aura (visual disturbances), I take 800mg Ibuprofen, and that mitigates it to a "regular" type headache. But at least I'm not in bed, shaking, all light shy and throwing up. I continue to take Ibuprofen 800mg every 6H, sometimes Paracetamol 1g in between as well to help deal with the pain and discomfort. It might help you. I do not suggest you do this, I suggest you run it by your doctor. :)

[Neoma]

Neoma, this is migraine related. I too tried it all, trust me on that. I have been dealing with migraines / cluster type headaches since puberty and I'm 43 now. What helps me is as soon as I perceive the aura (visual disturbances), I take 800mg Ibuprofen, and that mitigates it to a "regular" type headache. But at least I'm not in bed, shaking, all light shy and throwing up. I continue to take Ibuprofen 800mg every 6H, sometimes Paracetamol 1g in between as well to help deal with the pain and discomfort. It might help you. I do not suggest you do this, I suggest you run it by your doctor. :)

lapushka, I'm sorry to hear that you get migraines, too.

[rags]

I will say, same as the others, that I don't need medical advice here. I have SIX physicians I see on a regular basis and two or three others I see as needed. I'm making decisions that have to be made, literally for my survival.

Well, Neoma, you know I'm just starting to come out of my second Great Shed. There have been other, smaller ones, but this is the second one which caused considerable, very visible hair loss.. The first one was several years ago, and was caused by a medication, and I lost well over half of my hair (as determined by my dermatologist). Supposedly, when you stopped taking the medication, it was all supposed to grow back. Yeah, that didn't happen. I got back maybe half of what I'd lost. That put me into definitely "thin" territory, but I joined LHC and grew it back out anyway, and loved it.

Then about a year ago I had to start another medication which was known to cause hair loss. For a bit I thought I was going to escape with only mild thinning. Nope. It just took awhile to get going. It came out in handfuls. There was shed hair everywhere. It thinned in a pattern (the first one also did this - weird) so that it left balder patch sand patches with hair still down to my hips. There are definitely see-through areas on m scalp - and it doesn't have to be wet! There's a place right behind my hairline the size of a quarter that never grew back the first time - the hair around it has thinned more this time.

I did cut my hair in June. I wasn't intending to, hoping to keep it up and ride it out. But when I developed trigeminal neuralgia in May, I was unable to put my hair up for months. I've only been able to put it up without pain in the last month or so, and it's still so short that is just a French or peacock twist. I'm not sorry I cut it, as it looked horrid down. Even DD, who is very supportive, commented on it. I do wish I had only cut to APL and not to shoulder though, so that I could put it up easier now. But at the time they told me it could be six months to a year before it could ease up. I thought I was done with long hair. I even kept away from here for a bit, because I was so sad. I would t cut to shoulder again, I don't think.

I am allergic to the Nioxin, and I have so many allergies, as well as eczema, that my allergist isn't the fondest of the idea of me taking minoxidil. Since the she'd is stopping (thank goodness!), I'm not going to go there right now.

I actually hadn't heard of the Aveda stuff, Neoma , thanks I'm going to look it up. I know mine is medication related - both times I was told by the dr. That this was a possible outcome. So I'm not focused on anything more than trying to be as gentle as possible with it, really. I am retrying shampoo bars, but they really don't get along with my hard water at ALL, so next up are some samples of Free and Clear shampoo/conditioner the allergist gave me.

[Neoma]

rags, I'm glad that you found this thread. :flowers: Thank you for sharing your story with us.

I'm glad to hear that your hair is growing back after your most recent Great Shed.

[lapushka]

lapushka, I'm sorry to hear that you get migraines, too.

Yeah, I know. I'm sorry you do as well. And the worse thing is it's only the last couple of years that I sort of found a way to calm them down some. I went mostly without meds during puberty (and threw up all over the place). And the bad thing is, these things can go on for *days*! Ugh!

[hennalonghair]

My dearest friend Neoma. :grouphug: I am so sorry you are going through this. Believe it or not I have something to add and will include my story also.
In the process of editing.

I know everyone thinks of me as Hennalonghair; the woman with the long thick wavy hennaed hair but over the last year I've lost about 25% of my hair. It first started while using Wen Cleansing Conditioner. When joining this site I'd read so much about co-washing and how it really helped dry, frizzy hair so I thought I'd give it a shot. I followed the directions to a 'T' but couldn't help noticing that I lost an unusual amount of hair but stubbornly I kept on using it. It was so expensive and smelled so good that I didn't want to just pack it in so lost more and more hair. Then I started using that henna from 'The Henna Guys" and the amount of hair I lost was scary. When I stopped using that my shed slowed down some but my part line was getting wider and wider. When I put my hair up in buns I could feel a breeze in places on the back of my neck/lower scalp that I have never felt before so knew without a doubt that I was losing so much hair that my hair line was actually receding the same as male pattern baldness.
Until I joined this site I had never measured my hair circumference before but in order to fill out my hair typing did so for the first time in my life and it was much more than it is now.
I started getting bald patches at the corners of my forehead and my hair started breaking off so easily. When I started growing in my greys the first time last year I stopped doing so mainly because the widening part looked even worse with my silver hair. The rich henna colour at least added the illusion of thickness but the heaviness of the henna wasn't actually helping the situation at all. I was too embarrassed to admit all this, especially on a hair forum that seemed to worship ultra thick hair.
It's devastating losing all your hair, especially being a woman. Hair for us is like our main accessory and one we usually associate with our femininity. ( no offence meant to our fellow long hair members) Its one of the main features that distinguishes us between the men and something we are often most proud of so I REALLY do understand that inner mental anguish. Hair toys I had became looser and looser to the point where I didn't even want to use them. It got depressing.
Years previously I'd been through episodes of seborrhoea dermatitis but over time learned how to treat it and I never had a problem since. There was no dandruff or any other fungal/ bacteria problems ( doctor verified) so I could rule that out but the problem persisted for over a year. Being a nutritionist I ruled out any possible food allergies and the only common denominator was my age and menopause. I'd heard that many women go through hair loss during menopause due to the decrease in estrogen which gets greatly depleted at this age. Looking back through my family history I remembered that my mom went through this exact same thing at my age and she too was devastated , even having short hair.
There , very well , might be something seriously wrong with me at the moment because my bones ache so badly that even rapping my knuckles feels like my bones are shattering. I've got a doctors appointment for this Thursday and will get thoroughly checked out. I'm praying :pray: I don't have cancer but I can't rule that out because , it is possible.

Anyway .... I'm doing my usual derail and I apologize.

Now you know me, I'm ALL for using natural products but in desperate measures I researched this and everything kept pointing to using Rogaine, which is exactly what Beborani suggested and guess what? It works!!!! I've been using it since I stopped using henna which has been about 10 weeks now and already my hairline has tiny curly silver hairs growing in. In fact when I feel my scalp now, it feels like a fuzzy porcupine. My part line isn't really wide any more and is returning back to normal. I've got new fuzzy hair at the back of my head that looks like a man's side burns but I am NOT complaining!
So here's the deal!
It's expensive but you can get it off amazon for much less. There's also a generic brand for less.
Please read the reviews because it does have some rather scary side effects ( ones that almost had me pass on it but I'm glad I didn't) but they are very short term. I don't use this every day but only about 3 or 4 a week but not suggesting you do. I just forget all the other times. My point being that it is working great even with me not using as directed.
You might want to check to make sure it doesn't interfere with any of your current meds, ESPECIALLY since you suffer from migraines.
This of course should be a HUGE consideration for you.

One REALLY important factor I would like to point out is that most women here are of THAT age where this is common. That's not to say that there are other contributing factors but just want to mention that diminishing estrogen plays a HUGE part in all of this.

I'm still scared of discovering some terminal illness but hey, at least my hair is growing back. :lol:
I'm not even sure why I feel the need to add humour because there isn't anything funny about this. :shrug:

I sincerely wish you the best my dear friend. You are loved more than you'll ever realize :smooch:
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
My friend. :heartbeat

[Neoma]

My dearest friend Neoma. :grouphug: I am so sorry you are going through this. Believe it or not I have something to add and will include my story also.
In the process of editing.

Thank you, dear hennalonghair. :flowers:

I look forward to reading what you have to say, though I'm sorry to hear that you have had any experience with thinning.

[Jeni]

I have never had what would be considered thick hair, I've always had thin, very fine, very straight hair but a few years ago (about the time I stopped being active on here)I was in the bathroom at work and noticed when my hair was down you could see a lot of my scalp along my center part. I freaked out. I have no idea what caused it, never noticed increased shedding. I know that before I stopped coming here my circumference was around 2.75", when I started measuring again last year it was closer to 2.25". 1/2 an inch isn't a huge loss unless you already have thin hair. I've been using minoxidil for about 2 years. I started with the women's formula twice a day but I was horrible at remembering to do it twice a day so after Rogaine came out with their women's once a day foam which was the same strength as the men's formula I switched to using the men's liquid once a day. I did have issues with itchiness, made worse if I was outside in the sun but since I've switched over to shampoo bars that has gone away. I think it's helped, it's at least stopped the hair loss as it hasn't gotten worse since I began using it... My bf says it's not noticeable when my hair down but I think he is he's nuts, I notice it! If I wear my hair down I always do a side part to help cover the thinness which sucks, I prefer a center part.

I've begun to take biotin gummies with my daily vitamin and I'm a shampoo bar convert. I'm also back to doing cassia/henna (enough henna to add a sight reddish tone, so not much) Between everything I'm back up to 2.50". I've mentioned my hair loss to my pcp but only in passing, considering I haven't gone to the doctors for a check up in 10 ish years there are other issues higher on her list to address. I did have routine blood work done and my levels are all normal. I figure I'm already doing the thing they'd recommend (minoxidil) so why push it.

Besides biotin and a daily vitamin what else are people taking?

[Neoma]

Besides biotin and a daily vitamin what else are people taking?

Jeni, thank you for sharing your story with us. :flower:

Please see the first post in this thread for my current plan of attack.

[ravenheather]

I had a year long shed/stall. Not too the point of bald patches but bothersome. Essential oils helped some, but adding a vitamin d supplement cured mine. She'd rate is a quarter of what it was. Now I just need to grow out my thin ends. I have trimmed a few inches but refuse to go any shorter.

[LegoCaltrops]

Hi, I will join. I've got thick individual hairs but only a 1.75 inch ponytail circumference (just got to ponytail lenth). I've been on migraine meds for about 10 years and, like you, recently discovered it causes hair loss, plus a bunch of other symptoms. I'd had a cut to pixie in despair at my thinning hair, then 4 years at around 1-3 inches, so I didn't notice how thin it had got until I started growing it again.

I'm slowly coming off the meds & adding some natural migraine remedies to my pillbox. Today I got Nizoral shampoo & am contemplating getting a dermal roller or stamp for my scalp - Silverbrumby has apparently had some success with this. I'll stick with the Nizoral for now & see how that goes.

Also taking a bunch of supplements & getting bloodwork checked (again). Hope something works. Some of it is dual purpose - hair and migraine, so I can at least justify the expense!

The demal roller scares & intrigues me, equally. With the prescription I've been on, the hair loss is apparently fairly permanent. However the dermal roller looks like it could force healing & skin regeneration, including follicles. I can see the shape of my scalp through my hair at the top, I really don't have much left. I really can't afford Rogaine.

I've also stopped CO-washing as advised on another thread. There's every chance it was increasing the shedding. Basically, my hair was doomed with what I was doing until a couple of weeks ago.

I'm scared of the migraines coming back. They're pretty disabling. The pain is awful, it looks exactly like I've had a stroke & I can get one every couple of days.

:flowers: to everyone dealing with shedding issues.

[Neoma]

I had a year long shed/stall. Not too the point of bald patches but bothersome. Essential oils helped some, but adding a vitamin d supplement cured mine. She'd rate is a quarter of what it was. Now I just need to grow out my thin ends. I have trimmed a few inches but refuse to go any shorter.
ravenheather, I'm glad to hear that vitamin D slowed your hair loss so dramatically.

I do have extremely low vitamin D levels, which could definitely be a factor. (I'm on a prescription dose.) I also have a low iron level and am taking iron supplements.

[Neoma]

Hi, I will join. I've got thick individual hairs but only a 1.75 inch ponytail circumference (just got to ponytail lenth). I've been on migraine meds for about 10 years and, like you, recently discovered it causes hair loss, plus a bunch of other symptoms. I'd had a cut to pixie in despair at my thinning hair, then 4 years at around 1-3 inches, so I didn't notice how thin it had got until I started growing it again.

I'm slowly coming off the meds & adding some natural migraine remedies to my pillbox. Today I got Nizoral shampoo & am contemplating getting a dermal roller or stamp for my scalp - Silverbrumby has apparently had some success with this. I'll stick with the Nizoral for now & see how that goes.

Also taking a bunch of supplements & getting bloodwork checked (again). Hope something works. Some of it is dual purpose - hair and migraine, so I can at least justify the expense!

The demal roller scares & intrigues me, equally. With the prescription I've been on, the hair loss is apparently fairly permanent. However the dermal roller looks like it could force healing & skin regeneration, including follicles. I can see the shape of my scalp through my hair at the top, I really don't have much left. I really can't afford Rogaine.

I've also stopped CO-washing as advised on another thread. There's every chance it was increasing the shedding. Basically, my hair was doomed with what I was doing until a couple of weeks ago.

I'm scared of the migraines coming back. They're pretty disabling. The pain is awful, it looks exactly like I've had a stroke & I can get one every couple of days.

:flowers: to everyone dealing with shedding issues.

LegoCaltrops, I'm so sorry to hear that you suffer so badly from migraines, too. I hope that the natural approach keeps them at bay. :blossom:

The dermal roller looks pretty scary to me! :scared: I've had a lot of needles stuck in my face, scalp, neck and shoulders over the years (migraine treatments), so I'm really not afraid of needles. But that thing looks like something from the Inquisition!

[rags]

:grouphug: for everyone on this thread!

As far as supplements, I am taking Vitamin D, Zinc, and I give myself shots of B12. I am clinically very low in all of these, and in the winter often have to go on prescription strength Vit D anyway. I also have just had infusions of iron (that is what actually began to slow down the shed). My ferritin was THREE. Then reducing the medication dosage helped slow/stop it. I still have high shed days where I panic a bit, but not nearly as badly as before, or nearly as often!

[hennalonghair]

Decreased estrogen levels are a significant factor in all of this which is why calcium and vitamin D play an important role in general health especially for premenopausal or menopausal women. If you research in this general area you will find startling connections that will make a lot of sense.
Good luck my friend. I added my story also and hope that ALL women read this thread because it's extremely important.

[Neoma]

:grouphug: for everyone on this thread!

As far as supplements, I am taking Vitamin D, Zinc, and I give myself shots of B12. I am clinically very low in all of these, and in the winter often have to go on prescription strength Vit D anyway. I also have just had infusions of iron (that is what actually began to slow down the shed). My ferritin was THREE. Then reducing the medication dosage helped slow/stop it. I still have high shed days where I panic a bit, but not nearly as badly as before, or nearly as often!rags, thank you for sharing this. It's really an important reminder that if nutrients are out of whack -- especially when meds and medical conditions are in the mix -- it can show up in our hair.


Decreased estrogen levels are a significant factor in all of this which is why calcium and vitamin D play an important role in general health especially for premenopausal or menopausal women. If you research in this general area you will find startling connections that will make a lot of sense.
Good luck my friend. I added my story also and hope that ALL women read this thread because it's extremely important.

The reminder about perimenopause and menopause is a good one, hennalonghair. That has certainly played a role in my hair loss, as well. Meds and vitamin deficiency pushed mine right over the edge.

I went back and read your story. I had no idea that you were going through this, too. :grouphug:

I'm glad that you're experiencing regrowth with Rogaine. :cheer:

I am concerned about your health issue. Please let me know how your medical appointment goes. If you don't feel comfy sharing here, you know how to reach me. :blossom:

[hennalonghair]

I know that with my circumference measurements I shouldn't be as concerned as perhaps many of you others but I want to emphasize the fact that any significant amount of hair loss 'should' be addressed by a medical professional because dramatic hairloss can often be the sign of other significant health problems that need to be addressed. Don't do what I did and leave it for a year or more.

[Silverbrumby]

I started shedding in my early 40's. I became hypothyroid at that time and it was sad to lose so much hair. I joined LHC and tried many things. Co-washing was a disaster and added to an already bad shedding situation. I used that fungal cream for 2 years and it lead to hot spots on my scalp, more shedding. My actual hair also changed during those years going from medium to baby fine and falling out after 10 inches or so. I never lost a lot on top just all over. I finally won back some thickness with a combination of different things which seem to work for me. Oh, my worst experiment was Rogaine. Lost 1/2 an inch with that in 6 weeks. Since changing things up I've gone back up to just over 3 inches. I was 3 1/2 but had another shed recently. Lots of stress.

What did finally help for me: Dermal roller on the scalp every week. Recently I dropped back to once a month but the shedding started again so I'm switching back to weekly. Keeping my scalp clean and never stretching washes. Gentle handling. Biotin, biosil. My hair loss is age related and hormonal. I'm adjusting and it's hard. Also I have a short terminal on top of this which means I've never been able to grow my hair past waist. It's okay. I'm okay with it now.

Take care and I hope you get a handle on this. Hang in there.

[hennalonghair]

Here's an alternative solution for those searching for an all natural remedy.
The ingredients list is impressive and so are the reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FH692PQ?vs=1

[spotsb4myiz]

I also have the same issues.
-Migraines. I've had them all my life, but in the past 18 months the headaches became so severe they mirrored a stroke. The medications increased and so did my shed. (I don't think the EEGs help much either. Lots of little bald patched where they attach the electrodes). I'm now on Botox shots for migraine management and those seem to reduce the severity. Now we are reducing the medications so hopefully my body will respond.
-Hypothyroidism. I've just been diagnosed and started treatment. I hope this helps with my hair recovery. (My dermatologist told me my hair should grow back from the shed and the bald spots should fill back in without needing Rogaine. I hope he's right.)
-Vitamin D. I'm deficient. I live in the sunniest place. I'm outside daily. I have a massive deficiency and must take supplements forever now. This makes absolutely no sense at all to me but my blood chemistry doesn't lie.
-Vitamin B12. I've noticed a few of us need this one also. I shouldn't be deficient, but I am.


Many of us are peri-menopausal or menopausal. I think we might also need to consider this as a contributing factor. I've been menopausal since my hysterectomy at 37 so it's been a lifelong issue.
If we factor thyroid hormones along with estrogen, progesterone and testosterone; there are a lot of hormones interacting along with nutrient deficiencies. That is before I start adding in my medication interactions. In my case, I have a statistical probability of 99.9% of drug interactions. In fact I take medications to control the side effects of medications... that is so ludicrous.

One word of caution- just because it is a vitamin or is natural doesn't mean it isn't strong or is safe. Always check with your medical provider.

[Neoma]

...I want to emphasize the fact that any significant amount of hair loss 'should' be addressed by a medical professional because dramatic hairloss can often be the sign of other significant health problems that need to be addressed. Don't do what I did and leave it for a year or more.This is a really excellent point, hennalonghair.


I started shedding in my early 40's. I became hypothyroid at that time and it was sad to lose so much hair. I joined LHC and tried many things. Co-washing was a disaster and added to an already bad shedding situation. I used that fungal cream for 2 years and it lead to hot spots on my scalp, more shedding. My actual hair also changed during those years going from medium to baby fine and falling out after 10 inches or so. I never lost a lot on top just all over. I finally won back some thickness with a combination of different things which seem to work for me. Oh, my worst experiment was Rogaine. Lost 1/2 an inch with that in 6 weeks. Since changing things up I've gone back up to just over 3 inches. I was 3 1/2 but had another shed recently. Lots of stress.

What did finally help for me: Dermal roller on the scalp every week. Recently I dropped back to once a month but the shedding started again so I'm switching back to weekly. Keeping my scalp clean and never stretching washes. Gentle handling. Biotin, biosil. My hair loss is age related and hormonal. I'm adjusting and it's hard. Also I have a short terminal on top of this which means I've never been able to grow my hair past waist. It's okay. I'm okay with it now.

Take care and I hope you get a handle on this. Hang in there.
Silverbrumby, thank you for sharing with us. I appreciate hearing all of the products and methods that people are using to regrow their hair. I haven't heard of some of them, like biosil. I had to look that one up. :flower:

[Neoma]

I also have the same issues.
-Migraines. I've had them all my life, but in the past 18 months the headaches became so severe they mirrored a stroke. The medications increased and so did my shed. (I don't think the EEGs help much either. Lots of little bald patched where they attach the electrodes). I'm now on Botox shots for migraine management and those seem to reduce the severity. Now we are reducing the medications so hopefully my body will respond.
-Hypothyroidism. I've just been diagnosed and started treatment. I hope this helps with my hair recovery. (My dermatologist told me my hair should grow back from the shed and the bald spots should fill back in without needing Rogaine. I hope he's right.)
-Vitamin D. I'm deficient. I live in the sunniest place. I'm outside daily. I have a massive deficiency and must take supplements forever now. This makes absolutely no sense at all to me but my blood chemistry doesn't lie.
-Vitamin B12. I've noticed a few of us need this one also. I shouldn't be deficient, but I am.


Many of us are peri-menopausal or menopausal. I think we might also need to consider this as a contributing factor. I've been menopausal since my hysterectomy at 37 so it's been a lifelong issue.
If we factor thyroid hormones along with estrogen, progesterone and testosterone; there are a lot of hormones interacting along with nutrient deficiencies. That is before I start adding in my medication interactions. In my case, I have a statistical probability of 99.9% of drug interactions. In fact I take medications to control the side effects of medications... that is so ludicrous.

One word of caution- just because it is a vitamin or is natural doesn't mean it isn't strong or is safe. Always check with your medical provider.
spotsb4myiz, I am so sorry to hear about your severe migraines and other health issues. It sounds like you're on the right path with your treatment plans. I hope that they provide real, lasting relief.

I believe that your assessment regarding hormones is spot on.


One word of caution- just because it is a vitamin or is natural doesn't mean it isn't strong or is safe. Always check with your medical provider. This is an excellent point. When I decided to start taking biotin and Centrum Silver, I asked my pharmacist to check whether they would interact with my meds. And I added them to my migraine journal, which my neurologist reads every time I visit her.

[hennalonghair]

Arctic, thank you for sharing your experience with thinning hair. I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this. :grouphug:

It sounds like you have a sound plan of action.

I forgot to mention that I went to a dermatologist during the first Great Shed. She said that my follicles looked healthy, that the hair that I hadn't lost was "beautiful" and that I should take biotin and use Rogaine.

I tried Rogaine and it caused my heart to race like a panic attack. I quit immediately.
I'm sorry Neoma. I completely missed this., I think it's always best to use natural treatments whenever possible. I don't plan on staying with the Rogaine. I just desperately needed something to stop it in its tracks while I figured out something else. Aveda makes great products and I'm happy you have received such positive results.
Have you ever considered taking food grade diatomaceous earth? It's actually a powder made from fossils that contains a high concentration of silica and other minerals. It tastes like chalk but it's great for skin, hair and nails as well as general health. I stopped taking it months ago but I think I will start up again.

I'm curious about the derma roller but when I looked it up it involved needles. :couch:
Isn't that something like self administered acupuncture?:hmm:
It's certainly an interesting concept but I'm not a big fan of puncturing myself.

[Neoma]

I'm sorry Neoma. I completely missed this., I think it's always best to use natural treatments whenever possible. I don't plan on staying with the Rogaine. I just desperately needed something to stop it in its tracks while I figured out something else. Aveda makes great products and I'm happy you have received such positive results.
Have you ever considered taking food grade diatomaceous earth? It's actually a powder made from fossils that contains a high concentration of silica and other minerals. It tastes like chalk but it's great for skin, hair and nails as well as general health. I stopped taking it months ago but I think I will start up again.


No need to apologize, hennalonghair. My original post was quite long.

I really like the Invati system. I only wish that it weren't so expensive. Oh, well... I may have to sell some hair toys in order to buy more Invati!

I have not taken food grade diatomaceous earth. If my current routine doesn't work, I may consider adding it. Thank you for the suggestion. :flower:

[hennalonghair]

No need to apologize, hennalonghair. My original post was quite long.

I really like the Invati system. I only wish that it weren't so expensive. Oh, well... I may have to sell some hair toys in order to buy more Invati!

I have not taken food grade diatomaceous earth. If my current routine doesn't work, I may consider adding it. Thank you for the suggestion. :flower:
Better to have hair than hair toys!
Just sayin':couch:

[Neoma]

Better to have hair than hair toys!
Just sayin':couch:
You're absolutely right, Ms. Smarty Pants! :p

[spotsb4myiz]

Neoma-
Thanks for the kind words. I believe I've been lucky in finding a great neurologist. It makes a difference when someone finally doesn't think you are crazy when you have migraines and actually has them himself.

[Agnieszka]

My story...
I'm dealing with this issue too unfortunately. It started about 8 years ago (I'm 35 right now). Someone commented once "I think your hair is thinning..." It is so difficult for me to even write about it here....Couple of months after that "your hair is thinning" comment my little niece aged 7 asked me if she can braid my hair, she took a hairbrush and while brushing my hair she said...Aunty I think you are getting bald on the top (in front of my husband btw.! It was a wake up call for me.

I went to the doctor and they checked my blood, ferritin was 10, way to low for healthy hair growth. I took an iron every night and after about half a year hair looked better.

Over the last 8 years I was on and off iron and when I stop taking it my ferritin goes down and scalp shows through.

I also tried co-washing in a past and henna at the same time (when I joined here in 2012 :-) and that was a disaster. My scalp got itchy and lost hair in clumps.Of course I was back on frequent sulphate shampoo (Nizoral and Nioxin are great for me) after that and my hair stopped falling. I'm not sure if it was henna to blame or co-washing but I'm not willing to try either ever again. Plus colour didn't suit me anyway. It was not only increased hair loss, it was a massive hair fall literally next day after henna. I noticed that frequent scalp washing with a clear sulphate shampoo works the best for me.

There were also two pregnancies in that 8 years and after each pregnancy I lost so much hair. Each time it took a year before it would stop.

I had originally fine hair and not a lot's of it but with that iron issue on op of everything my hair can look very, very thin. It doesn't help that genetically I'm not blessed either in a hair department :-) My dad is bald, my mum has thin hair...

Maybe one day I will try some rogaine, but I'm scared of the side effects and worried, that I won't be consistent enough applying it and it will confuse my follicles. I think iron deficiency is a key in my hairloss. I'm traveling to my home country soon and lab tests are so cheap there, so I'm going to check everything again.

I did some highlights on and off too as it helped with the scalp see through a bit, but recently decided no more and I chopped my hair to pixie to get rid of bleach. It's short, it's thin but in great condition :-)))) (and it will grow :-)

[Dorothy]

I started losing a lot of hair about 3 1/2 to 4 years ago. At first it was coming out in great quantity, not in clumps but it covered my bathmat and at least once a week I had to gather it with my fingers off the mat and throw away a wad. I'm perimenopausal, I'd lost a lot of weight the previous year, and just this past July I was finally diagnosed with Inflammatory Arthritis, perhaps Rheumatoid. I really tried to get my doctor interested in this problem, but she showed a total lack of interest and was against any medical intervention. She also failed to diagnose my inflammatory arthritis, which I've had symptoms of since my late 20's, and she'd been my doctor for 15 years of complaints about chronic pain and fatigue. I had grown my hair to waist before this, now it's BSL, I've trimmed to avoid the invisible ends situation, and people still tell me I have pretty hair. I was quite frustrated with my doctor, told her about my pony tail circumference loss of an inch and a half, showed her pictures of current and past buns....she was against rogaine, and in truth I'm on so much medication for other crap and feel so bad, I don't know that that was a bad decision.
I switched doctors this summer in fury, and my new doctor diagnosed me with inflammatory arthritis on my first visit (using no hair information) and sent me to a rheumatologist, who agreed, and put me on meds for it. It quickly got much worse, to the point where I couldn't hold a glass in one hand, and about a month ago I had my first systemic steroid shots, which helped my pain a lot. My hair loss seems to have stabilized, and although it's still extremely distressing to me, it does pale in comparison with the pain and fatigue. I take a variety of supplements including 5000 iu vitamin D. I'm glad to see a thread on this, I tried to get one started when this happened but it did not take. Current MD is not all that concerned about my hair either, I guess she thinks I have bigger fish to fry, and I understand that. I wish it would grow back, but I'm glad it's not getting worse. I will follow this thread.
I noticed a lot of folks stopped participating when their hair loss started, that was true for me too. I recently started giving away my big hairtoys to people with more hair than me who I'm close to locally, and that feels good. I'm working on accepting a lot of things right now.

[Neoma]

My story...
I'm dealing with this issue too unfortunately. It started about 8 years ago (I'm 35 right now). Someone commented once "I think your hair is thinning..." It is so difficult for me to even write about it here....Couple of months after that "your hair is thinning" comment my little niece aged 7 asked me if she can braid my hair, she took a hairbrush and while brushing my hair she said...Aunty I think you are getting bald on the top (in front of my husband btw.! It was a wake up call for me.

I went to the doctor and they checked my blood, ferritin was 10, way to low for healthy hair growth. I took an iron every night and after about half a year hair looked better.

Over the last 8 years I was on and off iron and when I stop taking it my ferritin goes down and scalp shows through.

I also tried co-washing in a past and henna at the same time (when I joined here in 2012 :-) and that was a disaster. My scalp got itchy and lost hair in clumps.Of course I was back on frequent sulphate shampoo (Nizoral and Nioxin are great for me) after that and my hair stopped falling. I'm not sure if it was henna to blame or co-washing but I'm not willing to try either ever again. Plus colour didn't suit me anyway. It was not only increased hair loss, it was a massive hair fall literally next day after henna. I noticed that frequent scalp washing with a clear sulphate shampoo works the best for me.

There were also two pregnancies in that 8 years and after each pregnancy I lost so much hair. Each time it took a year before it would stop.

I had originally fine hair and not a lot's of it but with that iron issue on op of everything my hair can look very, very thin. It doesn't help that genetically I'm not blessed either in a hair department :-) My dad is bald, my mum has thin hair...

Maybe one day I will try some rogaine, but I'm scared of the side effects and worried, that I won't be consistent enough applying it and it will confuse my follicles. I think iron deficiency is a key in my hairloss. I'm traveling to my home country soon and lab tests are so cheap there, so I'm going to check everything again.

I did some highlights on and off too as it helped with the scalp see through a bit, but recently decided no more and I chopped my hair to pixie to get rid of bleach. It's short, it's thin but in great condition :-)))) (and it will grow :-)
Agnieszka, thank you for sharing your story. Oh, those "I think your hair is thinning" comments can be so painful.

I was in an elevator with a colleague and a man I didn't know several years ago. She said, "Neoma, your hair used to be so much thicker." I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I understand why your niece said something to you (though maybe not in front of your DH), but why do people like coworkers feel like they have the right to address something so personal? :shrug:


t's short, it's thin but in great condition :-)))) (and it will grow :-)Absolutely! :cheer:


I started losing a lot of hair about 3 1/2 to 4 years ago. At first it was coming out in great quantity, not in clumps but it covered my bathmat and at least once a week I had to gather it with my fingers off the mat and throw away a wad. I'm perimenopausal, I'd lost a lot of weight the previous year, and just this past July I was finally diagnosed with Inflammatory Arthritis, perhaps Rheumatoid. I really tried to get my doctor interested in this problem, but she showed a total lack of interest and was against any medical intervention. She also failed to diagnose my inflammatory arthritis, which I've had symptoms of since my late 20's, and she'd been my doctor for 15 years of complaints about chronic pain and fatigue. I had grown my hair to waist before this, now it's BSL, I've trimmed to avoid the invisible ends situation, and people still tell me I have pretty hair. I was quite frustrated with my doctor, told her about my pony tail circumference loss of an inch and a half, showed her pictures of current and past buns....she was against rogaine, and in truth I'm on so much medication for other crap and feel so bad, I don't know that that was a bad decision.
I switched doctors this summer in fury, and my new doctor diagnosed me with inflammatory arthritis on my first visit (using no hair information) and sent me to a rheumatologist, who agreed, and put me on meds for it. It quickly got much worse, to the point where I couldn't hold a glass in one hand, and about a month ago I had my first systemic steroid shots, which helped my pain a lot. My hair loss seems to have stabilized, and although it's still extremely distressing to me, it does pale in comparison with the pain and fatigue. I take a variety of supplements including 5000 iu vitamin D. I'm glad to see a thread on this, I tried to get one started when this happened but it did not take. Current MD is not all that concerned about my hair either, I guess she thinks I have bigger fish to fry, and I understand that. I wish it would grow back, but I'm glad it's not getting worse. I will follow this thread.
I noticed a lot of folks stopped participating when their hair loss started, that was true for me too. I recently started giving away my big hairtoys to people with more hair than me who I'm close to locally, and that feels good. I'm working on accepting a lot of things right now.
Dorothy, I'm sorry to hear about your health issues and hair loss. I'm glad to hear that you're now seeing a doctor who has provided a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Overall health and pain management are certainly more important in the big scheme of things than hair loss. Having said that, I hope that you are able to regrow your hair as well. :flowers:

[summergreen]

Thanks for starting this thread Neoma :)

I started having problems with my hair after my daughter (second child) was born. After the initial post-partum shed, which probably wasnt as bad as I thought at the time, but quite bad enough when your hair's on the thin side to begin with, shedding seemed to become my scalp's default response to anything and everything.

My doctor said 'seb derm' although I had no flakes or anything - my scalp was sensitive though - and gave me a couple of things that I reacted badly to, then Nizoral which I didn't react to initially; I can't remember what effect it had, if any, and it did start irritating me eventually. I saw a dermatologist and he said 'androgenetic alopecia...oh, you won't go bald...just a little scalp will be visible when the wind blows, when you get older'. Well that's just great....

At some point during all this (it was all so long ago I can't remember the exact order things happened) I was diagnosed as hypothyroid, but taking the thyroxine still didn't sort my hair out. Finally the doctor tested my ferritin levels and they were really low, so I started on ferrous sulphate and this actually helped. So much so that I forgot about all the seb derm, alopecia stuff, assuming they'd been wrong. My hair was still thinner than I would have liked, but no extreme shedding or anything, just normal thinnish hair.

Unfortunately, many years on the huge (prescribed) doses of iron really messed up my insides and about three years ago my doctor told me to stop taking it - apparently I shouldn't need it now I'm post menopause - but my ferritin levels went down and down, and when I asked for it to be checked a year ago it was 22 - ok from the doctor's point of view but not ok for hair, so I've been taking spatone liquid supplements since then, but maybe they haven't been enough. My hair has been thinning all that time, and the front area to either side of my part is really bad now. I can count individual hairs and the scalp is clearly visible between them. I've just made an appointment to ask for blood tests and if my ferritin is anything below 70 I'm taking iron tablets again no matter what the side effects.

I've also been reading that thyroxine can cause female pattern baldness by increasing DHT levels, particularly after menopause!! This is so worrying, there is really no choice (that I know of) of not taking thyroxine. Apparently evening primrose oil can help some, so I've just started on that.

I'm also thinking of trying Nizoral again, as it's meant to help with hormone related thinning. And once I get my blood results I might try a herbalist. I'm a bit wary of Rogaine for various reasons, although I know it works well for many.

I'm also planning to buy a wig...a bit drastic but I really identify with my long hair and would rather have attractive long fake hair, even obviously fake hair, than my own hair that I feel unhappy with!


.

It's devastating losing all your hair, especially being a woman. Hair for us is like our main accessory and one we usually associate with our femininity. ( no offence meant to our fellow long hair members) Its one of the main features that distinguishes us between the men and something we are often most proud of so I REALLY do understand that inner mental anguish.


I couldn't agree more! And other people can be so dismissive of this. Some people just don't seem to see why it matters so much to us.


If I wear my hair down I always do a side part to help cover the thinness which sucks, I prefer a center part

Me too Jeni, I look terrible in a side part, have been trying to adjust to one but it looks almost worse than the thinness. It changes the shape of my face completely.

I'm really glad we have this thread, it's good to hear from others with similar problems.

[hennalonghair]

I'm not sure why doctors dismiss iron levels below 40 because apparently, from research I've done, low iron levels are the number one reason for women losing excessive hair. It should be between 40 to 70 .
Number 2 reason was hypothyroidism , 3rd reason : medication and 4th reason: hormonal - from pregnancy, birth control pills to menopausal.

It's sad that most doctors dismiss hair loss as not significant enough for serious consideration but I suppose they look at it as just vanity and not a life or death issue. :shrug:

Many women on Prilosec lose hair because it inhibits mineral absorption . Maybe other medications do this also .

[rags]

I'm not sure why doctors dismiss iron levels below 40 because apparently, from research I've done, low iron levels are the number one reason for women losing excessive hair. It should be between 40 to 70 .
Number 2 reason was hypothyroidism , 3rd reason : medication and 4th reason: hormonal - from pregnancy, birth control pills to menopausal.

It's sad that most doctors dismiss hair loss as not significant enough for serious consideration but I suppose they look at it as just vanity and not a life or death issue. :shrug:

Many women on Prilosec lose hair because it inhibits mineral absorption . Maybe other medications do this also .

Wow. I have all four of these (just finished menopause).

And yeah, with all the autoimmune disease, the anemias, etc. etc - my drs. aren't too worried about my hair.

[Neoma]

Thanks for starting this thread Neoma :)

I started having problems with my hair after my daughter (second child) was born. After the initial post-partum shed, which probably wasnt as bad as I thought at the time, but quite bad enough when your hair's on the thin side to begin with, shedding seemed to become my scalp's default response to anything and everything.

My doctor said 'seb derm' although I had no flakes or anything - my scalp was sensitive though - and gave me a couple of things that I reacted badly to, then Nizoral which I didn't react to initially; I can't remember what effect it had, if any, and it did start irritating me eventually. I saw a dermatologist and he said 'androgenetic alopecia...oh, you won't go bald...just a little scalp will be visible when the wind blows, when you get older'. Well that's just great....

At some point during all this (it was all so long ago I can't remember the exact order things happened) I was diagnosed as hypothyroid, but taking the thyroxine still didn't sort my hair out. Finally the doctor tested my ferritin levels and they were really low, so I started on ferrous sulphate and this actually helped. So much so that I forgot about all the seb derm, alopecia stuff, assuming they'd been wrong. My hair was still thinner than I would have liked, but no extreme shedding or anything, just normal thinnish hair.

Unfortunately, many years on the huge (prescribed) doses of iron really messed up my insides and about three years ago my doctor told me to stop taking it - apparently I shouldn't need it now I'm post menopause - but my ferritin levels went down and down, and when I asked for it to be checked a year ago it was 22 - ok from the doctor's point of view but not ok for hair, so I've been taking spatone liquid supplements since then, but maybe they haven't been enough. My hair has been thinning all that time, and the front area to either side of my part is really bad now. I can count individual hairs and the scalp is clearly visible between them. I've just made an appointment to ask for blood tests and if my ferritin is anything below 70 I'm taking iron tablets again no matter what the side effects.

I've also been reading that thyroxine can cause female pattern baldness by increasing DHT levels, particularly after menopause!! This is so worrying, there is really no choice (that I know of) of not taking thyroxine. Apparently evening primrose oil can help some, so I've just started on that.

I'm also thinking of trying Nizoral again, as it's meant to help with hormone related thinning. And once I get my blood results I might try a herbalist. I'm a bit wary of Rogaine for various reasons, although I know it works well for many.

I'm also planning to buy a wig...a bit drastic but I really identify with my long hair and would rather have attractive long fake hair, even obviously fake hair, than my own hair that I feel unhappy with!



I couldn't agree more! And other people can be so dismissive of this. Some people just don't seem to see why it matters so much to us.



Me too Jeni, I look terrible in a side part, have been trying to adjust to one but it looks almost worse than the thinness. It changes the shape of my face completely.

I'm really glad we have this thread, it's good to hear from others with similar problems.
You're welcome, summergreen. :flower: I'm glad that you joined the conversation.

It's interesting how many of us have/had low iron levels. I'm post menopausal, and mine was low enough that my endocrinologist (one of the world's best doctor's, BTW) told me to start taking iron supplements.

Today, I used an Aveda detangling spray after my Invati cleansing routine because detangling has been a nightmare lately. (I suspect that my hair is more snarly because it's fragile and damaged.) Detangling was relatively easy, but I made the mistake of spraying the detangler on my scalp. Needless to say, my main thinning spot looks like I have a comb-over.)

I decided to make a really cute updo so I'd feel better about the hair that I do have. I made a basic bun and secured it with some mini-spin pins. I finished with an antique rose hair pin (https://www.etsy.com/transaction/82825565). It looks really pretty and "girly," which I really needed today.

[Fairlight63]

I have also had thin - fine hair all of my life. But last yr. it started falling out really bad! I had been on a diet since Mar. 2014 & had lost a lot of weight. My hair was about waist length but was so fine & thin that it looked just awful! So I cut it back to BSL - I was crying as I did it - but you could see right through my thin - fine - gray hair (I am 70 yrs. old) I have since cut it to about APL trying to make it look better. I have quite a few hairs that are about 4" long mixed in with the "longer" hairs. I have tried the Nixon hair shampoo/cond. & vit. pills a couple of yrs. ago but I think that they caused me to have an irregular heart beats & I went to the doc. with them & he said that I had AFIB & got put on high blood pressure meds. which caused more hairloss! I just can't win! That is why I wanted to lose the weight. I lost about 95 pds. in 1 yr. (233 pds. to 138 pds. I am 5'7" ) I also have osteo-arthritis in my hips & hands. I had to have a hip replacement op. in June of this yr. because of pain in my left hip & I could hardly walk. I hope that I don't lose more hair from the op. or I won't have any hair left.
The ex-rays showed that the other hip is bone on bone also but it does not hurt yet so I am not going to do anything about it yet. I also have a bunch of Ficcares & Flexie 8's that I can't wear any more. When I put my hair up in a twist thing one little clip barriet will hold all of it :( I take a bunch of vit. but they don't seem to do anything for my hair. I am afraid of taking iron because of them being constipating & I have a big enough problem with that!
I hope that I have not rambled too much, LOL.

[Neoma]

Fairlight, I'm glad that you found this thread. I am so sorry to hear about your health issues and your hair loss.

You're not rambling! You're sharing! And you never know when something you've experienced might help another person. :flowers:

[rags]

Aw, Fairlight, it's good tp "see" you again! I'm sorry you're having all these health issues. Best wishes to get better soon! :flowers: (I cut my hair in stages. When it was BSL I could put it all up with an extra-small flexi! )

It seems that a lot of us have either nutritional deficiencies, hormone problems of some sort, and/or medication problems. That makes perfect sense to me.

[Neoma]

This afternoon, I asked DH to trim my hair. The ends looked fine (no visible splits or knots), but were snarly, and I didn't want to risk even more damage.

DH said that my hair looked healthy and he didn't know why I was trimming it, but he went ahead and trimmed about an inch.

I need to treat my hair like it's extremely delicate until this shedding is resolved.

[cadencesday]

My twin sister and I have had the same hair type until a couple years ago. Her hair has changed in texture. We both have fine but thick hair but ever since she started migraine meds, her hair is coarser and doesn't grow much anymore. I don't take meds except ibuprofen and seasonal allergy stuff.

[AutobotsAttack]

We'll for me I already have naturally fine hair, and for some reason this particular season, or rather this year in general, my hair is the longest it's probably ever been, but at the same time my thickeness I had (which wasn't a lot to begin with), is decreasing. While it isn't noticeable when dry, when my hair is wet it's very thin, but it's not at the ends, it's actually towards the mid shaft area. I've looked through all my brushes and combs for the last couple of months and there's no breakage or anything. Hopefully this is just a case of seasonal shedding but I'm worrying it might be more. I work out, eat healthy, and get PLENTY of rest and take extreme care of my hair and scalp. So I'm guessing this is just how my hair reacts to the change in seasons however my hair has never experienced seasonal shedding ever in my life up until now.

[Fairlight63]

Hi Rags! Good to also see you! I have not been checking in much because of hip problems - been checking out the hip replacement forums. Also since cutting my hair to APL it is hard to look at the thick long & beautiful hairs here & know that mine probably will never get thick. My hair also seems to have changed texture since the great shed. It is still fine & thin but more frizzy than curly. I guess it is an age thing.

[hennalonghair]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1ryLzrvXib4

[kdaniels8811]

Hi. all. I have not been on the forum much because my hair is also thinning. After chemo I was so impatient for my length to get back to waist and beyond. Well, it is there, at least 10 hairs or so. I was blaming the taper on all the different lengths but my hair is definately thinner than it has ever been. It looks thick in my picture, the reality is much less hair

No medical issues, just menopause. And I ran out of prenatal vitamins months ago, hmmm, maybe a pattern here? Even my small ficcares need some help staying in. I am glad to see this thread and hope all of us start seeing better health and more hair

Something I have started using is Polysorbate 80 on my scalp. I have my own line of bath and beauty products and it is a product I use in formulating. While researching I found it was used to regrow hair and may be the primary ingredient in Rogain. I figure it is worth a shot! I will keep you updated on progress as far as how it works. It takes several months to see results.

Rags - we have very hard water and I use an apple cider vinegar shampoo bar that works great on my finer than fine hair. If you like, I will send you one, PM me your address. If you are not interested that is fine! Sounds like you are dealing with enough at this point and hope things get back to "normal" for you soon!

[Neoma]

Hi. all. I have not been on the forum much because my hair is also thinning. After chemo I was so impatient for my length to get back to waist and beyond. Well, it is there, at least 10 hairs or so. I was blaming the taper on all the different lengths but my hair is definately thinner than it has ever been. It looks thick in my picture, the reality is much less hair

No medical issues, just menopause. And I ran out of prenatal vitamins months ago, hmmm, maybe a pattern here? Even my small ficcares need some help staying in. I am glad to see this thread and hope all of us start seeing better health and more hair

Something I have started using is Polysorbate 80 on my scalp. I have my own line of bath and beauty products and it is a product I use in formulating. While researching I found it was used to regrow hair and may be the primary ingredient in Rogain. I figure it is worth a shot! I will keep you updated on progress as far as how it works. It takes several months to see results.

Rags - we have very hard water and I use an apple cider vinegar shampoo bar that works great on my finer than fine hair. If you like, I will send you one, PM me your address. If you are not interested that is fine! Sounds like you are dealing with enough at this point and hope things get back to "normal" for you soon!
kdaniels8811, thank you for sharing your story with us.

I had never heard of polysorbate80 being used for hair loss. I will follow your results with interest.

In the meantime, I'm glad that you found this thread.

I'm with you, we could all use better health and increased hair regrowth!

[Neoma]

I ended up having some rather scary side effects from the med that was causing the hair loss, so my neurologist took me off of it yesterday.

I've tweaked my hair care routine to be CWC so my scalp gets all the Invati goodness and the length gets tons of moisture. This will also save money since Invati is pricey.

* Invati shampoo and conditioner -- scalp only
* Condition length twice with less expensive conditioner I have already
* Invati scalp spray after shower

I also use oils and leave-ins on the length as the spirit moves me.

The hair that I still have looks and feels fabulous.

I'm still losing a ton of hair. I hope that the shedding stops soon since I've quit the med.

[hennalonghair]

I ended up having some rather scary side effects from the med that was causing the hair loss, so my neurologist took me off of it yesterday.

I've tweaked my hair care routine to be CWC so my scalp gets all the Invati goodness and the length gets tons of moisture. This will also save money since Invati is pricey.

* Invati shampoo and conditioner -- scalp only
* Condition length twice with less expensive conditioner I have already
* Invati scalp spray after shower

I also use oils and leave-ins on the length as the spirit moves me.

The hair that I still have looks and feels fabulous.

I'm still losing a ton of hair. I hope that the shedding stops soon since I've quit the med.
I'm so glad you are off the meds that are causing this. Hopefully the side effects will subside quickly and your hair stops the drastic shedding. Your plan of action sounds encouraging .

I got my special shampoo today and I'm very impressed with the ingredients list. Now I understand why it's pricey. I'll be washing my hair with it soon and will post my results.

[hoggle]

I'm 32 and my temple area is almost completely bald despite having the thickest hair ever growing up. Thick red hair.

I always shed a lot i wish id taken it more seriously. I'm now taking iron supplements to raise my ferritin. I hope they work.

[Neoma]

I'm so glad you are off the meds that are causing this. Hopefully the side effects will subside quickly and your hair stops the drastic shedding. Your plan of action sounds encouraging .

I got my special shampoo today and I'm very impressed with the ingredients list. Now I understand why it's pricey. I'll be washing my hair with it soon and will post my results.Thank you, my friend. :flowers:

I am really looking forward to hearing your results with the new shampoo. I hope it regrows your glorious locks.


I'm 32 and my temple area is almost completely bald despite having the thickest hair ever growing up. Thick red hair.

I always shed a lot i wish id taken it more seriously. I'm now taking iron supplements to raise my ferritin. I hope they work.

Welcome to the thread, hoggle. I'm so sorry to hear about your dramatic hair loss. Did a medical professional tell you that iron deficiency was the underlying issue?

[LegoCaltrops]

My doctor has agreed to start taking me off my migraine meds, it's going to take 3 months before I'm completely off them & a while more before they're fully out of my body. I have to step the dose down gradually, partly due to side effects of withdrawal & partly to assess how badly my migraines might come back. I've looked into alternatives re treatment, but one of them isn't compatible with the meds, so I can't take it until I'm off the medication. Not looking forward to the next few months...

I've started selenium & zinc as apparently they can help mitigate the effects of the medication.

It might take a year or more for my hair to come back, or it might be permanent, according to which reports I look at about it.

My hair is still growing very well though - I've gained an inch in a month. A thin inch, but an inch nonetheless. I've been doing scalp massage, which I think has helped.

Thank you so much for starting this thread, Neoma, it's so much easier and such a relief to be able to discuss this with others who are having similar issues. It does feel like most people on here do mostly worry about how to get more length, better updos etc (in terms of hair issues).

[Neoma]

My doctor has agreed to start taking me off my migraine meds, it's going to take 3 months before I'm completely off them & a while more before they're fully out of my body. I have to step the dose down gradually, partly due to side effects of withdrawal & partly to assess how badly my migraines might come back. I've looked into alternatives re treatment, but one of them isn't compatible with the meds, so I can't take it until I'm off the medication. Not looking forward to the next few months...

I've started selenium & zinc as apparently they can help mitigate the effects of the medication.

It might take a year or more for my hair to come back, or it might be permanent, according to which reports I look at about it.

My hair is still growing very well though - I've gained an inch in a month. A thin inch, but an inch nonetheless. I've been doing scalp massage, which I think has helped.

Thank you so much for starting this thread, Neoma, it's so much easier and such a relief to be able to discuss this with others who are having similar issues. It does feel like most people on here do mostly worry about how to get more length, better updos etc (in terms of hair issues).
LegoCaltrops, I hope that weaning off the meds is gentle and pain free.

I'm glad to hear that your hair is growing back. An inch! Whoohoo! :cheer:

You're welcome re: starting the thread. I hope that we're all able to support each other through the trauma of dramatic hair loss (yes, I believe it is a trauma) and our attempts at regaining our glorious locks. :flowers:

[LegoCaltrops]

Me too - I nearly did a little dance when I measured! Thanks!

Can I ask, how many of the people on this thread believe that CO-washing caused or exacerbated their shedding? And of those, have any had any success in using essential oils on the scalp? The reason I ask is, I've been reading up about natural remedies for hair loss. It looks like peppermint & clary sage EOs may be particularly helpful in improving blood flow to the follicles, increasing follicle depth, & dispersing / acting against DHT.

According to what I've read, EOs aren't generally oily, as such, they're mostly more like essences than oils. And some have antifungal properties.

I'm interested in trying EOs to try & improve my hair density but I'm scared of increasing the shedding again - it's actually calmed down now I'm alternating Nizoral & a Tresemme silicone free shampoo. Would a patch test at the front (where I can see it) be a good idea - or really stupid? Some sources say that Peppermint EO isn't supposed to be used neat on the skin, so I would have to use a drop of each, on wet scalp, & just be careful to make sure it's thinly spread. Or maybe in Aloe Vera gel?

Any thoughts?

[summergreen]

Me too - I nearly did a little dance when I measured! Thanks!

Can I ask, how many of the people on this thread believe that CO-washing caused or exacerbated their shedding? And of those, have any had any success in using essential oils on the scalp? The reason I ask is, I've been reading up about natural remedies for hair loss. It looks like peppermint & clary sage EOs may be particularly helpful in improving blood flow to the follicles, increasing follicle depth, & dispersing / acting against DHT.

According to what I've read, EOs aren't generally oily, as such, they're mostly more like essences than oils. And some have antifungal properties.

I'm interested in trying EOs to try & improve my hair density but I'm scared of increasing the shedding again - it's actually calmed down now I'm alternating Nizoral & a Tresemme silicone free shampoo. Would a patch test at the front (where I can see it) be a good idea - or really stupid? Some sources say that Peppermint EO isn't supposed to be used neat on the skin, so I would have to use a drop of each, on wet scalp, & just be careful to make sure it's thinly spread. Or maybe in Aloe Vera gel?

Any thoughts?

I haven't used EOs myself but I'm pretty sure they need to be diluted in a carrier oil, that's what I would do - perhaps jojoba oil - and maybe use as a pre wash treatment? I would do the patch test somewhere it won't matter too much if you do have a reaction!

That said, if the shedding has calmed down I would just stick with what was working - but I'm a scaredy cat worrywart :D

[Neoma]

Me too - I nearly did a little dance when I measured! Thanks!

Can I ask, how many of the people on this thread believe that CO-washing caused or exacerbated their shedding? And of those, have any had any success in using essential oils on the scalp? The reason I ask is, I've been reading up about natural remedies for hair loss. It looks like peppermint & clary sage EOs may be particularly helpful in improving blood flow to the follicles, increasing follicle depth, & dispersing / acting against DHT.

According to what I've read, EOs aren't generally oily, as such, they're mostly more like essences than oils. And some have antifungal properties.

I'm interested in trying EOs to try & improve my hair density but I'm scared of increasing the shedding again - it's actually calmed down now I'm alternating Nizoral & a Tresemme silicone free shampoo. Would a patch test at the front (where I can see it) be a good idea - or really stupid? Some sources say that Peppermint EO isn't supposed to be used neat on the skin, so I would have to use a drop of each, on wet scalp, & just be careful to make sure it's thinly spread. Or maybe in Aloe Vera gel?

Any thoughts?
LegoCaltrops, summergreen is right... EO's are generally mixed with a "carrier oil" such as almond or jojoba. There are a number of EO's that are thought to contribute to hair growth. I have had mixed results with them.

I would be hesitant to use EO's while I was using Nizoral. And since you're experiencing good results with what you're doing, personally I wouldn't risk it.

:twocents:

[moxamoll]

I'll join in too. I'm in my early 40's now, so some thinning of the hair is probably to be expected. Last year, I was really stressed about my horrible job and the fact that The Consort had been out of work for a while and I had a pretty big shed. I'd say I lost about 1/4-1/3 of my ponytail diameter. Then he got a job and we moved and I had to quit my job and I got to relax for a while and the shedding slowed down. I was just starting to accept it all, when I broke my finger and had to have surgery to have it pinned, followed two weeks later by being hit by lightening. I spent most of the summer in a cast, watching my hair fall out. I'm down to about half my previous diameter and the only saving grace is that I had pretty thick hair to start with!

I've been challenged with hair products anyway, as I have allergies and dermatographia which can be triggered by chemicals. My mom has used Nioxin for years, so even though I generally have problems with SLS, I borrowed some from her. These days, I wash every 5-7 days instead of daily, so I thought maybe lower exposure would limit my reaction. And so far, so good. The shedding has decreased dramatically! I'd say I'm back to the same amount in the drain catcher after a wash as I had back before this all started. And I can comb out my hair without getting another depressing handful. The other thing I've done is started taking the Priorin supplements religiously. They taste like chocolate! It's only been a few weeks and they say it can take up to 3 months to have a noticeable effect, but fingers crossed. Even if I sprout a bunch of babies, it will literally take years to fill out my full length, but I can be patient (I think) if I know it's coming.

[Neoma]

I'll join in too. I'm in my early 40's now, so some thinning of the hair is probably to be expected. Last year, I was really stressed about my horrible job and the fact that The Consort had been out of work for a while and I had a pretty big shed. I'd say I lost about 1/4-1/3 of my ponytail diameter. Then he got a job and we moved and I had to quit my job and I got to relax for a while and the shedding slowed down. I was just starting to accept it all, when I broke my finger and had to have surgery to have it pinned, followed two weeks later by being hit by lightening. I spent most of the summer in a cast, watching my hair fall out. I'm down to about half my previous diameter and the only saving grace is that I had pretty thick hair to start with!

I've been challenged with hair products anyway, as I have allergies and dermatographia which can be triggered by chemicals. My mom has used Nioxin for years, so even though I generally have problems with SLS, I borrowed some from her. These days, I wash every 5-7 days instead of daily, so I thought maybe lower exposure would limit my reaction. And so far, so good. The shedding has decreased dramatically! I'd say I'm back to the same amount in the drain catcher after a wash as I had back before this all started. And I can comb out my hair without getting another depressing handful. The other thing I've done is started taking the Priorin supplements religiously. They taste like chocolate! It's only been a few weeks and they say it can take up to 3 months to have a noticeable effect, but fingers crossed. Even if I sprout a bunch of babies, it will literally take years to fill out my full length, but I can be patient (I think) if I know it's coming.

Thank you for joining the conversation, moxamoll. :flowers:

I'm sorry to hear about all of the stressful events. I hope that the Nioxin and the supplements help you regrow your glorious locks.

I hear you about waiting for the baby hairs to grow... I have a whole crop of babies coming in. I can tell, because they're silver and the rest of my hair is henna/hibiscus. If I think about how long it will take them to reach waist length (about three years if history repeats itself), I'll get terribly depressed. So I'm opting not to think about it!

[monsoonstorm]

Well I suppose I should class this thread as fate...

I've been away from the forum for quite a while now as my hair has been getting thinner. It's upsetting to say the least, and my remedy was simply to stay away. I have epilepsy and the meds cause it... No cure, no alternatives, been there done that, it is what it is and it's not going to change.

I came back on the forum because I recently lost my one and only Quattro 4 prong mini, one of my best hair forks, and I was hoping to replace it. I decided to click on "new posts" out of curiosity and this thread was sitting there at the top.

Feeling a tad emotional at the minute so not entirely sure what to say. I wish there was a cure. I may go and see my doctor to check iron levels and such, just in case. I may also ask her about rogaine. I don't know. I just wish it would go away.

Hugs to you all

[Neoma]

Well I suppose I should class this thread as fate...

I've been away from the forum for quite a while now as my hair has been getting thinner. It's upsetting to say the least, and my remedy was simply to stay away. I have epilepsy and the meds cause it... No cure, no alternatives, been there done that, it is what it is and it's not going to change.

I came back on the forum because I recently lost my one and only Quattro 4 prong mini, one of my best hair forks, and I was hoping to replace it. I decided to click on "new posts" out of curiosity and this thread was sitting there at the top.

Feeling a tad emotional at the minute so not entirely sure what to say. I wish there was a cure. I may go and see my doctor to check iron levels and such, just in case. I may also ask her about rogaine. I don't know. I just wish it would go away.

Hugs to you all
Welcome, monsoonstorm. :grouphug:

I'm sorry to hear about your hair loss. The med I was taking for migraines that caused this current Great Shed is an epilepsy med that is famous for causing hair loss.

I hope that your doctor is able to offer some real solutions.

[LegoCaltrops]

LegoCaltrops, summergreen is right... EO's are generally mixed with a "carrier oil" such as almond or jojoba. There are a number of EO's that are thought to contribute to hair growth. I have had mixed results with them.

I would be hesitant to use EO's while I was using Nizoral. And since you're experiencing good results with what you're doing, personally I wouldn't risk it.

:twocents:

That's a shame - I can't use oils on my scalp. CO-washing was a disaster, & on the few occasions I've used oil treatments on my hair & scalp, I'd lost a fair bit at the time & after, too. I'd assumed at the time it was due to traction or user error but apparently not. EO are apparently not actually in fact oily, they are more like essences, which is why I thought I might be safe with them.

I'm not really getting any new growth, the shedding is just slowing down.

[ravenheather]

I have used essential oils in a spray bottle with water and mixed into aloe gel. They don't have to be mixed with oil.

[LegoCaltrops]

Thanks, ravenheather. I think I'll leave it a few weeks & see if there's any sign of new growth starting, but if not, I might try it. I daren't risk oiling my scalp again - apparently it's the oleic acid in oil which can make shedding worse, & I've looked up peppermint & clary sage, neither appears to contain oleic acid. Whereas most real oils do. I'm quite scared of the prospect of doing anything to make more fall out though. If I look at my front hairline in a mirror, I can see the shape of the top of my scalp, right at the top of my head. Quite glad winter's coming - I like hats at the moment.

Neoma - sounds like we've had similar issues. Mine is also an epilepsy drug I'm on for migraines. I've looked on migraine forums & it looks like the hair loss aspect has only become apparent in the last decade - about as long as I've been on it. I'm sure it didn't mention alopecia or hair loss when I started it, or at least it wasn't noted as affecting 1/10 who took it.

Monsoonstorm - I know what you mean about the fate thing. This thread got started at just the right time for me, too.

[Alma Petra]

Does anybody of you come out with their hands full of baby hairs after they have oiled/massaged their scalp or rubbed rogaine in? I think that this is the worst feeling in the whole world ever! It's like defeating your own purpose! It's a constant reminder of your problem!
Why on earth do these baby hairs just want to fall out and be gone? :justy:

[rags]

Does anybody of you come out with their hands full of baby hairs after they have oiled/massaged their scalp or rubbed rogaine in? I think that this is the worst feeling in the whole world ever! It's like defeating your own purpose! It's a constant reminder of your problem!
Why on earth do these baby hairs just want to fall out and be gone? :justy:

I don't oil/massage my scalp for this very reason. Like LegoCaltrops, my hair shed not only with oil on the scalp - but also due to excess manipulation. I discovered that after not only was CO a disaster, but when I started so were shampoo bars. Shedding like crazy! After I learned to suds them up in my hands and not by swiping them on my hair I had better results (at least as far as shedding goes. My hard water still doesn't play well with them). And yes, the baby hairs will sometimes come out for me too, in fact they seem to shed more than anything else. Part of my theory is that I just have a ton of hairs around my face with a short terminal length. So of course they're going to shed more, because they can grow in and shed after three inches, so it's a constant shedding with them. At least that's what I keep telling myself, and if it's different I don't want to know! :lala:

[Beborani]

K
Does anybody of you come out with their hands full of baby hairs after they have oiled/massaged their scalp or rubbed rogaine in? I think that this is the worst feeling in the whole world ever! It's like defeating your own purpose! It's a constant reminder of your problem!
Why on earth do these baby hairs just want to fall out and be gone? :justy:

Why do you rub rogaine in? Most likely it will get off your scalp and on your hair--rubbing works only for bald men. I use the tip of rattail comb to 'rub' it in gently in areas where scalp is visible. In other areas I just apply it with dropper and let it dry as is--changing patterns of application every day to get to different areas of scalp over a period of few days. If you are using foam, you may want to consider switiching to liquid as it may not be the best choice for long haired women as we want it on scalp and not our hair.

[LegoCaltrops]

Does anybody of you come out with their hands full of baby hairs after they have oiled/massaged their scalp or rubbed rogaine in? I think that this is the worst feeling in the whole world ever! It's like defeating your own purpose! It's a constant reminder of your problem!
Why on earth do these baby hairs just want to fall out and be gone? :justy:

I've completely given up on the idea of real oils of any kind on my scalp. I'm not 100% sure what has caused the reduction in hair density for me - I used at least to be a healthy ii - but I know the shedding has slowed since I stopped CO-washing. I always shed a lot after an oiling so I'm not doing them any more either. I do think my issue is at least partly due to medication, but I'm not off the meds yet & the shedding has slowed already.

As I gain length, I'll just do DTs etc on the length , but I'll need to be confident I can keep it off my scalp. My hair loved it (always got compliments after & it was so silky) but hair health starts with the scalp.

That said, I'm still contemplating using essential oils on my scalp to help encourage the follicles, as EOs aren't in fact oily. But I'm hoping I'll start seeing new growth without that.

I do use scalp massage as a follicle stimulation technique, but I either do it gently on a dry head, or in the shower, with shampoo. I use Nizoral for some washes, which is supposed to be massaged in & left for a few minutes anyway.

[hennalonghair]

I don't oil/massage my scalp for this very reason. Like LegoCaltrops, my hair shed not only with oil on the scalp - but also due to excess manipulation. I discovered that after not only was CO a disaster, but when I started so were shampoo bars. Shedding like crazy! After I learned to suds them up in my hands and not by swiping them on my hair I had better results (at least as far as shedding goes. My hard water still doesn't play well with them). And yes, the baby hairs will sometimes come out for me too, in fact they seem to shed more than anything else. Part of my theory is that I just have a ton of hairs around my face with a short terminal length. So of course they're going to shed more, because they can grow in and shed after three inches, so it's a constant shedding with them. At least that's what I keep telling myself, and if it's different I don't want to know! :lala:
I'm exactly the same. CO was a nightmare for me and I've never lost more hair than I did when I started washing with WEN shampoo or using oil on my scalp. Now the only oil I use on my scalp is peppermint EO. I know it's meant to be used in a carrier oil but I don't use it that way nor will I ever. After gently massaging my scalp so I have a bit of natural hair oil on my hands and add 2 drops . I rub my hands together until both hands smell very pepperminty. Then I gently massage my scalp. For me, because I'm an iii I can get scalp issues if I don't use this. In the past I had dandruff issues and Seborrehea dermatitis(years ago) which are fungal related and cause hair loss. I'm not suggesting this for anyone else but it does work well for me. I also use the foam version of Rogaine but now only twice weekly ,since I bought my specialty shampoo for thinning hair and it seems to be working. It's made from all natural ingredients and I highly suggest using it for anyone with thinning hair issues. It's amazing and I honestly didn't believe a shampoo could deliver such great results. I'm so impressed with it I'm considering making a separate thread just for this product alone. On the back of the bottle it says:

Our new gold formula is our most effective anti hair loss shampoo to date.

This is our most effective anti loss shampoo to date. It has 15 of the most broad spectrum advance DHT blockers on the market. Now with ketoconazola and other clinically proven ingredients to help with thinning hair and scalp problems. DHT is a hormone linked to hair loss. Our formula blocks these hormones and starts nourishing follicles with essential nutrients to help resuscitate lifeless hair and begin the regeneration process. Biotin strengthens the hair shaft and niacin increases circulation and our exclusive DHT blocker blend promotes healthy hair growth. Safe for daily use of all hair types, safe on colour treated hair and used for both men and women.

I hadn't made the DMT connection before:shrug:

Since this shampoo is used as a treatment shampoo I expected it to have an unpleasant scent but was pleasantly surprised that it actually doesn't have much of a scent at all. It's not completely unscented but it certainly doesn't have perfume or extra scent added which is great for those of us with fibromyalgia or other auto immune related issues which I have.

Another thing I did was start taking my vitamins again. I've always known that taking extra vitamins has helped me ten fold but over the summer months I got so busy with business and home renovations that I put my health on the back burner and didn't give nutrients the importance they deserve. Essentially I started taking my health for granted.

Because I have fibro I understand that my cells are inflamed more than the average healthy person so started eliminating all the things that contribute to inflammation including sugar and processed foods which also makes the world of difference.
Foods are either inflammatory or non-inflammatory so I choose my foods more wisely now.

And before anyone jumps on my case as to whether my approach is doctor approved I'd like to point out that I've been down the road of conventional medicine and it has only made my problems worse. In fact every issue I had that I went to my doctor with was merely met with yet another prescription. Pain meds and anti inflammatory meds were prescribed which caused deterioration of my stomach lining which I was given a med for. My liver and adrenal glands were shutting down, which I was given a med for. My b12 was depleted due to vitamin deficiencies caused by the meds which I was given shots for. I started getting stomach pains , headaches and GERD which I was given a med for. My thyroid became under active which my doctor was only to happy to prescribe yet another prescription for but I was already on 7 different meds and I felt the worst I'd ever felt in my life so this approach was clearly not working for me. Even when my cholesterol was high the first thing he wanted to do was prescribe a med for that.
I took kelp for natural iodine, substituted better fats to help with the cholesterol, chose better foods to decrease the inflammation which in itself got rid of the pain and took ACV for the GERD symptoms. When my next appointment came and I got retested my cholesterol had dropped down to a healthy level, my thyroid condition had reversed back to normal and my antibodies were down to a normal range. I no longer had stomach pains because I wasn't taking meds that deteriorated my stomach and I lost the 60 pounds that I had gained since I'd been prescribed all these meds. My doctor was shocked ! Now you'd think that he would have been pleased with my new and improved health but oddly enough he wasn't. He STILL pushed these drugs on me and made me feel like I would perish without them and I didn't. Of course he's not going to be happy because prescribing pills is his bread and butter. He doesn't make a living making me healthier. He makes a living off me being sick.

Anyway I am not in the least suggesting that anyone here go off their meds. I'm just sharing MY personal story of how meds just didn't work for me.

I'm slowly but gradually gaining my health back and will NEVER EVER take the conventional medical route to health again.
In my personal opinion, healthy hair sprouts from a healthy body and that all starts from my own healthy choices, not my doctors.

[LegoCaltrops]

I recognise that shampoo, Hennalonghair! Glad it's working for you. If my current regime doesn't start to show some positive results in a few months, I was thinking of splashing out on that one.

[lapushka]

Well I suppose I should class this thread as fate...

I've been away from the forum for quite a while now as my hair has been getting thinner. It's upsetting to say the least, and my remedy was simply to stay away. I have epilepsy and the meds cause it... No cure, no alternatives, been there done that, it is what it is and it's not going to change.

I came back on the forum because I recently lost my one and only Quattro 4 prong mini, one of my best hair forks, and I was hoping to replace it. I decided to click on "new posts" out of curiosity and this thread was sitting there at the top.

Feeling a tad emotional at the minute so not entirely sure what to say. I wish there was a cure. I may go and see my doctor to check iron levels and such, just in case. I may also ask her about rogaine. I don't know. I just wish it would go away.

Hugs to you all

Get your vitamin levels checked. Anti-seizure medication is known to cause a loss in especially B-vitamins. I read that somewhere when I started to take mine (for chronic pain). I take a multivitamin daily because of it. And I have no hair falling out.

Edit: well I do have hair falling out and the seasonal shed is going on as well, but my hair is not thinning is what I was trying to convey.

[hennalonghair]

I recognise that shampoo, Hennalonghair! Glad it's working for you. If my current regime doesn't start to show some positive results in a few months, I was thinking of splashing out on that one.

This isn't their latest formula but it's a lot cheaper. It's also a 16 ounce bottle.
http://www.amazon.com/Pura-dor-Prevention-Premium-Organic/dp/B0079R6BD2

[Alma Petra]

I don't oil/massage my scalp for this very reason. Like LegoCaltrops, my hair shed not only with oil on the scalp - but also due to excess manipulation. I discovered that after not only was CO a disaster, but when I started so were shampoo bars. Shedding like crazy! After I learned to suds them up in my hands and not by swiping them on my hair I had better results (at least as far as shedding goes. My hard water still doesn't play well with them). And yes, the baby hairs will sometimes come out for me too, in fact they seem to shed more than anything else. Part of my theory is that I just have a ton of hairs around my face with a short terminal length. So of course they're going to shed more, because they can grow in and shed after three inches, so it's a constant shedding with them. At least that's what I keep telling myself, and if it's different I don't want to know! :lala:

These are wise words, rags. The problem with avoiding excessive manipulation is that I feel that I can't force these hairs to remain attached to my scalp if they really don't want to. I mean if this is their terminal length and they should be falling then they will fall eventually whether I manipulate them or not. And the sad thing is that this is progressive. Initially the follicle produces long normal hairs, then the terminal length starts getting shorter, then at a certain time the baby hair that falls out will not be replaced with another one. Its place remains bare. My hairline keeps regressing.


K

Why do you rub rogaine in? Most likely it will get off your scalp and on your hair--rubbing works only for bald men. I use the tip of rattail comb to 'rub' it in gently in areas where scalp is visible. In other areas I just apply it with dropper and let it dry as is--changing patterns of application every day to get to different areas of scalp over a period of few days. If you are using foam, you may want to consider switiching to liquid as it may not be the best choice for long haired women as we want it on scalp and not our hair.

Thank you Beborani for the tips. I use the 5% liquid and I think I read on the label that it should be rubbed in but I'm not sure. I can buy another one tomorrow and read the label. In fact I mainly rub it in to ensure even distribution of the drug on the bald areas (and to enhance absorption?). I also oil my edges with a mixture of peppermint oil, castor oil, and rosemary oil and I apply monistat as well. I usually use rubbing in for all three substances. But tonight I avoided rubbing and resorted to just patting them in. I didn't have any baby hairs on my hand at the end but I felt that the application was messy. I wasn't 100% sure of the coverage and I think that I had a tendency to apply more than necessary, even with rogaine. I'm not sure if it's worth it, because I have the feeling that all these baby hairs I left in place tonight will be shed all together on the next wash day :wail:


I've completely given up on the idea of real oils of any kind on my scalp. I'm not 100% sure what has caused the reduction in hair density for me - I used at least to be a healthy ii - but I know the shedding has slowed since I stopped CO-washing. I always shed a lot after an oiling so I'm not doing them any more either. I do think my issue is at least partly due to medication, but I'm not off the meds yet & the shedding has slowed already.

As I gain length, I'll just do DTs etc on the length , but I'll need to be confident I can keep it off my scalp. My hair loved it (always got compliments after & it was so silky) but hair health starts with the scalp.

That said, I'm still contemplating using essential oils on my scalp to help encourage the follicles, as EOs aren't in fact oily. But I'm hoping I'll start seeing new growth without that.

I do use scalp massage as a follicle stimulation technique, but I either do it gently on a dry head, or in the shower, with shampoo. I use Nizoral for some washes, which is supposed to be massaged in & left for a few minutes anyway.

Like rags, I think my problem lies with the act of massaging itself which avulses these loose hairs from their place. And it seems that ALL my hair is now loosely attached for some reason. It could continue to shed forever with manipulation. In addition to this oiling seems to make the shedding worse. But if you are able to do a good dry massage to your scalp without increasing shedding then I think that you can try massaging with essential oils on a test area and see what this will result in. If it doesn't cause increased shedding, you can then proceed to massage your whole scalp.

Me too my overall shedding seems to have stabilized. I don't know if this current rate of shedding is normal or not but it's much less than before. Maybe because my hair is now very thin. Or maybe the problem is now under control? But my edges have not stabilized yet unfortunately.

Luckily I'm able to continue cowashing. I don't feel a difference in shedding between cowashing and pooing.

[Silverbrumby]

When you use Rogaine that is supposed to happen. It causes you to shed out the fine baby hair and when the new hair comes in it should be thicker and grow to full length. But Rogaine also causes a lot of hair to fall out for some people. Then is should grow back after about 3 months or so. But not everyone gets that result.

Hello Alma Petra. Here is a Rogaine/Dermal Roller double blind study done a few years back. It was never followed up or repeated as far as I know. The reason I believe is that the dermal roller showed such amazing results with Rogaine that there was no profit in pursuing it. It made Rogaine look bad and maybe unnecessary. What it does show is that with using the Dermal Roller as well as Rogaine that those subjects got these results compared to the people just using Rogaine:

Link to study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746236/

(1) Hair counts – The mean change in hair count at week 12 was significantly greater for the Microneedling group compared to the Minoxidil group (91.4 vs 22.2 respectively). (2) Investigator evaluation – Forty patients in Microneedling group had +2 to +3 response on 7-point visual analogue scale, while none showed the same response in the Minoxidil group. (3) Patient evaluation – In the Microneedling group, 41 (82%) patients reported more than 50% improvement versus only 2 (4.5%) patients in the Minoxidil group. Unsatisfied patients to conventional therapy for AGA got good response with Microneedling treatment.

If you are using Rogaine then why not add the micro needling which in this study really improved results. 82% compared to 4.5% in the none needle group. Here is a link to the micro needles on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Needle-Micro-Roller-Stretch/dp/B00U20HRBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445746426&sr=8-1&keywords=dermal+roller

Don't get this type. The teeth are more knife like.
http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Cleaner-1080-Needle-Beauty/dp/B011R4N3WY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1445746426&sr=8-2&keywords=dermal+roller

You have to dermal needle once a week but not put Rogaine on when you do that. Wait 24 hrs after rolling then apply the 5%.

Good luck. I only use the dermal roller on my scalp btw but I've gain back about 1/2 inch over 10 months so far. It's stabilized and I still go through sheds but it's not that bad and I'm not under 3 inches anymore.

p.s. look at the picture on fig. 6 and compare it to the picture in fig. 7

[Alma Petra]

When you use Rogaine that is supposed to happen. It causes you to shed out the fine baby hair and when the new hair comes in it should be thicker and grow to full length. But Rogaine also causes a lot of hair to fall out for some people. Then is should grow back after about 3 months or so. But not everyone gets that result.

Hello Alma Petra. Here is a Rogaine/Dermal Roller double blind study done a few years back. It was never followed up or repeated as far as I know. The reason I believe is that the dermal roller showed such amazing results with Rogaine that there was no profit in pursuing it. It made Rogaine look bad and maybe unnecessary. What it does show is that with using the Dermal Roller as well as Rogaine that those subjects got these results compared to the people just using Rogaine:

Link to study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746236/

(1) Hair counts – The mean change in hair count at week 12 was significantly greater for the Microneedling group compared to the Minoxidil group (91.4 vs 22.2 respectively). (2) Investigator evaluation – Forty patients in Microneedling group had +2 to +3 response on 7-point visual analogue scale, while none showed the same response in the Minoxidil group. (3) Patient evaluation – In the Microneedling group, 41 (82%) patients reported more than 50% improvement versus only 2 (4.5%) patients in the Minoxidil group. Unsatisfied patients to conventional therapy for AGA got good response with Microneedling treatment.

If you are using Rogaine then why not add the micro needling which in this study really improved results. 82% compared to 4.5% in the none needle group. Here is a link to the micro needles on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Needle-Micro-Roller-Stretch/dp/B00U20HRBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445746426&sr=8-1&keywords=dermal+roller

Don't get this type. The teeth are more knife like.
http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Cleaner-1080-Needle-Beauty/dp/B011R4N3WY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1445746426&sr=8-2&keywords=dermal+roller

You have to dermal needle once a week but not put Rogaine on when you do that. Wait 24 hrs after rolling then apply the 5%.

Good luck. I only use the dermal roller on my scalp btw but I've gain back about 1/2 inch over 10 months so far. It's stabilized and I still go through sheds but it's not that bad and I'm not under 3 inches anymore.

p.s. look at the picture on fig. 6 and compare it to the picture in fig. 7

Thank you so much Silverbrumby for this rich supply of information. It gives me hope to think that maybe after these baby hairs fall out I will be able to have stronger longer hairs taking their place. Fingers crossed!

And you got me excited about using the derma roller. I've had a look at them. Is it very painful to use them? Is MT roller the brand that you are using? Because there are so many of them out there it is sort of confusing. If this is the one that you are using, I'll go for it, because it is not easy to tell by just looking which ones have good needles and which ones have damaging needles. What needle length is suitable for the scalp. And how often will I need to replace it with a new one?

[parkmikii]

When you use Rogaine that is supposed to happen. It causes you to shed out the fine baby hair and when the new hair comes in it should be thicker and grow to full length. But Rogaine also causes a lot of hair to fall out for some people. Then is should grow back after about 3 months or so. But not everyone gets that result.

Hello Alma Petra. Here is a Rogaine/Dermal Roller double blind study done a few years back. It was never followed up or repeated as far as I know. The reason I believe is that the dermal roller showed such amazing results with Rogaine that there was no profit in pursuing it. It made Rogaine look bad and maybe unnecessary. What it does show is that with using the Dermal Roller as well as Rogaine that those subjects got these results compared to the people just using Rogaine:

Link to study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746236/

(1) Hair counts – The mean change in hair count at week 12 was significantly greater for the Microneedling group compared to the Minoxidil group (91.4 vs 22.2 respectively). (2) Investigator evaluation – Forty patients in Microneedling group had +2 to +3 response on 7-point visual analogue scale, while none showed the same response in the Minoxidil group. (3) Patient evaluation – In the Microneedling group, 41 (82%) patients reported more than 50% improvement versus only 2 (4.5%) patients in the Minoxidil group. Unsatisfied patients to conventional therapy for AGA got good response with Microneedling treatment.

If you are using Rogaine then why not add the micro needling which in this study really improved results. 82% compared to 4.5% in the none needle group. Here is a link to the micro needles on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Needle-Micro-Roller-Stretch/dp/B00U20HRBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445746426&sr=8-1&keywords=dermal+roller

Don't get this type. The teeth are more knife like.
http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Cleaner-1080-Needle-Beauty/dp/B011R4N3WY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1445746426&sr=8-2&keywords=dermal+roller

You have to dermal needle once a week but not put Rogaine on when you do that. Wait 24 hrs after rolling then apply the 5%.

Good luck. I only use the dermal roller on my scalp btw but I've gain back about 1/2 inch over 10 months so far. It's stabilized and I still go through sheds but it's not that bad and I'm not under 3 inches anymore.

p.s. look at the picture on fig. 6 and compare it to the picture in fig. 7

The first roller is the one you use? I'm interested in this as well but I noticed that the reviews aren't too good on that one, but you got impressive results :)

[Neoma]

I quit taking the offending med a week ago. I am still losing handfuls of hair when I shampoo. I know it's too early to see a difference. I just wanted to share that where someone would understand. :(

[rags]

Neoma, I'm so sorry. Yes, it does take time, but of course it's really discouraging. I'm sorry. :grouphug:

[Silverbrumby]

The first roller is the one you use? I'm interested in this as well but I noticed that the reviews aren't too good on that one, but you got impressive results :)

i use the first roller on my scalp. NOT the second one. I have both and the second one has cutting blades whereas the first are more pins.

This is the one I use.

http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Needle-Micro-Roller-Stretch/dp/B00U20HRBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445746426&sr=8-1&keywords=dermal+roller

You dont have to press hard at all. I'd recommend running it over a parted section of fleshly washed but combed out hair. I do my center part first then 1/2 to 3/4 inch sections to the left side. It depends on my energy levels. I run the roller over the part 3 or 4 times. Not to the point of visible blood. Do it light then adjust to what feels right to you. Use alcohol after and before every use to sterilize. Repeat on right side of hear. I only do my front and crown areas. Occasionally sides but I'm lazy.

You will know with 2 weeks if this works for you. I noticed a decline in shedding within a week but I did do it every 2nd day until I realized it was too much. Once a week seems to be perfect for me. I stretched it to once a month and shedding started up again. I'm back to weekly and it's working.

IMO if you are going to use rogaine then why not add this. BUT do be very careful if you have low blood pressure. Mixodiall is a blood pressure lowering medicine and maybe the needling will increase absorption.

[parkmikii]

i use the first roller on my scalp. NOT the second one. I have both and the second one has cutting blades whereas the first are more pins.

This is the one I use.

http://www.amazon.com/Facial-Needle-Micro-Roller-Stretch/dp/B00U20HRBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445746426&sr=8-1&keywords=dermal+roller

You dont have to press hard at all. I'd recommend running it over a parted section of fleshly washed but combed out hair. I do my center part first then 1/2 to 3/4 inch sections to the left side. It depends on my energy levels. I run the roller over the part 3 or 4 times. Not to the point of visible blood. Do it light then adjust to what feels right to you. Use alcohol after and before every use to sterilize. Repeat on right side of hear. I only do my front and crown areas. Occasionally sides but I'm lazy.

You will know with 2 weeks if this works for you. I noticed a decline in shedding within a week but I did do it every 2nd day until I realized it was too much. Once a week seems to be perfect for me. I stretched it to once a month and shedding started up again. I'm back to weekly and it's working.

IMO if you are going to use rogaine then why not add this. BUT do be very careful if you have low blood pressure. Mixodiall is a blood pressure lowering medicine and maybe the needling will increase absorption.

Thank you! Adding that to my experiments list :)
I'll look for sellers that ship to my country.

[lapispimpernel]

What a timely thread. I used to post here a bit, but after some job things and life things, hair dropped pretty low on my list. I've been going through a slow shed for the past 6-8mo and have lost about 1/3 of my thickness, I think. Once it got to the point of my staring enviously at strangers' braid thickness, I finally made an appointment with a dermatologist. She said my scalp is fine, and my iron and thyroid levels are within normal range (though just barely). I'm to continue with the biotin and daily multi and check back in in a few months. She also had me start using Nioxin, but it's too early to tell if that's helping yet. Fingers crossed, and now that this thread is here I might not feel so bad checking in every once in a while.

[Neoma]

Neoma, I'm so sorry. Yes, it does take time, but of course it's really discouraging. I'm sorry. :grouphug:
Thank you, rags. :flowers:


What a timely thread. I used to post here a bit, but after some job things and life things, hair dropped pretty low on my list. I've been going through a slow shed for the past 6-8mo and have lost about 1/3 of my thickness, I think. Once it got to the point of my staring enviously at strangers' braid thickness, I finally made an appointment with a dermatologist. She said my scalp is fine, and my iron and thyroid levels are within normal range (though just barely). I'm to continue with the biotin and daily multi and check back in in a few months. She also had me start using Nioxin, but it's too early to tell if that's helping yet. Fingers crossed, and now that this thread is here I might not feel so bad checking in every once in a while.lapispimpernel, I'm sorry to hear about your hair loss. Please do keep us posted on your hair regrowth. I hope that the Nioxin and other routine work well for you. :flower:

[monsoonstorm]

Get your vitamin levels checked. Anti-seizure medication is known to cause a loss in especially B-vitamins. I read that somewhere when I started to take mine (for chronic pain). I take a multivitamin daily because of it. And I have no hair falling out.

Edit: well I do have hair falling out and the seasonal shed is going on as well, but my hair is not thinning is what I was trying to convey.
Yeah, I already take high dose b vitamins and have done for quite a long time because of this. I still want checked though, could be easier said than done on the nhs though

[Desidera]

Thank God for this thread! I lost so much hair because of iron deficiency and low thyroid function that I *did* end up cutting it all off several years ago. (Then I felt like a traitor for loving it short, and stayed away all that time!) Now I *think* I've been able to regain most of the health I had lost, and am starting to re-grow again. At 44 years old, I don't know if I'll ever feel comfortable having it very long again because it was SO thin--it had been classic length, but the end of my braid was toothpick-thin--but I'm finally ready to try growing it at least down to BSL from my spiky-pixie-'do. It's great to have this support though!

[Neoma]

Thank God for this thread! I lost so much hair because of iron deficiency and low thyroid function that I *did* end up cutting it all off several years ago. (Then I felt like a traitor for loving it short, and stayed away all that time!) Now I *think* I've been able to regain most of the health I had lost, and am starting to re-grow again. At 44 years old, I don't know if I'll ever feel comfortable having it very long again because it was SO thin--it had been classic length, but the end of my braid was toothpick-thin--but I'm finally ready to try growing it at least down to BSL from my spiky-pixie-'do. It's great to have this support though!Desidera, welcome to the thread and thank you for sharing your story. I am glad to hear that you have regained your health. :flower:

My braid is pathetically thin. It's not too bad at the nape of my neck, but it tapers dramatically to about pencil diameter. :( So I "get it."

The good news is that, because my hair is waist length, some buns still look pretty substantial. I have become the Master of Updo Volume Illusions! :magic:

[mindwiped]

Neoma, I'm another migraineur, chronic, who's lost hair from a combo of topamax and hypothyroidism.

I've been off the T frit nearly six years, but I'm still thin, especially at my crown. I've babied it and cut it short at one point, it was starting to recover and all the short halo wss bugging me. I'm almost back to apl, the wavy wurley makes it seem shorter.

For me, thyroid meds and getting off the migraine med made the biggest difference for me. I do like Lush's New shampoo, and I still use it, but that's because I've got bars left from my boxing day splurge last year.

If you don't mind telling, what meds caused you the issues? Obviously I'm willing to name my biggest no go med. It can be great for some, but it was horrible for me.

[Maelyssa]

I definitely belong to this club much to my dismay but it is what it is.

In as much of a nutshell as possible I used to have what stylists called thick hair but each time I was pregnant I experienced a major she'd and once it stopped it never grew back quote a thick as before. So 5 kids later it was bordering on thinnish for the past few years but no receding hairline or actual bald spots.

This past March I underwent a surgery that caused a great she'd a few months later...the summer and lots came out. Scary amounts of hair. It stopped after about aonto and a half. I was fine until recently but now the shedding has picked up again so I'm stressing it a bit.

I've typically been taking vitamins during pregnancy and also before and after my procedure. I've been taking vitachews Hair, Skin and Nails plus a multivitamin as well as a calcium plus D supplement. Perhaps the shed would be worse if i wasn't taking them. Who knows.

I haven't cut be a use of the sheds...it's not that bad yet and I hope it doesn't get to that point. And I haven't been measuring circumference as I don't want to focus on what I don't have but rather want to out my energy into taking better care of the hair that's here.

[Neoma]

Neoma, I'm another migraineur, chronic, who's lost hair from a combo of topamax and hypothyroidism.

I've been off the T frit nearly six years, but I'm still thin, especially at my crown. I've babied it and cut it short at one point, it was starting to recover and all the short halo wss bugging me. I'm almost back to apl, the wavy wurley makes it seem shorter.

For me, thyroid meds and getting off the migraine med made the biggest difference for me. I do like Lush's New shampoo, and I still use it, but that's because I've got bars left from my boxing day splurge last year.

If you don't mind telling, what meds caused you the issues? Obviously I'm willing to name my biggest no go med. It can be great for some, but it was horrible for me.
mindwiped, thank you for sharing your story. I'm sorry to hear about your hair loss. :blossom:

The med that caused my original Great Shed was Lyrica. I was on it a long time, and it gave me great relief from fibromyalgia and migraines. I eventually had to go off of it due to other side effects.

Depakote, which is used off-label for migraines, caused this latest Great Shed. The hair loss was sudden and dramatic. I also had a couple of other scary side effects from it.



I definitely belong to this club much to my dismay but it is what it is.

In as much of a nutshell as possible I used to have what stylists called thick hair but each time I was pregnant I experienced a major she'd and once it stopped it never grew back quote a thick as before. So 5 kids later it was bordering on thinnish for the past few years but no receding hairline or actual bald spots.

This past March I underwent a surgery that caused a great she'd a few months later...the summer and lots came out. Scary amounts of hair. It stopped after about aonto and a half. I was fine until recently but now the shedding has picked up again so I'm stressing it a bit.

I've typically been taking vitamins during pregnancy and also before and after my procedure. I've been taking vitachews Hair, Skin and Nails plus a multivitamin as well as a calcium plus D supplement. Perhaps the shed would be worse if i wasn't taking them. Who knows.

I haven't cut be a use of the sheds...it's not that bad yet and I hope it doesn't get to that point. And I haven't been measuring circumference as I don't want to focus on what I don't have but rather want to out my energy into taking better care of the hair that's here.
Welcome to the thread, Maelyssa. :flower:

I think that your strategy of taking better care of the hair you have instead of focusing on what you don't have is a good one.

Also, I try to appreciate the hair that I have. It's super silky and shiny. And it usually looks fabulous in an updo (at least from the back). :)

[Arctic]

This thread was so well timed, I'm happy so many of us, who might not have an outlet for our hair worries here, have found their way here! I've read every single post! (But alas they are too many to comment at this point, when we are at page 9.)

Special thank you to Neoma for taking the time to show you care! :flowers: I hope your medication clear off of your system very soon!


My doctor's appointment is approaching fast, and I only have week to go. I have been preparing by reading so I can ask and discuss about the subject with the language the doctor understands. I am also going to show some photos, and share my pony circ measurements.

I think my shedding has been returning to normal levels in the past few weeks. I am still hesitating to claim it to be 100% certain, because a) I don't want to get disappointed and b) I have had few occasions during this bout of hair loss (lasting over a year alltogether) where it seemed to slow but returned back to higher shedding rates after few weeks. It does give me hope though.

I have had some re-growth during this time, but not so much as one would expect after a big shed, and the look of my hairline/edges haven't really changed to better. This worries me, but on the other hand, I have read the recovery can take over a year.

I am continuing eating better, taking my supplements, and lately have been doing caffeine+aloe+EO scalp massage pre-shampoo treatments. I've also been brushing my scalp upside down almost daily for few weeks now.

The hair loss and hoping for re-growth has taken the front seat on my thoughts before anything other hair related.


I had something else in my mind, but can't remember what it was right now. Anyway, I wish everyone will find some reasons for hope and positive thinking today. :sun:

[Neoma]

This thread was so well timed, I'm happy so many of us, who might not have an outlet for our hair worries here, have found their way here! I've read every single post! (But alas they are too many to comment at this point, when we are at page 9.)

Special thank you to Neoma for taking the time to show you care! :flowers: I hope your medication clear off of your system very soon!


My doctor's appointment is approaching fast, and I only have week to go. I have been preparing by reading so I can ask and discuss about the subject with the language the doctor understands. I am also going to show some photos, and share my pony circ measurements.

I think my shedding has been returning to normal levels in the past few weeks. I am still hesitating to claim it to be 100% certain, because a) I don't want to get disappointed and b) I have had few occasions during this bout of hair loss (lasting over a year alltogether) where it seemed to slow but returned back to higher shedding rates after few weeks. It does give me hope though.

I have had some re-growth during this time, but not so much as one would expect after a big shed, and the look of my hairline/edges haven't really changed to better. This worries me, but on the other hand, I have read the recovery can take over a year.

I am continuing eating better, taking my supplements, and lately have been doing caffeine+aloe+EO scalp massage pre-shampoo treatments. I've also been brushing my scalp upside down almost daily for few weeks now.

The hair loss and hoping for re-growth has taken the front seat on my thoughts before anything other hair related.


I had something else in my mid but can't remember what it was right now. Anyway, I wish everyone will find some reasons for hope and positive thinking today. :sun:
You're very welcome, Arctic, and thank you for your kind compliment and well wishes. :flowers: The support that I've gotten from reading these posts has been really helpful. Hopefully, just knowing that we're not alone will give each of us the strength to continue seeking solutions to our hair loss issues.

I'm glad to hear that your doctor's appointment is just around the corner and that you have been doing your research. I think that's really smart. We are our own best advocates! Please keep us posted and let us know what you find out.

In the meantime, your current routine sounds really intriguing. I like that everything is very natural. What form is the caffeine?

:flower:

[Arctic]

Neoma, intriguing, eh? I wonder what the doctor will say about my DIY scalp treatments, ha ha!

I use caffeine pills for caffeine. I crush them and mix with aloe and essential oils known to stimulate scalp, and massage that on few hours before washing.

I like this method better that caffeine rinses I used earlier this year, where I poured a caffeine pill solution (in water) over my head after shampooing. Once I tried diluted instant coffee but got irritated skin from that.

To be honest I have no idea if these DIY treatments help at all, I am almost inclined to think they don't - but it gives me something to do while I wait(ed) the better nutrition levels to kick in. I personally believe(d) the biggest reasons for my hair loss has been the long period of eating badly and not enough I put myself through (I started eating better and more in Jan-Feb this year). I'm interested to hear whether the doctor agrees. Anyway that was the reason why it took me this long to book doctor's appointment: I was so sure the cause was poor nutrition and that few months of better eating+ supplementing would correct the situation. Plus I knew I'd be likely to see the doctor during this autumn anyway, so I pushed off the appointment. Silly thing in retrospect, but I couldn't imagine in the beginning of this year that this problem would be so long lasting.

I'll be sure to update when I hear back from the doctor's.

[Neoma]

Neoma, intriguing, eh? I wonder what the doctor will say about my DIY scalp treatments, ha ha!

I use caffeine pills for caffeine. I crush them and mix with aloe and essential oils known to stimulate scalp, and massage that on few hours before washing.

I like this method better that caffeine rinses I used earlier this year, where I poured a caffeine pill solution (in water) over my head after shampooing. Once I tried diluted instant coffee but got irritated skin from that.

To be honest I have no idea if these DIY treatments help at all, I am almost inclined to think they don't - but it gives me something to do while I wait(ed) the better nutrition levels to kick in. I personally believe(d) the biggest reasons for my hair loss has been the long period of eating badly and not enough I put myself through (I started eating better and more in Jan-Feb this year). I'm interested to hear whether the doctor agrees. Anyway that was the reason why it took me this long to book doctor's appointment: I was so sure the cause was poor nutrition and that few months of better eating+ supplementing would correct the situation. Plus I knew I'd be likely to see the doctor during this autumn anyway, so I pushed off the appointment. Silly thing in retrospect, but I couldn't imagine in the beginning of this year that this problem would be so long lasting.

I'll be sure to update when I hear back from the doctor's.
I know what you mean about not knowing whether the treatments are doing anything to help, but they give you something to do while you wait...

When I have a migraine, I rub peppermint and lavender EO on my forehead. My doctors always ask me if it helps. I tell them that at the very least it's comforting and that it "makes me feel like I'm doing something."

[mindwiped]

I've made myself a roller ball with peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender oils that I use when I'm struggling with a migraine at work. It's quick and easy, and the chilly feeling from the peppermint oil help me with nausea, as getting warm makes it worse for me.

I've heard Depakote can be hard, both on your hair and in general. They had a reason why I've never been on it, but I just can't remember it anymore. Over the years I've tried so much for my migraines, I wish there was a better way to treat it, rather than the preventative trial and error. Sigh.

Forgot to mention earlier, if any of the ladies here have inherited the male pattern baldness gene from their father, and start losing hair like gents do, have your doc check your testosterone levels. I've got PCOS, so my testosterone levels were really high. So now, I'm on spironolactone. It interrupts the chemical pathway my body uses when creating testosterone. My window's peak was getting further back, and the med helped with that too. Wanted to share another possible contributing factor, as attacking this on all fronts stopped my loss, before it got any worse.

[LegoCaltrops]

Gah. I just googled Spironolactone. I have hormone issues - my migraines were initially set off by the pill. But apparently it's known to increase migraines.

[diddiedaisy]

Hi all, I've read through this thread and it seems many people are having shedding issues associated with medication. When I first joined LHC I was suffering from a great shed. I had lost about 30% of my hair. When I look back and think about it I started shedding heavily after the birth of my last son, who is now 11, and it just didn't stop. As I kept my hair around shoulder to cbl it wasn't really noticeable, although I did notice that every time I touched my hair loads came out. In fact I only noticed it was a problem just over 2 years ago when I started wearing my hair up for the first time in my life and noticed you could really see the scalp in places. It was only then I thought, wow, this amount of shedding I have is not normal.

I would say it was mostly stress related. My son who is now 11 was born at 24 weeks, and if anything could go wrong it did. He was in various hospitals around the uk for 8 months before he finally came home. A couple of months after he came my Mum was diagnosed with alzheimers and came to live with us. For three years I was getting up in the night to two people, one went to sleep then one would wake up. My mum passed away 6 years ago now, but I've only just got my son sleeping through the night and he still has problems. Throughout this period I was also having relationship problems.

I also suffer from from digestion problems, so every now and again my weight will drop and leave me severely underweight. This generally takes up to two years to sort itself out and for the weight to be put back on.

When I joined LHC, I started taking multi-vits, msm and biotin. The mixture of these stopped my abnormal shedding after about a couple of months, and as a bonus it turned out the biotin is excellent for the digestive system and enabled me to put the weight back on. I don't take anything at the moment and haven't done for at least six months, as I don't seem to having digestive problems at the moment nor has my shedding rate increased I have noticed though that since stopping the supplements my hair is quite dry. Ive had a couple of mimi sheds over the past couple of years, but nothing too drastic.

Whatr has surprised me is the amount of time it takes to grow back in that shed hair. My shedding stopped in February 2014 and I still have some thin ends despite cutting off what seems like a million inches. I've gained about 6 inches of growth and cut off in the approximation of up to 10 inches.

Luckily though, I have been in the position that much needed medication isnt causing the problem, so my heart goes out to those who are limited in what they can do to stop the shedding.

As a side note my Mum suffered terribly from severe hormonal migraines, to the point the doctor used to sometimes come out and give her an injection of something (cant remember what it was) The only medication she found that put the migraines into the bearable category was migraleve. But to be honest they only stopped when she went through the menopause. It could be worth looking into hormonal balances, maybe there's too much oestrogen or progesterone which causes the migraines. If that is the case, I'm sure there are things that can be taken to even out the balance a bit more.

Unfortunately I have no suggestions for those of you suffering medication side effects, but I can send you best wishes and hugs.

[chen bao jun]

Just wanted to send prayers and support out to you ladies. Thanks for having this thread, it has information that not only am I sure is useful to many but this is a 'it could happen to anyone ' issue so it's great to have it up here.

I have migraines myself. They improved since menopause but have not gone away.

A young girl I know has migraines daily now for about 15 years. Sometimes they are bad to the point she is hospitalized. It is good for people to be aware of the way some suffer with this.

[LegoCaltrops]

Well, I've been for my blood test. Hopefully I'll find out soon if there's anything in there that's contributing to my shedding.

I agree with what you say about migraines, Chen bao jun. I wouldn't wish them on anyone, but I get really annoyed by the dismissive attitude some people have. It's not just a headache - I had one in spring that was so bad the paramedics that turned up at my work, were going to take me to hospital as they were convinced I was having a stroke. Thankfully my manager spoke to DH on the phone & he explained it's normal, albeit a bad attack. I really need to get a medical alert bracelet as stroke medicine could actually cause me to have a stroke if I'm already having a migraine.

On a positive note - my hair is now just long enough for me to put it up in a butterfly clip at the back, with the ends up at the top to partly cover my really thin crown. Oddly, it isn't as obvious how thin it is, if it's tied up. So I feel much better about it now. :cheese:

[Arctic]

Interestingly, I too suffer from migraines, but they have become more rare in the recent years, and usually are not very long lasting. I have been medication for them in the past, but not in several years now.

I do have other meds that might have caused my hair loss though, something to discuss with the doctor.

[Neoma]

I've made myself a roller ball with peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender oils that I use when I'm struggling with a migraine at work. It's quick and easy, and the chilly feeling from the peppermint oil help me with nausea, as getting warm makes it worse for me.

I've heard Depakote can be hard, both on your hair and in general. They had a reason why I've never been on it, but I just can't remember it anymore. Over the years I've tried so much for my migraines, I wish there was a better way to treat it, rather than the preventative trial and error. Sigh.

Forgot to mention earlier, if any of the ladies here have inherited the male pattern baldness gene from their father, and start losing hair like gents do, have your doc check your testosterone levels. I've got PCOS, so my testosterone levels were really high. So now, I'm on spironolactone. It interrupts the chemical pathway my body uses when creating testosterone. My window's peak was getting further back, and the med helped with that too. Wanted to share another possible contributing factor, as attacking this on all fronts stopped my loss, before it got any worse.mindwiped, thank you for sharing your story. I am sorry to hear about your shedding. It sounds like you're onto something with the spironolactone. I hope that it helps you regain your lovely locks.

I, too, filled rollerballs with EO's (peppermint and lavender) for migraines. :flower:


Hi all, I've read through this thread and it seems many people are having shedding issues associated with medication. When I first joined LHC I was suffering from a great shed. I had lost about 30% of my hair. When I look back and think about it I started shedding heavily after the birth of my last son, who is now 11, and it just didn't stop. As I kept my hair around shoulder to cbl it wasn't really noticeable, although I did notice that every time I touched my hair loads came out. In fact I only noticed it was a problem just over 2 years ago when I started wearing my hair up for the first time in my life and noticed you could really see the scalp in places. It was only then I thought, wow, this amount of shedding I have is not normal.

I would say it was mostly stress related. My son who is now 11 was born at 24 weeks, and if anything could go wrong it did. He was in various hospitals around the uk for 8 months before he finally came home. A couple of months after he came my Mum was diagnosed with alzheimers and came to live with us. For three years I was getting up in the night to two people, one went to sleep then one would wake up. My mum passed away 6 years ago now, but I've only just got my son sleeping through the night and he still has problems. Throughout this period I was also having relationship problems.

I also suffer from from digestion problems, so every now and again my weight will drop and leave me severely underweight. This generally takes up to two years to sort itself out and for the weight to be put back on.

When I joined LHC, I started taking multi-vits, msm and biotin. The mixture of these stopped my abnormal shedding after about a couple of months, and as a bonus it turned out the biotin is excellent for the digestive system and enabled me to put the weight back on. I don't take anything at the moment and haven't done for at least six months, as I don't seem to having digestive problems at the moment nor has my shedding rate increased I have noticed though that since stopping the supplements my hair is quite dry. Ive had a couple of mimi sheds over the past couple of years, but nothing too drastic.

Whatr has surprised me is the amount of time it takes to grow back in that shed hair. My shedding stopped in February 2014 and I still have some thin ends despite cutting off what seems like a million inches. I've gained about 6 inches of growth and cut off in the approximation of up to 10 inches.

Luckily though, I have been in the position that much needed medication isnt causing the problem, so my heart goes out to those who are limited in what they can do to stop the shedding.

As a side note my Mum suffered terribly from severe hormonal migraines, to the point the doctor used to sometimes come out and give her an injection of something (cant remember what it was) The only medication she found that put the migraines into the bearable category was migraleve. But to be honest they only stopped when she went through the menopause. It could be worth looking into hormonal balances, maybe there's too much oestrogen or progesterone which causes the migraines. If that is the case, I'm sure there are things that can be taken to even out the balance a bit more.

Unfortunately I have no suggestions for those of you suffering medication side effects, but I can send you best wishes and hugs.diddiedaisy, thank you for sharing your story. I am sorry to hear about all of the stressful events and your hair loss.

It sounds like you're on the road to regaining your hair. I know from experience that the process seems to take forever. You will get there! :cheer:


Just wanted to send prayers and support out to you ladies. Thanks for having this thread, it has information that not only am I sure is useful to many but this is a 'it could happen to anyone ' issue so it's great to have it up here.

I have migraines myself. They improved since menopause but have not gone away.

A young girl I know has migraines daily now for about 15 years. Sometimes they are bad to the point she is hospitalized. It is good for people to be aware of the way some suffer with this.

Hi chen bao jun :waving: Thank you for dropping in.

I'm sorry to hear that you have migraines, too. And that poor girl... :(

I can't remember whether I've mentioned that I used to pray for menopause because everyone told me that the migraines would probably go away.

Mine became more frequent and worse. :demon:

[Neoma]

I agree with what you say about migraines, Chen bao jun. I wouldn't wish them on anyone, but I get really annoyed by the dismissive attitude some people have. It's not just a headache - I had one in spring that was so bad the paramedics that turned up at my work, were going to take me to hospital as they were convinced I was having a stroke. Thankfully my manager spoke to DH on the phone & he explained it's normal, albeit a bad attack. I really need to get a medical alert bracelet as stroke medicine could actually cause me to have a stroke if I'm already having a migraine.

On a positive note - my hair is now just long enough for me to put it up in a butterfly clip at the back, with the ends up at the top to partly cover my really thin crown. Oddly, it isn't as obvious how thin it is, if it's tied up. So I feel much better about it now. :cheese:
LegoCaltrops, that's frightening. The medical bracelet sounds like a smart move. I wear one, too.

[poompatta]

Thanks Neoma for starting this thread. I joined LHc just couple of months back and I am so glad to find it.
Moxamoll, I broke my finger as well, this June and was in cast the whole summer.
I am in my late 30s trying to deal with my excess hair loss. I have had fine hair all my life. My best hair days were whine I was a teenager( hip length and 5" pony tail circumference) I always wanted long hair, while people were trying different hairstyles short and long. I never used shampoo to wash my hair till my 20s. Shedding started during my college days, the water and reduced care. I started coloring when I was 25 and I think was the biggest mistake. Shedding increased Late 20s(post partum effects) and has been worse since. I stopped coloring with chemical dyes 3 years back. I noticed tight scalp and brittle hair with these dyes. Currently using henna and indigo. Texture of my hair has definitely improved and no tight scalp.
Currently I have hypothyroid and also trouble with my periods. My doc says I have hormonal imabalance and was on and off with birth control pills to balance it. Noticed high shedding with birth control pills.
I have my scalp showing on the sides of my head, above ears, temple, crown and hairline is dramatically receding. 😢
Iam off my birth control pills and using tips from the forum, I started with maxi hair and prenatal vitamins. I use Monistat once a week and try to wash with thaali(herbal powder from India) or CV shampoo bar. I also made my own hair mask ( fenugreek powder, amla powder, brahmi, licorice powder, aloe Vera, hibiscus flower powder )and use that once a week. I used to shed 150 every wash day and didn't notice any change for past 2 month. I am shedding 20-50 past 10 days, but I am not noticing any new growth or increasing length of my hair.

[hennalonghair]

I used to be on depakote and had no idea that it caused hair loss or is prescribed for migraines.
I've only had two migraines my entire life and I will never forget them. They were excruciatingly painful. One of my best friends used to get them and would have to stay in a cool dark room until they went away which took two to three days.
I would hate to have to deal with them on a day to day bases without relief. That would be unbearable.
I'm really sorry you are going through this Neoma. My situation is trivial compared to what you are going through. I wish you the best whatever that may be :heart:

[Neoma]

Thanks Neoma for starting this thread. I joined LHc just couple of months back and I am so glad to find it.
Moxamoll, I broke my finger as well, this June and was in cast the whole summer.
I am in my late 30s trying to deal with my excess hair loss. I have had fine hair all my life. My best hair days were whine I was a teenager( hip length and 5" pony tail circumference) I always wanted long hair, while people were trying different hairstyles short and long. I never used shampoo to wash my hair till my 20s. Shedding started during my college days, the water and reduced care. I started coloring when I was 25 and I think was the biggest mistake. Shedding increased Late 20s(post partum effects) and has been worse since. I stopped coloring with chemical dyes 3 years back. I noticed tight scalp and brittle hair with these dyes. Currently using henna and indigo. Texture of my hair has definitely improved and no tight scalp.
Currently I have hypothyroid and also trouble with my periods. My doc says I have hormonal imabalance and was on and off with birth control pills to balance it. Noticed high shedding with birth control pills.
I have my scalp showing on the sides of my head, above ears, temple, crown and hairline is dramatically receding. ��
Iam off my birth control pills and using tips from the forum, I started with maxi hair and prenatal vitamins. I use Monistat once a week and try to wash with thaali(herbal powder from India) or CV shampoo bar. I also made my own hair mask ( fenugreek powder, amla powder, brahmi, licorice powder, aloe Vera, hibiscus flower powder )and use that once a week. I used to shed 150 every wash day and didn't notice any change for past 2 month. I am shedding 20-50 past 10 days, but I am not noticing any new growth or increasing length of my hair.

You're welcome. :flower:

Thank you for sharing your story with us, poompatta. I am sorry to hear about your hair loss.

I am a big believer in Indian herbs and have used them for cleansing and conditioning in the past. In fact, the commercial product that I'm using in an attempt to reduce hair loss/regrow hair (Aveda's Invati) includes Indian herbs.

I know that it's frustrating when loss isn't slowed quickly and regrowth doesn't seem to be happening. Sadly, both take time. :grouphug:

Please keep us posted.


I used to be on depakote and had no idea that it caused hair loss or is prescribed for migraines.
I've only had two migraines my entire life and I will never forget them. They were excruciatingly painful. One of my best friends used to get them and would have to stay in a cool dark room until they went away which took two to three days.
I would hate to have to deal with them on a day to day bases without relief. That would be unbearable.
I'm really sorry you are going through this Neoma. My situation is trivial compared to what you are going through. I wish you the best whatever that may be :heart:

Thank you, dear hennalonghair. :flowers:

[LegoCaltrops]

I would really like to know if I could use Indian herbs on my hair, even though CO washing & oiling both made my shedding worse. Does anyone know how or where I might be able to find out? I really liked the cassia - my hair looked fabulous after - but all the methods of application I've heard of, seem to need some kind of oil or a medium that contains fat of some kind. Not sure if using just water or lemon juice, would work.

[poompatta]

I would really like to know if I could use Indian herbs on my hair, even though CO washing & oiling both made my shedding worse. Does anyone know how or where I might be able to find out? I really liked the cassia - my hair looked fabulous after - but all the methods of application I've heard of, seem to need some kind of oil or a medium that contains fat of some kind. Not sure if using just water or lemon juice, would work.

Oiling does not work for me either. I tried using Neelibringadi keram a coconut oil infusion from south India (Amazon) after many years. This has used by women in my home land for generations and they swear by it to fix any hair problems. Every time I apply it I lose at least 300 strands, which is alarming for my already thin hair. After using it for 2 months, I decided to just stick to my mask and natural hair wash.
Traditional hair wash powder that I have used till my 20s are green gram powder, shikakai, Aretha, and mostly thaali. The 1st three should be available in your local Indian store. I do find shikakai and Aretha to be a little drying, but it can vary for hair type. I must note these are very messy in shower and needs a mermaid wash sometimes. I have heard of concoctions made of these powders that will reduce the mess. I alternate the powder washes with CV shampoo bars and ACV rinse to follow.
I have noticed a my hair loss reduced to 20-50 strands every wash day, from 150-200 when I used to shampoo condition.
I also noticed that my mask also works like a hair wash. It feels clean after I rinse off mask.

[rags]

Ok, what if one lives at least 2-3 hours from a "local Indian store"? :p Can one find these herbs in a shampoo on Amazon? (I can't. I suck at searches) I'm unsure, but I've wanted to try some of these for years, but have no idea which ones are good, or how much to use, etc.

I was sure m y shed had significantly slowed down, then I washed my hair yesterday and stopped up the drain again. :(. I'm hoping it's because I didn't use my BBB first and I had my hair up all day. I mean, it's still a lot of hair (I'm only at CB, so each hair is short!), but maybe I wouldn't feel quite as bad if I knew it was due to wearing it up all day. I've been wearing it down the vast majority of the time, mostly due to health issues (hard to be comfy lying in bed on a bun).

I guess I'll have to wait and see next wash. Bah humbug.

[hennalonghair]

Ok, what if one lives at least 2-3 hours from a "local Indian store"? :p Can one find these herbs in a shampoo on Amazon? (I can't. I suck at searches) I'm unsure, but I've wanted to try some of these for years, but have no idea which ones are good, or how much to use, etc.

I was sure m y shed had significantly slowed down, then I washed my hair yesterday and stopped up the drain again. :(. I'm hoping it's because I didn't use my BBB first and I had my hair up all day. I mean, it's still a lot of hair (I'm only at CB, so each hair is short!), but maybe I wouldn't feel quite as bad if I knew it was due to wearing it up all day. I've been wearing it down the vast majority of the time, mostly due to health issues (hard to be comfy lying in bed on a bun).

I guess I'll have to wait and see next wash. Bah humbug.
Yes you can find these herbs in shampoo on Amazon or you can purchase Indian herbs from Henna Sooq. They have most of them.
And yes you would get much more hair if you forgot to brush before washing and had your hair up all day. You end up collecting all the shed hair from throughout the day that would normally fall out and not even be seen and washing hair tends to shed three times more hair. It' can be overwhelming seeing it all come out at once BUT that doesn't mean you are losing more hair. Just that you are seeing more of it

[Neoma]

And yes you would get much more hair if you forgot to brush before washing and had your hair up all day. You end up collecting all the shed hair from throughout the day that would normally fall out and not even be seen and washing hair tends to shed three times more hair. It' can be overwhelming seeing it all come out at once BUT that doesn't mean you are losing more hair. Just that you are seeing more of ithennalonghair, I agree. I wash my hair almost daily. If I skip a day, I lose twice as much hair the next time I shampoo.

:flower:

[rags]

Yeah, I'm used to the variance from keeping it up - just not from not brushing. This was still excessive. :(. But I'm hoping it's a fluke since I've been stable for a few weeks now.

Neoma, how are you doing? :flower:

[hennalonghair]

Yes Neoma, how are you doing?

[Silverbrumby]

Hope everyone is doing okay. I'm losing too much during my cycle and need more iron. Adjusting, adjusting. I think going onto thyroid medication changed my hair texture and terminal length. I've heard some other people have this issue as well with it.

[Neoma]

Yeah, I'm used to the variance from keeping it up - just not from not brushing. This was still excessive. :(. But I'm hoping it's a fluke since I've been stable for a few weeks now.

Neoma, how are you doing? :flower:rags, I"m glad to hear that you've been "stable" for a few weeks now. By that, I presume that you're not losing more than usual. :flowers:


Yes Neoma, how are you doing?rags and hennalonghair, thank you for checking on me. I haven't been able to check in much the past week or so.

I'm still losing a lot of hair; I don't think that it's slowed, yet. I've only been off the offending medication for a couple of weeks, so I'm not losing hope by any means.

Some days, I find my Invati CWC routine to be way too fussy for me to deal with. I don't like to use Invati on the length because it's just too darn expensive, so I've been using other shampoo and conditioner -- or just conditioner -- on the length. I restrict Invati to my scalp where it can do the most good. That's three to four products to cleanse my hair!

Today, I bought a couple of bars of LUSH NEW! shampoo (http://www.lushusa.com/NEW!/02009,en_US,pd.html), which was part of my rotation after my last Great Shed. I really liked this product because it is inexpensive, easy to use and lasts forever. It has a bunch of EO's that are good for hair growth and no man-made fragrance. I will follow with one of the many conditioners that I'm trying to use up. Sadly, all of LUSH's conditioners include man-made fragrance, so they're not an option. :(

[Neoma]

Hope everyone is doing okay. I'm losing too much during my cycle and need more iron. Adjusting, adjusting. I think going onto thyroid medication changed my hair texture and terminal length. I've heard some other people have this issue as well with it.

Hi Silverbrumby :waving:

I hope that you are able to adjust everything so the hair loss stops.

Hopefully, someone who has taken thyroid meds can address that issue. :flower:

[LegoCaltrops]

Neoma - if you were on anti-epilepsy meds, like me, I've read that selenium & zinc supplements can help reduce shedding caused by this. I think this is part of the reason my shedding has slowed recently. I am coming off Topamax & this is recommended on a number of forums & discussions about its side effects.

[Arctic]

Zinc in general is good for hair, I read zinc deficiency is common reason for shedding.


My hairline, the whole perimeter of my scalp, is where most of my hair loss apparently has been. This area makes me so sad. I've been wearing my hair down more and more lately, just to be able to cover the thin area better.

[Neoma]

Neoma - if you were on anti-epilepsy meds, like me, I've read that selenium & zinc supplements can help reduce shedding caused by this. I think this is part of the reason my shedding has slowed recently. I am coming off Topamax & this is recommended on a number of forums & discussions about its side effects.Thank you, LegoCaltrops. :flowers: I started taking those supplements a couple of weeks ago.


Zinc in general is good for hair, I read zinc deficiency is common reason for shedding.


My hairline, the whole perimeter of my scalp, is where most of my hair loss apparently has been. This area makes me so sad. I've been wearing my hair down more and more lately, just to be able to cover the thin area better.
Arctic, I am so sorry... I don't think that anyone who hasn't gone through hair loss could possibly understand. :grouphug:

[Arctic]

Thanks Neoma, yes it's good to talk with people who understand. Funny thing is, that during this time I've had the current thinning, I've taken more hair photos than ever, for my project where I try collect photos of as many possible hair styles as possible for shoulder-ish hair. I need to be very careful with the light, camera and head angles, take tons of them to get few good ones, and so on with those photos. It was actually thanks to this photo project that I even realized that my hair has thinned - it is much more moticeable in photos than in mirror for some reason. I was completely blind and obvious to the thinning before the photo project started.

I am still being optimistic, it definitely looks like my shedding would finally be down to more normal numbers, and since I've been on better diet and supplementation regime for 9 months now, the results should start to be visible soon, hopefully. Also the doctor's appointment is just around the corner, and maybe she can shed some light into this too (even though she is a general doctor, not dermatologist - but hopefully she will refer me to one).

I do have new hairs growing, but they are not as numerous as I would expect after losing so much hair, but it's encouraging never the less to see any new growth.

[Neoma]

Today, I used my LUSH NEW! shampoo bar (not a soap bar -- includes SLS) for the first time since my first Great Shed.

I shampooed once, leaving the suds on my scalp and hair while I finished my showerly duties. I did not use any kind of conditioner, rinse or leave-in.

I lost a few strands in my hands as I shampooed and rinsed, but only a small fraction of what I have been losing. And there were only a few strands in the shower drain -- not enough to clog it up like there have been.

I don't attribute this to changing shampoos. Rather, I'm sure that it's because the offending med is finally getting out of my system.

Detangling was easy, as if I had used conditioner. I'm not sure why, unless the SLS itself provides slip. I haven't used a SLS shampoo in ages. Are any of these detangling agents?


Sodium Lauryl Sulfate , Nettle and Peppermint Infusion (Urtica Dioica, Mentha Piperita) , Glycerine , Nettle Absolute (Urtica Urens) , Rosemary Absolute (Rosmarinus Officinalis) , Bay Oil (Pimenta racemosa) , Clove Bud Oil (Eugenia caryophyllus) , Cinnamon Leaf Oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) , *Cinnamal , *Eugenol , *Benzyl Benzoate , *Limonene , *Linalool , D&C Red 30 , Cinnamon Sticks (Cinnamomum cassia) . *Occurs naturally in essential oils

[LegoCaltrops]

Not sure. But a quick google search shows results for nettle, rosemary, and peppermint detanglers, including some all-natural & homemade recipes.

I bet it smells nice.

[Neoma]

Not sure. But a quick google search shows results for nettle, rosemary, and peppermint detanglers, including some all-natural & homemade recipes.

I bet it smells nice.

Thank you, LegoCaltrops. Yes, it smells good. The predominant note is cinnamon. It smells like Big Red chewing gum. :)

[Arctic]

I have no idea how the ingredients work in a solid bar form.

On Wednesday I have my doctor's appointment, I am nervous. I have been starting to go through my photos documenting my hair thickness developements, and am choosing few to show her. I have irrational worry that she won't take me seriously, even though the hair loss is really visible.

[Neoma]

I have no idea how the ingredients work in a solid bar form.

On Wednesday I have my doctor's appointment, I am nervous. I have been starting to go through my photos documenting my hair thickness developements, and am choosing few to show her. I have irrational worry that she won't take me seriously, even though the hair loss is really visible.Arctic, pics are a really good idea. The first time I told my neurologist that the med was causing hair loss, she dismissed it, saying that I had a lot of hair. (Read: You must be imagining things.) The second time, I had so much scalp showing at the crown that she couldn't dismiss it.

Pics would have helped.

I wish you the best. Please keep us posted.

[LegoCaltrops]

Arctic - definitely take the pictures with you. I've mentioned about my hair getting thinner to my doctor before, a few years ago, & they gave me the brush-off. I wish I'd felt confident to pursue it as I now believe I've lost approximately 75% of my hair compared to before I started on these tablets. It's slowly been getting worse - it was considerably thicker 5 years ago, before I got it cut really short. I'm sure I'd already mentioned the thinning to the GP before that.

Neoma - I've not seen Big Red gum in about 20 years. I'm not sure it's available in the UK any more. Shame as it was lovely.

[vpatt]

This time last year I was in the midst of a big shed. I wish I had written down details, but I was so stressed by the hair loss that I couldn't think to do anything like that. I cried so much and then felt guilty for crying. I think it lasted two to three months. It was horrible. I didn't know about measuring my ponytail and really didn't have a ponytail to measure because my hair was just beginning to grow. In all that time one person showed me any sympathy or understanding because she had thinning hair. This is such a devastating thing to go through. And so many people do not understand.

I had dieted and then fasted trying to help my skin. I have really bad psoriasis. It did help but did not completely clear my skin. And then the shedding began. It was such a nightmare and I really hurt for anyone going through hair loss. Hair was everywhere, pillow, bed, chair, clothing, car....well you understand.

Then my shedding slowed down and now one year later my shedding is almost nonexistent. This sounds unbelievable, but it is true. During combing and washing I lose usually two to four hairs. Now I will admit that I am probably not seeing all the hair that I lose....did I mention my vision is not the greatest? But I know I am losing such a small amount of hair it is incredible. But while I have seen some regrowth the top of my head has very thin hair where I can see shiny scalp. So I guess I am looking for help in maybe regrowing. And of course, I'm praying that it does not happen again.

With my dieting I was eating very healthy (Autoimmune Protocol....a healing diet). Then I added in an extended fast as I had seen clearer skin with short fasts in the past. I have to say the protocol did not call for fasting. So I did lose weight, got rid of my heartburn and saw some good clearing of my skin. Now over the past summer I have slowly become involved in unhealthy eating again. I have a food addiction sigh......

I think I found no sympathy from others because so many people believe that once you are older that you will just have things happen to you. And I believe especially things they consider to be cosmetic no longer matter after a certain age. Well, you know, why would you care about hair loss if you are in your sixties? Sorry to sound bitter, lol. And I also know that if this happens again in the future that I will have some support here and even if I have to cut my hair and wear a wig it will be ok. It may not be my wish but I will get through it.

I ache for everyone who is going through this. I wish I could help everyone.

[Neoma]

vpatt, I am so sorry to hear what you went through with your Great Shed. It doesn't seem fair that you should suffer hair loss from trying to eat healthy for another condition.

I am also sorry to hear that you didn't receive comfort when you were going through that. I agree that people believe that some things are age related so we should just grin and bear it. However, hair loss can be extremely traumatic, especially for women.

Please know that you have support here in this thread. :grouphug:

[vpatt]

Thank you so much! I have a friend going through this now and I need to be supportive of her and maybe mention some of the suggestions I find here to her. I already read that Prilosec can cause hair loss and I know she takes heartburn meds. So she can check it out if she wants. She is in her 40's and is talking about buying wigs. And if that is her ultimate decision I will support her in it.

[Nique1202]

Thank you everyone for sharing your stories and progress so far! I've been reading all the posts in this thread so far and I'm feeling much better about my problem.

I only just realized this morning that my hair had thinned out significantly (from a solid 4" ponytail a year ago and the year before that to 3" now) and it's not super visible to anyone else but I should have known when I gained 5 inches in length and my bun didn't grow with it. I can definitely feel the difference. I have noticed a little more shedding than before, but I thought since I was gaining length that a certain amount of extra shower-drain-filter clogging was totally expected since each hair was that much longer. But, maybe it was more than that, and it was actually shedding significantly more for the last while.

I don't have a lot of reasons why it could be yet, just from my own body/symptoms and patterns. I know that I have been under some stress lately with anxiety over being unemployed for 2 years, and it's possible it's just some normal hormonal shift even though I'm a month shy of 28, or maybe some kind of new problem if my body isn't absorbing some nutrient properly, or if I've developed a new scalp skin allergy to something in my shampoo or conditioner. The only things I've changed were well after the thinning started. This summer I started exercising more (I'm trying to walk 5-10 miles per week) and in early spring I switched shampoos but it was a month or so after that that I first noticed a small loss of ponytail thickness (at that point it was 1/2 inch, but I thought maybe it was just a winter/early spring shed) so it doesn't seem related if I've lost that much again in the 8 months since.

I have to see my doctor again soon anyway for regular prescription refills (a beta blocker and birth control, but I've been on both for 3+ years with no change so they're probably not the cause either) so I definitely plan to bring it up then. I've gotten a lot better in the last few years at making sure I'm taken seriously with doctors and this one is really good at listening when I bring up concerns, so hopefully I'll nip this problem in the bud, whatever it is. In the mean time, I'm glad there's a thread for this issue. :heartbeat

[rags]

:grouphug: for everyone going through this.

Vpatt - I've had two Great Sheds (as opposed to smaller, seasonal or whatever. These are lose half your hair sheds). Anyway - mine never grew all back from the first one, and I don't really expect it to from this one either. And I hear you about being older and people thinking "that's just the way it is". I keep getting advised to cut mine shorter (Ii wouldn't have cut at all but it fell out in patches so it looked.........odd to say the least). But if anyone says anything, that's what they say - "well why don't you just cut it short?". It's at my flipping collarbone from HIP! It IS short. :p

Arctic, I'll be thinking of you! My primary never would take any notice of my shed - but my hematologist certainly did (and sent me to the dermatologist). I hope your dr. listens to you. Do let us know how it goes.

[Neoma]

Thank you so much! I have a friend going through this now and I need to be supportive of her and maybe mention some of the suggestions I find here to her. I already read that Prilosec can cause hair loss and I know she takes heartburn meds. So she can check it out if she wants. She is in her 40's and is talking about buying wigs. And if that is her ultimate decision I will support her in it.I'm sure that your friend will appreciate your support. :flower:


Thank you everyone for sharing your stories and progress so far! I've been reading all the posts in this thread so far and I'm feeling much better about my problem.

I only just realized this morning that my hair had thinned out significantly (from a solid 4" ponytail a year ago and the year before that to 3" now) and it's not super visible to anyone else but I should have known when I gained 5 inches in length and my bun didn't grow with it. I can definitely feel the difference. I have noticed a little more shedding than before, but I thought since I was gaining length that a certain amount of extra shower-drain-filter clogging was totally expected since each hair was that much longer. But, maybe it was more than that, and it was actually shedding significantly more for the last while.

I don't have a lot of reasons why it could be yet, just from my own body/symptoms and patterns. I know that I have been under some stress lately with anxiety over being unemployed for 2 years, and it's possible it's just some normal hormonal shift even though I'm a month shy of 28, or maybe some kind of new problem if my body isn't absorbing some nutrient properly, or if I've developed a new scalp skin allergy to something in my shampoo or conditioner. The only things I've changed were well after the thinning started. This summer I started exercising more (I'm trying to walk 5-10 miles per week) and in early spring I switched shampoos but it was a month or so after that that I first noticed a small loss of ponytail thickness (at that point it was 1/2 inch, but I thought maybe it was just a winter/early spring shed) so it doesn't seem related if I've lost that much again in the 8 months since.

I have to see my doctor again soon anyway for regular prescription refills (a beta blocker and birth control, but I've been on both for 3+ years with no change so they're probably not the cause either) so I definitely plan to bring it up then. I've gotten a lot better in the last few years at making sure I'm taken seriously with doctors and this one is really good at listening when I bring up concerns, so hopefully I'll nip this problem in the bud, whatever it is. In the mean time, I'm glad there's a thread for this issue. :heartbeat
Nique1202, I hope that your doctor takes you seriously and helps you find a solution to your hair loss.

Stress can certainly be a contributing factor to hair loss.
:flower:

:grouphug: for everyone going through this.

Vpatt - I've had two Great Sheds (as opposed to smaller, seasonal or whatever. These are lose half your hair sheds). Anyway - mine never grew all back from the first one, and I don't really expect it to from this one either. And I hear you about being older and people thinking "that's just the way it is". I keep getting advised to cut mine shorter (Ii wouldn't have cut at all but it fell out in patches so it looked.........odd to say the least). But if anyone says anything, that's what they say - "well why don't you just cut it short?". It's at my flipping collarbone from HIP! It IS short. :p

Arctic, I'll be thinking of you! My primary never would take any notice of my shed - but my hematologist certainly did (and sent me to the dermatologist). I hope your dr. listens to you. Do let us know how it goes.

It's funny that people perceive collarbone as short!

I considered cutting during my last Great Shed and at the beginning of this one. DH keeps reminding me that it will grow back -- maybe not as thick as 20 years ago, but I should regain much of it.

My hair is baby fine and doesn't hold a "style" when it's short. It just hangs there. When it's long, at least I can make interesting updos.

[LegoCaltrops]

My hair is baby fine and doesn't hold a "style" when it's short. It just hangs there. When it's long, at least I can make interesting updos.

Me too. I can't do anything with it, when it's short. I don't have the natural bone structure to look naturally great with short hair, I need makeup to avoid looking like a boy. And I don't really do makeup. I have a 3 year old and a job I have to walk 2 miles to by 8.30 in the morning after I've left her at daycare. But mainly, I feel like myself with long hair. People said I looked great with it short but I didn't feel it. I only told my DH a couple of weeks ago, that this is the real reason I'm so upset that I might be losing it. It's almost as much a part of me as my face.

[Neoma]

Me too. I can't do anything with it, when it's short. I don't have the natural bone structure to look naturally great with short hair, I need makeup to avoid looking like a boy. And I don't really do makeup. I have a 3 year old and a job I have to walk 2 miles to by 8.30 in the morning after I've left her at daycare. But mainly, I feel like myself with long hair. People said I looked great with it short but I didn't feel it. I only told my DH a couple of weeks ago, that this is the real reason I'm so upset that I might be losing it. It's almost as much a part of me as my face.

I identify with long hair making me feel like "me."

:flower:

[rags]

Me too. I can't do anything with it, when it's short. I don't have the natural bone structure to look naturally great with short hair, I need makeup to avoid looking like a boy. And I don't really do makeup. I have a 3 year old and a job I have to walk 2 miles to by 8.30 in the morning after I've left her at daycare. But mainly, I feel like myself with long hair. People said I looked great with it short but I didn't feel it. I only told my DH a couple of weeks ago, that this is the real reason I'm so upset that I might be losing it. It's almost as much a part of me as my face.

Like you and Neoma, I don't look the best with short hair, plus it's really, really annoying. I have three large cowlicks - two on the front hairline and one on the crown. (So of course I cut in bangs! :rolleyes:). This means having to style my hair in some way Every. Single. Morning because when it's short it sticks straight up in the air from the cowlicks after being slept on! (Straight up! Like I'd been electrocuted.). People told me I looked good too when it was in a long pixie but I certainly didn't feel like it!

I'm more mellow this time about growing it out - but I still won't feel like "me" until it's back to at least BSL. I may not be able to get farther than that, depending on how much regrowth I get, but I need it at least that long in order to do buns. The funny thing is - I cut from hip to waist to BSL before I cut to shoulder. I took pics of all my buns after the cuts. You couldn't tell a bit of difference in my hair at hip than it at BSL. It tapered so very badly that NOTHING was added to the bun.

[Nique1202]

Me too. I can't do anything with it, when it's short. I don't have the natural bone structure to look naturally great with short hair, I need makeup to avoid looking like a boy. And I don't really do makeup. I have a 3 year old and a job I have to walk 2 miles to by 8.30 in the morning after I've left her at daycare. But mainly, I feel like myself with long hair. People said I looked great with it short but I didn't feel it. I only told my DH a couple of weeks ago, that this is the real reason I'm so upset that I might be losing it. It's almost as much a part of me as my face.


I identify with long hair making me feel like "me."

:flower:


Like you and Neoma, I don't look the best with short hair, plus it's really, really annoying. I have three large cowlicks - two on the front hairline and one on the crown. (So of course I cut in bangs! :rolleyes:). This means having to style my hair in some way Every. Single. Morning because when it's short it sticks straight up in the air from the cowlicks after being slept on! (Straight up! Like I'd been electrocuted.). People told me I looked good too when it was in a long pixie but I certainly didn't feel like it!

I'm more mellow this time about growing it out - but I still won't feel like "me" until it's back to at least BSL. I may not be able to get farther than that, depending on how much regrowth I get, but I need it at least that long in order to do buns. The funny thing is - I cut from hip to waist to BSL before I cut to shoulder. I took pics of all my buns after the cuts. You couldn't tell a bit of difference in my hair at hip than it at BSL. It tapered so very badly that NOTHING was added to the bun.

I'm lucky that my hair did look really cute when it was short a few years ago (I feel like it made me look extremely young, even though I still get carded at the liquor store even now) but I definitely felt capital-w Wrong. I did it mostly on a whim, from bsl/midback to a pixie, but I knew within a couple of months I wanted it long again. That's when I originally found these forums, though I lurked a while before signing up.

Our appearance is tied so deeply to our identity because that's the only way we have of telling the world who we are. I think that's why hair loss often feels so devastating. We present ourselves this one way for years, maybe our whole lives, we work so hard on getting it right and keeping it there, and suddenly that's taken away from us without our consent.

Even aside from social expectations of presentability (bald patches and deep scalp cleavage being frowned on, especially for people who wear their hair long) it's hard when the inside and the outside don't match, especially when it's out of your control. And then even if you get it under control and start regrowing, when you want long hair and it you know it'll take years to get the thickness back down the length... well, y'all know how discouraging that is, that's why we're here!

[Lithiumflower9]

My maternal side has an issue with hair loss. I lost my mom at a young age so I'm not certain but pretty confident my mom would have thinning hair. My hair started thinning in my mid 20's, I'm 33 now. I have migraines too and have tried many medicines to prevent them. I ended up cleaning my diet up, drinking at least a gallon of water a day, started working out regularly, and switched to taking magnesium and B2. I do not get migraines very often any more (use to be daily it seemed).
I started taking Hairburst pills, Eve multi vitamin by Now, & Gelatin Supplimenents. I switched to Mason Pearson and YS Park brushes and combs. I have a blond Ibiza brush on the way. I started womens Rogaine foam about a week ago. I do bleach my hair but am very careful doing it and make sure not to fry or over lap. I don't use anything on my hair like heat normally. I do every six weeks when I do a protein treatment on my hair but other then that not at all. I use Wen, Avada, and Alterna conditioners (no shampoo), and many different masques (every three days I put one in for a couple of hours minimum). I started wearing a silk sleep cap and have silk pillow cases. All of that has slowed mine down considerably. I would get a huge gob of hair in my brush and now I only get a few strands. Hopefully it thickens back up. My hair is about mid back in the longest part with broken off pieces about six inches from the top giving it a layered appearance. I refuse to cut it all off to the shortest layer since it still looks ok and no one notices it until I show them. Rogain has been kind of a pain. My hair is ash and I do not want it yellow and it stains light colored hair so I have been using red / gold corrector in my conditioners more.
I'm married and my husband has not been very supportive of me trying to save my hair and thinks I've gone off the deep end. He doesn't brush my hair or see the gobs of hair I have been loosing.

[Neoma]

My maternal side has an issue with hair loss. I lost my mom at a young age so I'm not certain but pretty confident my mom would have thinning hair. My hair started thinning in my mid 20's, I'm 33 now. I have migraines too and have tried many medicines to prevent them. I ended up cleaning my diet up, drinking at least a gallon of water a day, started working out regularly, and switched to taking magnesium and B2. I do not get migraines very often any more (use to be daily it seemed).
I started taking Hairburst pills, Eve multi vitamin by Now, & Gelatin Supplimenents. I switched to Mason Pearson and YS Park brushes and combs. I have a blond Ibiza brush on the way. I started womens Rogaine foam about a week ago. I do bleach my hair but am very careful doing it and make sure not to fry or over lap. I don't use anything on my hair like heat normally. I do every six weeks when I do a protein treatment on my hair but other then that not at all. I use Wen, Avada, and Alterna conditioners (no shampoo), and many different masques (every three days I put one in for a couple of hours minimum). I started wearing a silk sleep cap and have silk pillow cases. All of that has slowed mine down considerably. I would get a huge gob of hair in my brush and now I only get a few strands. Hopefully it thickens back up. My hair is about mid back in the longest part with broken off pieces about six inches from the top giving it a layered appearance. I refuse to cut it all off to the shortest layer since it still looks ok and no one notices it until I show them. Rogain has been kind of a pain. My hair is ash and I do not want it yellow and it stains light colored hair so I have been using red / gold corrector in my conditioners more.
I'm married and my husband has not been very supportive of me trying to save my hair and thinks I've gone off the deep end. He doesn't brush my hair or see the gobs of hair I have been loosing.

Lithiumflower9, I see that this is your first post. Welcome to LHC. :flower:

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I hope that you are able to regrow your hair.

You will find plenty of support on this thread.

[Arctic]

Cross posting from my blog. I'm on my phone, will come back later to comment.

***

I just came from the doctor, and she did take me seriously, thank goodness. She did not want to look at my photos, to bad I spent a long time last night to find good ones to represent my hairloss. And I forgot to mention my pony circ drop.

She confirmed the loss, asked qs, referred me to more lab tests, and to a dermatologist. The lab appointment is tomorrow already, and I was lucky to get the derm appointment next week! So things are progressing now!
The test results should be available by the time of the derm appt.

They don't do serum ferritin tests for some reason, but there will be haemoglobin, and some other test comparable to serum ferritin. And another thyroid test and some others. They can't do vitamin level tests, other than B-12, even though due to my acne medication I might have vit-A overload.

She also said my hair is very healthy and shiny, lol, the ones still attached to my scalp, that is. I will take compliments where I find them, lol.

[vpatt]

Cross posting from my blog. I'm on my phone, will come back later to comment.

***

I just came from the doctor, and she did take me seriously, thank goodness. She did not want to look at my photos, to bad I spent a long time last night to find good ones to represent my hairloss. And I forgot to mention my pony circ drop.

She confirmed the loss, asked qs, referred me to more lab tests, and to a dermatologist. The lab appointment is tomorrow already, and I was lucky to get the derm appointment next week! So things are progressing now!
The test results should be available by the time of the derm appt.

They don't do serum ferritin tests for some reason, but there will be haemoglobin, and some other test comparable to serum ferritin. And another thyroid test and some others. They can't do vitamin level tests, other than B-12, even though due to my acne medication I might have vit-A overload.

She also said my hair is very healthy and shiny, lol, the ones still attached to my scalp, that is. I will take compliments where I find them, lol.

Arctic, I'm so glad she took you seriously and is trying to help you find answers. I wonder why she didn't want to see your pictures?

[vpatt]

I watched the Dr. Axe video and Saw Palmetto was the first thing on his list. Do any of you use that as a supplement? I have thought of it for hubbie as a preventative for prostate CA. Maybe we should both take it. It wasn't meant just for male hair loss was it? I need to watch that video again.

[Nique1202]

Arctic, I'm so glad she took you seriously and is trying to help you find answers. I wonder why she didn't want to see your pictures?

I can see a few reasons, but mostly it probably comes down to the doctor being willing to take your word for it. You're more familiar with your hair and your body/symptoms than they can be when you walk into the office, you know? So especially if you say or show your measurements with your hands, like "I used to make a ponytail this big around for years, but now it's this big around", you've probably not just made it up, so they might not need any more proof that it happened.

[vpatt]

I can see a few reasons, but mostly it probably comes down to the doctor being willing to take your word for it. You're more familiar with your hair and your body/symptoms than they can be when you walk into the office, you know? So especially if you say or show your measurements with your hands, like "I used to make a ponytail this big around for years, but now it's this big around", you've probably not just made it up, so they might not need any more proof that it happened.

That's true. I was thinking more negatively, lol. But given she is perusing the issue you are probably right.

I love your signature pics, Nique. You are fortunate to look great at all lengths.

[hennalonghair]

Cross posting from my blog. I'm on my phone, will come back later to comment.

***

I just came from the doctor, and she did take me seriously, thank goodness. She did not want to look at my photos, to bad I spent a long time last night to find good ones to represent my hairloss. And I forgot to mention my pony circ drop.

She confirmed the loss, asked qs, referred me to more lab tests, and to a dermatologist. The lab appointment is tomorrow already, and I was lucky to get the derm appointment next week! So things are progressing now!
The test results should be available by the time of the derm appt.

They don't do serum ferritin tests for some reason, but there will be haemoglobin, and some other test comparable to serum ferritin. And another thyroid test and some others. They can't do vitamin level tests, other than B-12, even though due to my acne medication I might have vit-A overload.

She also said my hair is very healthy and shiny, lol, the ones still attached to my scalp, that is. I will take compliments where I find them, lol.
This is great news Arctic. I'm happy to see you have balance between medical attention and self care:thumbsup:


I watched the Dr. Axe video and Saw Palmetto was the first thing on his list. Do any of you use that as a supplement? I have thought of it for hubbie as a preventative for prostate CA. Maybe we should both take it. It wasn't meant just for male hair loss was it? I need to watch that video again.
I think that video is excellent because he addresses major causes of hairloss, briefly explains them then gives natural solutions to fix them.
I think it's a good idea for both of you to take them. I take some that's in a multivitamin for men but I think I'm going to get this and Red clover to help produce natural estrogen. Hormones being off balance has a significant impact on our hair.
I read your post and realized that we went through our big shed at the same time. Mine was also this time last year. I know many of you might be thinking that it doesn't matter as much to me or others here who have naturally thick hair to begin with but overly wide part lines and balding spots I think should be valued as the same no matter what hair tyoe.

Increasing my mineral intake in whatever form I could helped me a lot. Extra zinc, silica and sulfur made dramatic improvements to my hair as well as a good hair loss shampoo and a bit of Rogaine. :lol:
I don't use much Rogaine at all so base my new growth on a combination of everything I've done to rectify this.

I can't seem to find my before photos. Of course I didn't take many of my hair like this because I just didn't want any extra reminders around but did want to document it to learn from.

[vpatt]

Henna, do you use the Pura d'or shampoo? Is it only for preventing loss or also for promoting regrowth? And how do you think diluting would work as I have been doing that lately?

[hennalonghair]

Yes I am using the gold version of that shampoo and it dilutes great. In fact I would even recommend diluted it some because it can be a bit drying on the hair without diluting it. It's got some powerful ingredients in it and they are definitely working for me. You can see all kinds of porcupine hairs on my scalp how.
I only wash my scalp with diluted shampoo also.

[hennalonghair]

If you zoom in on my hairline in this photo you can see clumps of new silver growth . It's very apparent in this photo especially.

http://s50.photobucket.com/user/pollywoggle999/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshlhnlj0x.jpg.html

My part was huge and my hairline was receding.

Now the patch had filled in and so has my hairline .

http://s50.photobucket.com/user/pollywoggle999/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsycvdtrhn.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

[Teufelchen]

I am recovering from major hair loss. My story (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=117927)
So to all of you, I did not cut, I kept the length and I don't regret it.
Unfortunately I wasn't brave enough to take pictures during the worst time of hair loss, I just couldn't handle that.
But I gained length again and I gained thickness. It just took very long.

But there is hope. A more recent picture (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18040&d=1436171232)

Good luck for all of you.

[Arctic]

Arctic, I'm so glad she took you seriously and is trying to help you find answers. I wonder why she didn't want to see your pictures?

Thanks, I am very relieved! Although I'm not nearer to knowing what is causing this, at least steps are being taken.

I think the photo issue was partially a clinic guidelines of not using memory sticks, etc., on their computers due to virus and other malware threats (which I hadn't known; if I would, I would have made a web album), and partially because she believed me without seeing before or during photos.



I can see a few reasons, but mostly it probably comes down to the doctor being willing to take your word for it. You're more familiar with your hair and your body/symptoms than they can be when you walk into the office, you know? So especially if you say or show your measurements with your hands, like "I used to make a ponytail this big around for years, but now it's this big around", you've probably not just made it up, so they might not need any more proof that it happened.

See the above comment of mine ^. Yes she seemed to believe me without photos.

Sorry to hear you too have been having hair loss. Don't let the "I still have thick hair" trick into thinking the hair loss wouldn't be important. Inch from pony is quite a lot! My pony is about 2 cm smaller than it was at it's best, in 2008. Unfortunately I have no data from several year's time.



This is great news Arctic. I'm happy to see you have balance between medical attention and self care:thumbsup:

Thanks! It was only approx year+ ago when I had my last checkup (including extensive blood tests), so it wasn't such a long time without a doctor. But yes I'm glad I finally went. They first gave me nurse appointment and one lab test (one type of thyroid test), then I got referred to a general doctor (today's appointment) which I had to wait for over a month, and now I was referred to derm and more tests, so it's taking its time. I was so glad there was a free derm time so soon, only a week from now, I was afraid at first it would be another month+ of waiting.

[Arctic]

I'm possibly in the minority as an LHCer, because I like all hair lengths, and don't self-identify with any particular length. I think short and long look good on me.

I can't remember if I already posted this, but in the past I once had a big shed which led to noticeable thinning (I regained it all later), I did choose to keep it at very short and neat bob, and when the new growth started to come through, I cut it into a pixie, and then let it grew again. I had a long bob, I think, at the time the shed started, and I couldn't bare to see the thin sad ends.

I also had breakage induced thinning some years ago, when I grew out henna (so the hair did not shed from the scalp, but broke off midshaft), and also then I chose to cut. I will choose to cut if this curent thinning gets worse, I'm sure.

[RSunny]

This isn't their latest formula but it's a lot cheaper. It's also a 16 ounce bottle.
http://www.amazon.com/Pura-dor-Prevention-Premium-Organic/dp/B0079R6BD2

How frequently do you wash your hair with this? I looked at this and the gold version and it gets amazing ratings on amazon. Currently I wash my hair 2x per week, would I need to wash my hair more often?

[Neoma]

Cross posting from my blog. I'm on my phone, will come back later to comment.

***

I just came from the doctor, and she did take me seriously, thank goodness. She did not want to look at my photos, to bad I spent a long time last night to find good ones to represent my hairloss. And I forgot to mention my pony circ drop.

She confirmed the loss, asked qs, referred me to more lab tests, and to a dermatologist. The lab appointment is tomorrow already, and I was lucky to get the derm appointment next week! So things are progressing now!
The test results should be available by the time of the derm appt.

They don't do serum ferritin tests for some reason, but there will be haemoglobin, and some other test comparable to serum ferritin. And another thyroid test and some others. They can't do vitamin level tests, other than B-12, even though due to my acne medication I might have vit-A overload.

She also said my hair is very healthy and shiny, lol, the ones still attached to my scalp, that is. I will take compliments where I find them, lol.Arctic, I'm so glad to hear that she took you seriously and that the ball is now rolling! I hope that they are able to pinpoint the cause(s) and find a solution! :flower:


If you zoom in on my hairline in this photo you can see clumps of new silver growth . It's very apparent in this photo especially.

http://s50.photobucket.com/user/pollywoggle999/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshlhnlj0x.jpg.html

My part was huge and my hairline was receding.

Now the patch had filled in and so has my hairline .

http://s50.photobucket.com/user/pollywoggle999/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsycvdtrhn.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
hennalonghair, that's amazing progress! Your hair looks great! I'm so glad that you're recovering from the shedding! :cheer:


I am recovering from major hair loss. My story (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=117927)
So to all of you, I did not cut, I kept the length and I don't regret it.
Unfortunately I wasn't brave enough to take pictures during the worst time of hair loss, I just couldn't handle that.
But I gained length again and I gained thickness. It just took very long.

But there is hope. A more recent picture (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18040&d=1436171232)

Good luck for all of you.
Teufelchen, thank you for sharing your story with us. And thank you for your well wishes. :flower:

[rags]

Arctic I'm so glad you were taken seriously and are getting on your way to, hopefully, an answer!

HLH, you can definitely see your hair filled in the second photo - yay!!

Teufelchen, it's good to "see" you. Wow, your hair is beautiful now. Congratulations on sticking it out and thanks for sharing.

[hennalonghair]

I'm possibly in the minority as an LHCer, because I like all hair lengths, and don't self-identify with any particular length. I think short and long look good on me.

I can't remember if I already posted this, but in the past I once had a big shed which led to noticeable thinning (I regained it all later), I did choose to keep it at very short and neat bob, and when the new growth started to come through, I cut it into a pixie, and then let it grew again. I had a long bob, I think, at the time the shed started, and I couldn't bare to see the thin sad ends.

I also had breakage induced thinning some years ago, when I grew out henna (so the hair did not shed from the scalp, but broke off midshaft), and also then I chose to cut. I will choose to cut if this curent thinning gets worse, I'm sure.
I did a decent trim also, only because I like my ends thick and healthy. The shed hairs kept getting caught up in the drier ends of my curly hair. I'm glad I trimmed also.

How frequently do you wash your hair with this? I looked at this and the gold version and it gets amazing ratings on amazon. Currently I wash my hair 2x per week, would I need to wash my hair more often?

I wash my scalp only with it with diluted shampoo about every 5 days. I'm not suggesting you dilute it. I've got dry hair so need to. It cleanses ultra well. Maybe a bit too well the first time but I'm getting used to the consistency now.
It also has a clean scent that's not too strong. That's nice also because I can't handle strong scented products.

Thank you Neoma. I am pretty stoked about it especially since I'm growing in silvers which can expose the hair cleavage even more. I REALLY wanted to grow in my greys so had to get this under control in order to do so.

[Arctic]

Arctic, I'm so glad to hear that she took you seriously and that the ball is now rolling! I hope that they are able to pinpoint the cause(s) and find a solution! :flower:


Thank you! The general doctor today told me, that it's very often that no reason can be found; often the hair will grow back after a while. But yes, I do hope to find a reason, especially one that can be corrected. It would bring a mental peace and hope.



Arctic I'm so glad you were taken seriously and are getting on your way to, hopefully, an answer!

Me too; I had a worry beforehands that she would just brush me off and think hair loss only cosmetic; thanfully it wasnt the case. She asked me tons of question, including about my diet and supplements, which I found good (I am vegetarian, eating mostly vegan food, and some deficiencies are possible on my kind of diet - although I try to take supplement to support my diet).

[Arctic]

Henna, fresh ends can be so nice! You have speedy growth, so much virgin hair already! It will be beautful when your silvers slowly conquer the hennaed lengths.

[hennalonghair]

Thank you Arctic and rags
I think it will look pretty cool also. My hair is growing very quickly. Soon I'll have my reverse ombré. Ok maybe not that soon what I'm in no hurry.
Have a wonderful day ladies. It going to be gorgeous here today so I'm planning on getting as much sunshine as possible :sun:

[vpatt]

Henna, I definitely think you are wise to begin now helping your hair if you see thinning. And from your pics it looks good, yay. I think some of my thinning is from before last year and it didn't occur to me I could maybe do something aBout it until I came to LHC. Thank you for your advice. I am trying to get back on my good eating plan and I will order this shampoo and some saw palmetto. I am very hopeful now for more regrowth. I can live with the hair now but what if this happened again......it would really be thin. No reason not to try and help.myself.

[hennalonghair]

How frequently do you wash your hair with this? I looked at this and the gold version and it gets amazing ratings on amazon. Currently I wash my hair 2x per week, would I need to wash my hair more often?

Something I forgot to say. Even if you don't purchase this shampoo, those thousands of ratings where people have added personal photos are priceless in their teaching abilities alone. The best thing about it is that fact that you have so many people all gathering together about hair loss and solutions to hair loss. The reviews give real life testimonies of people who have lost their hair and why along with all the different things they tried. It's a great informative read.
:thumbsup: on the reviews.

[hennalonghair]

Henna, I definitely think you are wise to begin now helping your hair if you see thinning. And from your pics it looks good, yay. I think some of my thinning is from before last year and it didn't occur to me I could maybe do something aBout it until I came to LHC. Thank you for your advice. I am trying to get back on my good eating plan and I will order this shampoo and some saw palmetto. I am very hopeful now for more regrowth. I can live with the hair now but what if this happened again......it would really be thin. No reason not to try and help.myself.
You are most welcome. I wish the best for you:flowers:

[vpatt]

Thank you, again. I just ordered the shampoo and a wooden bristle brush and hopefully they will be here soon. :happydance:

[natural_shine]

I had a medium shed last month... now it's over due to some vitamins and eating pineapple.

BUT- I'm tempted tp blowdry cause it makes it seem like it has monster volume and it makes my feel good. I did it twice by now. My bad.

[Silverbrumby]

Henna, fresh ends can be so nice! You have speedy growth, so much virgin hair already! It will be beautful when your silvers slowly conquer the hennaed lengths.

I have a question. I seem to recall mixed reviews on Henna. I did my first red henna about 3 months ago and do like the color. BUT will it damage my hair? Should I stop? It felt thicker after the henna and I don't use heat at all.

I'm confused. Sorry Arctic.

[summergreen]

Our appearance is tied so deeply to our identity because that's the only way we have of telling the world who we are. I think that's why hair loss often feels so devastating. We present ourselves this one way for years, maybe our whole lives, we work so hard on getting it right and keeping it there, and suddenly that's taken away from us without our consent.

Even aside from social expectations of presentability (bald patches and deep scalp cleavage being frowned on, especially for people who wear their hair long) it's hard when the inside and the outside don't match, especially when it's out of your control. And then even if you get it under control and start regrowing, when you want long hair and it you know it'll take years to get the thickness back down the length... well, y'all know how discouraging that is, that's why we're here!

Nique, that's it exactly, particularly the BIB. Most people in real life just can't understand why having long hair is such a big deal to me. It's totally about self expression and looking the way you feel inside, well, it is for me.

Hope your doctor's appointment goes well.


Cross posting from my blog. I'm on my phone, will come back later to comment.

***

I just came from the doctor, and she did take me seriously, thank goodness. She did not want to look at my photos, to bad I spent a long time last night to find good ones to represent my hairloss. And I forgot to mention my pony circ drop.

She confirmed the loss, asked qs, referred me to more lab tests, and to a dermatologist. The lab appointment is tomorrow already, and I was lucky to get the derm appointment next week! So things are progressing now!
The test results should be available by the time of the derm appt.

They don't do serum ferritin tests for some reason, but there will be haemoglobin, and some other test comparable to serum ferritin. And another thyroid test and some others. They can't do vitamin level tests, other than B-12, even though due to my acne medication I might have vit-A overload.

She also said my hair is very healthy and shiny, lol, the ones still attached to my scalp, that is. I will take compliments where I find them, lol.

That's good that she took you seriously Arctic. Hope the results show something that can be easily fixed!

I've been to the doctor's also, and she took me seriously too, so waiting on the results of blood tests, and if nothing obvious shows up she's going to refer me to a dermatologist. I'm really hoping it'll just be ferritin or needing an increase in thyroid meds though. I was so happy that she agreed about the need for ferritin levels of at least 70!

Hope everyone is doing ok :)

[Arctic]

I have a question. I seem to recall mixed reviews on Henna. I did my first red henna about 3 months ago and do like the color. BUT will it damage my hair? Should I stop? It felt thicker after the henna and I don't use heat at all.

I'm confused. Sorry Arctic.
Hi, I was refering the quoted text to Hennalonghair, but maybe you meant the other post where I told growing out henna made my hair break off.

Yes my hair indeed started breaking off at the henna-virgin demarcation line very badly, esp. my canopy. I guess there was enough texture differences between the two. I also had some protein overload issues back then, which no doubt contributed.

I hennaed happily for years without any problems, though, it was only when I started to have year+ of roots, when the breakage started. I have lot of photos in my blog about it all.

My case is probably rare, as I haven't seen many others mention the same issue.

[Silverbrumby]

Hi, I was refering the quoted text to Hennalonghair, but maybe you meant the other post where I told growing out henna made my hair break off.

Yes my hair indeed started breaking off at the henna-virgin demarcation line very badly, esp. my canopy. I guess there was enough texture differences between the two. I also had some protein overload issues back then, which no doubt contributed.

I hennaed happily for years without any problems, though, it was only when I started to have year+ of roots, when the breakage started. I have lot of photos in my blog about it all.

My case is probably rare, as I haven't seen many others mention the same issue.


Thank you. I will look at your photos. Each hair becomes so precious and it takes so long to grow. I'm trying to not make bad choices. I did do Rogaine about 2 years ago and had a massive shed. It's growing back but you can see where it's around 12 inches from my head. It took so long. Whenever I read Amazon reviews about how a product changed someones hair overnight to 'thick, long, glorious' or anything else I think "OKAY".

I love this thread. Thank you for starting it.

[Arctic]

That's good that she took you seriously Arctic. Hope the results show something that can be easily fixed!

I've been to the doctor's also, and she took me seriously too, so waiting on the results of blood tests, and if nothing obvious shows up she's going to refer me to a dermatologist. I'm really hoping it'll just be ferritin or needing an increase in thyroid meds though. I was so happy that she agreed about the need for ferritin levels of at least 70!

Hope everyone is doing ok :)

Thanks! Let's hope you and me (and everyone else too) will find a way to regrow our hair!

I was surprised my clinic doesn't take ferritin test, as that test seems to be one of the key ones with hairloss.

[LegoCaltrops]

I watched the Dr. Axe video and Saw Palmetto was the first thing on his list. Do any of you use that as a supplement? I have thought of it for hubbie as a preventative for prostate CA. Maybe we should both take it. It wasn't meant just for male hair loss was it? I need to watch that video again.
I tried that, was on it about 4 months. Not sure if it helped, but my migraines got a lot worse, so I stopped. My migraines don't appear to be particularly worse or better at any specific time of the month, however they were originally triggered by the combined pill. I've read that Saw Palmetto can mimic hormones & was hoping that it would be ok for me, but sadly it wasn't to be. Just a small cautionary anecdote.
If you are going to try Saw Palmetto, don't forget the dosage is different for men & women. I'm certain it does work for many people - it just didn't for me.

[hennalonghair]

I found henna very conditioning for my hair.

[LegoCaltrops]

I did, too. Amazing thickness & shine. I don't know if it made any difference to the shedding - I used Lush Marron & Brun, mixed, which does have an oily base & I've since found this would not be a good idea for me to use it again. But I'd absolutely use henna powder if I wanted to go red again, lovely stuff.

I've also used cassia obovata, which gave a similarly conditioning result but didn't last more than a week.

[Neoma]

I did, too. Amazing thickness & shine. I don't know if it made any difference to the shedding - I used Lush Marron & Brun, mixed, which does have an oily base & I've since found this would not be a good idea for me to use it again. But I'd absolutely use henna powder if I wanted to go red again, lovely stuff.

I've also used cassia obovata, which gave a similarly conditioning result but didn't last more than a week.
Henna was very strengthening for my hair. I miss the strengthening and thickness, though I will be happy when the color grows out in about three years! :D

I always found cassia to be very drying. It made my hair feel huge (like henna) but it was so dry that I spent days trying to add moisture. I would be afraid to use it now that my hair is so fragile.

[hennalonghair]

Yes I do love my henna but thinking this entire thing over it was after I did a full henna treatment and went a bit too dark and the fact that my silvers were coming that I started doing my roots every 10 to 14 days. Maybe the frequent hennaing was contributing to my hair loss. While henna does condition and strengthen hair it also creates a lot of added manipulation.
:hmm: The timing matches up perfectly. Now it's been almost 3 months of not doing my roots and my hairs growing back. That's interesting.

[hennalonghair]

Henna was very strengthening for my hair. I miss the strengthening and thickness, though I will be happy when the color grows out in about three years! :D

I always found cassia to be very drying. It made my hair feel huge (like henna) but it was so dry that I spent days trying to add moisture. I would be afraid to use it now that my hair is so fragile.
Really? So you are going to cut the hennaed part off?
I'd like to keep mine for an ombré look but will probably cut it off later on also.
I never tried cassia but I found indigo and Zizyphus quite drying.

[Neoma]

Really? So you are going to cut the hennaed part off?
I'd like to keep mine for an ombré look but will probably cut it off later on also.
I never tried cassia but I found indigo and Zizyphus quite drying.

I keep my hair waist length. As the hennaed part inches past my waist, it will be trimmed off. If history repeats itself, I should have waist-length virgin hair in three years. :flowers:

[hennalonghair]

I keep my hair waist length. As the hennaed part inches past my waist, it will be trimmed off. If history repeats itself, I should have waist-length virgin hair in three years. :flowers:

Very cool. That's excellent hair grow. It would take me about 5 to 6 years to get mine to where it is now and I want to reach Classic at some point before I get too old so I guess I'll just wait it out and see how I feel.
After all, as women , we have the perogative to change our mind. :gabigrin:

[vpatt]

I tried that, was on it about 4 months. Not sure if it helped, but my migraines got a lot worse, so I stopped. My migraines don't appear to be particularly worse or better at any specific time of the month, however they were originally triggered by the combined pill. I've read that Saw Palmetto can mimic hormones & was hoping that it would be ok for me, but sadly it wasn't to be. Just a small cautionary anecdote.
If you are going to try Saw Palmetto, don't forget the dosage is different for men & women. I'm certain it does work for many people - it just didn't for me.

Thank you for your response. I have had only a few migraines, but they were doozies. If I take the herb I will keep that in mind....both the dosage and the possibility of migraines.

[vpatt]

I got my Pura D'or shampoo. I am going to try it either tonight or in the morning. So far the negatives.....I don't care for the smell of tea tree oil (but it doesn't gag me), we already know the possibility of staining from argan oil and I see that it contains rosemary oil which can also cause darkening. I am just saying what I see or smell, lol. I am still very excited about trying it and I hope it will work. It may or may not stain my hair, but I will report back if when I see color changes and or new hair growth.

And I plan to order saw palmetto, also.

[LegoCaltrops]

Please report back about the Pura D'Or shampoo. I'm very interested in that stuff... except it costs a small fortune here in the UK!

[vpatt]

Please report back about the Pura D'Or shampoo. I'm very interested in that stuff... except it costs a small fortune here in the UK!

I will and you can message me, too, if you want.

[Neoma]

vpatt, I'm looking forward to hearing how it works for you. I hope that it grows a whole crop of new hair!

The past couple of days, my thinning was extremely noticeable to me. The crown is very thin and there is some thinning on the sides that result in scalp show-through unless I arrange my hair very carefully.

Only a few strands ended up on my hands as I was showering this morning, but the drain was full, so I'm not sure whether the Great Shed has slowed, yet.

[hennalonghair]

Oh Neoma. It's heart breaking to read. I'm so sorry for your loss. I truly am:sad :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :sad :grouphug:

[EdG]

:grouphug: Neoma.
Ed

[renia22]

Neoma-

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-hug005.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

[Neoma]

Thank you hennalonghair, Ed and renia. I am so glad that I have a place to share about my hair loss -- a place with such lovely, supportive people who understand that it's not "just hair."

[Agnieszka]

I've stopped taking iron more than half a year ago when my ferritin reached 100. Now my blood test results are back and ferritin is 44. It looks like if I don't take iron supplements my ferritin goes down. I believe my general hair thinning depends on ferritin levels. I remember that I was very often anaemic when young, maybe my body is not absorbing iron well from foods? From one side it's good news as maybe iron supplement taken regularly would be a solution for me? I will repeat my blood tests in 3 months again.

I also spray my scalp with organic peppermint oil (diluted with water). Gives me a nice cooling tingle and there is some research behind it, so I will be testing it for you guys!

[LegoCaltrops]

Neoma, sympathies. I know how you feel (mine is like that as well). I've just started wearing mine up all the time, it's got to be brushed & arranged in a certain way on my head or the pale pink shiny scalp is too obvious. Rubbish isn't it.

I've started using a mix of essential oils in aloe vera gel as a massage. I mixed them with a tiny whisk & keep it in an old, cleaned moisturiser jar. So far I'm not having any increased shedding, & my hair feels very smooth & moisturised despite not using conditioner as it's only halfway between chin & SL, I daren't risk getting the conditioner on my scalp (it makes me shed more).

[hennalonghair]

I've stopped taking iron more than half a year ago when my ferritin reached 100. Now my blood test results are back and ferritin is 44. It looks like if I don't take iron supplements my ferritin goes down. I believe my general hair thinning depends on ferritin levels. I remember that I was very often anaemic when young, maybe my body is not absorbing iron well from foods? From one side it's good news as maybe iron supplement taken regularly would be a solution for me? I will repeat my blood tests in 3 months again.

I also spray my scalp with organic peppermint oil (diluted with water). Gives me a nice cooling tingle and there is some research behind it, so I will be testing it for you guys!
Good sleuthing skills. I'd tend to agree with you in the fact that your body isn't absorbing iron very well OR you aren't eating enough things with iron in them.


Neoma, sympathies. I know how you feel (mine is like that as well). I've just started wearing mine up all the time, it's got to be brushed & arranged in a certain way on my head or the pale pink shiny scalp is too obvious. Rubbish isn't it.

I've started using a mix of essential oils in aloe vera gel as a massage. I mixed them with a tiny whisk & keep it in an old, cleaned moisturiser jar. So far I'm not having any increased shedding, & my hair feels very smooth & moisturised despite not using conditioner as it's only halfway between chin & SL, I daren't risk getting the conditioner on my scalp (it makes me shed more).

My heart goes to you slso.I can't use conditioner on my scalp either without noticeable shedding.

[hennalonghair]

Thank you hennalonghair, Ed and renia. I am so glad that I have a place to share about my hair loss -- a place with such lovely, supportive people who understand that it's not "just hair."

You're such a trooper Neoma. It's not 'just' hair. We will support you through this every step of the way. :grouphug:

[diddiedaisy]

Cross posting from my blog. I'm on my phone, will come back later to comment.

***

I just came from the doctor, and she did take me seriously, thank goodness. She did not want to look at my photos, to bad I spent a long time last night to find good ones to represent my hairloss. And I forgot to mention my pony circ drop.

She confirmed the loss, asked qs, referred me to more lab tests, and to a dermatologist. The lab appointment is tomorrow already, and I was lucky to get the derm appointment next week! So things are progressing now!
The test results should be available by the time of the derm appt.

They don't do serum ferritin tests for some reason, but there will be haemoglobin, and some other test comparable to serum ferritin. And another thyroid test and some others. They can't do vitamin level tests, other than B-12, even though due to my acne medication I might have vit-A overload.

She also said my hair is very healthy and shiny, lol, the ones still attached to my scalp, that is. I will take compliments where I find them, lol.

Im so happy for you that the doctor took you seriously, so many don't. Hopefully you can get some answers when all the testing has finished :)

I've started with my digestion problems again which if left causes my hair to severely shed. Luckily I now how to deal with it to stop it getting out of control. I need to really limit gluten and wheat, but only after I've finished my coffee and walnut cake, cut down in the dairy and start up my biotin again. It's really good for helping the system to digest proteins, vitimins and all the other stuff found in food!!! I'm also going to do a weeks detox with DE, and start the msm again .

[vpatt]

Oh Neoma, I'm sorry. This is such a devastating thing. I cried so much during my shed that I am sure I made it worse. My shed lasted two to three months and it was bad. I hope yours stops soon. ((((Hugs))))


I tried the shampoo last night. I did not buy the conditioner (money!!) I diluted the shampoo as I have been playing with that lately. It did not lather much which may have been from the diluting. I left it on my head between 3 to 4 minutes. I rinsed with cold water and used a tiny bit of Pantene conditioner on the ends. I usually use a vinegar rinse and I wasn't sure if I should, so I didn't. When my hair dried it looked clean and shiny and felt really nice. I am curious whether it will stay clean for as many days as usual. I usually shampoo twice a week. The volume may not be quite as much as with Pantene Sheer Volume. It may have encouraged a bit more wave.

[RSunny]

Oh Neoma, I'm sorry. This is such a devastating thing. I cried so much during my shed that I am sure I made it worse. My shed lasted two to three months and it was bad. I hope yours stops soon. ((((Hugs))))


I tried the shampoo last night. I did not buy the conditioner (money!!) I diluted the shampoo as I have been playing with that lately. It did not lather much which may have been from the diluting. I left it on my head between 3 to 4 minutes. I rinsed with cold water and used a tiny bit of Pantene conditioner on the ends. I usually use a vinegar rinse and I wasn't sure if I should, so I didn't. When my hair dried it looked clean and shiny and felt really nice. I am curious whether it will stay clean for as many days as usual. I usually shampoo twice a week. The volume may not be quite as much as with Pantene Sheer Volume. It may have encouraged a bit more wave.

I got the pura d'or gold shampoo too and used it for the first time on Thursday...I'm really hoping that it stops any current shedding and prevents future shedding. I didn't mind the smell, and I used my regular conditioner afterwards so my smell just smelled usual. I didn't dilute it.

I lost about .5 inches from my ponytail in the last year. Luckily my shedding has slowed even before starting the shampoo, but it seems to come in waves. I did notice last night about an inch of fly away hairs (not a ton of hairs, but some), so maybe some of my shedding is starting to grow back. I know that it takes about 3-6 months for hair to go back into the active growing phase after it falls out, so it would be about the right time period for some regrowth.

Does anyone else feel like they were supposed to have thick hair, but it seems like due to stress or other issues they have been downgraded to a thinner haired version of their true selves? lol When I was little people always told me how thick my hair was, now as an adult I'm a little below average (2.5"). I just want to get back to 3+".

[Alma Petra]

This isn't their latest formula but it's a lot cheaper. It's also a 16 ounce bottle.
http://www.amazon.com/Pura-dor-Prevention-Premium-Organic/dp/B0079R6BD2

Hmmm do they have a conditioner for those who cowash?

[vpatt]

Hmmm do they have a conditioner for those who cowash?

There is a conditioner. I did not look at details as I did not mean to buy it. I bought mine from Amazon, but possibly there are more details on the Pura d'or website. Good luck.

[rags]

Neoma, I'm so sorry. :flowers: I have had to "arrange" my hair for updos for some years now to cover the thin patches. I know how it feels. (But I can tell you, from one who did cut - it's worse having it shorter! At least you CAN put it up with longer hair, and thus cover the scalp!)

RSunny, when I was younger I had "baby fine hair but a lot of it". I never measured my hair back then, but I had decently thick hair. And yes, now I am a MUCH thinner version of that (still baby-fine mostly though). So I know what you mean.

[Arctic]

Neoma, keep a positive spirit, let's all hope in short time you will see new growth. It sounds positive if you can't feel hairs on your hands when you wash; that's how I often notice increased shedding myself, when I start feeling hairs wrapping around my fingers when washing (and vice versa, not having the hairs stick to my hands then is one of the first signs of things improving).

I have to arrange my updos too. I've never had a very dense hair, so this in general is nothing new to me, but I have had to become extra careful with it. I've been wearing my hair down more lately, as most of my hairloss seemes to be at the perimeter of my scalp, so very visible in many up-styles.

[Neoma]

Neoma -- Queen of the Multi-Quote! :D


I've stopped taking iron more than half a year ago when my ferritin reached 100. Now my blood test results are back and ferritin is 44. It looks like if I don't take iron supplements my ferritin goes down. I believe my general hair thinning depends on ferritin levels. I remember that I was very often anaemic when young, maybe my body is not absorbing iron well from foods? From one side it's good news as maybe iron supplement taken regularly would be a solution for me? I will repeat my blood tests in 3 months again.

I also spray my scalp with organic peppermint oil (diluted with water). Gives me a nice cooling tingle and there is some research behind it, so I will be testing it for you guys!Deleted this part of my comments because, clearly, I was out of my mind when I wrote it. :silly:

Please do keep us posted on the peppermint spray experiment! I hope that it works for you!


Neoma, sympathies. I know how you feel (mine is like that as well). I've just started wearing mine up all the time, it's got to be brushed & arranged in a certain way on my head or the pale pink shiny scalp is too obvious. Rubbish isn't it.

I've started using a mix of essential oils in aloe vera gel as a massage. I mixed them with a tiny whisk & keep it in an old, cleaned moisturiser jar. So far I'm not having any increased shedding, & my hair feels very smooth & moisturised despite not using conditioner as it's only halfway between chin & SL, I daren't risk getting the conditioner on my scalp (it makes me shed more).Thank you, LegoCaltrops. :flowers: Your EO/aloe blend sounds lovely. My hair and scalp love aloe. You have inspired me to do an aloe/EO massage today.


You're such a trooper Neoma. It's not 'just' hair. We will support you through this every step of the way. :grouphug:Thank you, my friend. :flowers:


Im so happy for you that the doctor took you seriously, so many don't. Hopefully you can get some answers when all the testing has finished :)

I've started with my digestion problems again which if left causes my hair to severely shed. Luckily I now how to deal with it to stop it getting out of control. I need to really limit gluten and wheat, but only after I've finished my coffee and walnut cake, cut down in the dairy and start up my biotin again. It's really good for helping the system to digest proteins, vitimins and all the other stuff found in food!!! I'm also going to do a weeks detox with DE, and start the msm again .diddiedaisy, welcome to the thread. I wish you the best in your quest to eliminate foods that don't support your health and your hair. :flower:


Oh Neoma, I'm sorry. This is such a devastating thing. I cried so much during my shed that I am sure I made it worse. My shed lasted two to three months and it was bad. I hope yours stops soon. ((((Hugs))))


I tried the shampoo last night. I did not buy the conditioner (money!!) I diluted the shampoo as I have been playing with that lately. It did not lather much which may have been from the diluting. I left it on my head between 3 to 4 minutes. I rinsed with cold water and used a tiny bit of Pantene conditioner on the ends. I usually use a vinegar rinse and I wasn't sure if I should, so I didn't. When my hair dried it looked clean and shiny and felt really nice. I am curious whether it will stay clean for as many days as usual. I usually shampoo twice a week. The volume may not be quite as much as with Pantene Sheer Volume. It may have encouraged a bit more wave.
Thank you, vpatt. I hope that this shampoo brings you tons of new hair growth!

I miss Pantene. It was my staple shampoo for decades and people always commented on how shiny and smooth my hair was. Sadly, I can't tolerate the fragrance anymore. I keep hoping that they'll come out with a fragrance-free version.


Neoma, I'm so sorry. :flowers: I have had to "arrange" my hair for updos for some years now to cover the thin patches. I know how it feels. (But I can tell you, from one who did cut - it's worse having it shorter! At least you CAN put it up with longer hair, and thus cover the scalp!)
Thank you, rags.


Neoma, keep a positive spirit, let's all hope in short time you will see new growth. It sounds positive if you can't feel hairs on your hands when you wash; that's how I often notice increased shedding myself, when I start feeling hairs wrapping around my fingers when washing (and vice versa, not having the hairs stick to my hands then is one of the first signs of things improving).

I have to arrange my updos too. I've never had a very dense hair, so this in general is nothing new to me, but I have had to become extra careful with it. I've been wearing my hair down more lately, as most of my hairloss seemes to be at the perimeter of my scalp, so very visible in many up-styles.
Thank you, Arctic.

LHC wouldn't let me give everyone individual flowers -- too many images. So here's one for everyone: :flower:

[Neoma]

Inspired by LegoCaltrops, I just mixed aloe juice, coconut oil and essential oils (peppermint, lavender and rosemary -- all thought to promote hair growth) and massaged the blend into my scalp and hair. It smells delicious! I bunned it and plan to leave it in for an hour or so before shampooing.

[Arctic]

Lego and Agnieszka. I too would be interested to hear updates on the essential oils. I've used them myself too, but to be honest, haven't really seen effects.

My latest EO purchase was peppermint, but I haven't used it often or long enough to give any verdicts. It's pleasant to use for sure, no doubt about that.

My other EO usage however, was (I think) long and frequent enough to see difference, if there was going to be any. I still use EOs mixed in aloe, but currently only one-few times per week, to give my scalp a break. I probably will start more frequently after a while, when my scalp has calmed down (it got irritated from castor ol experiment - I should have known better, that oils and my skin don't get along, but was too curious to see if castor oil would help my hair, lol. Silly me.).

[Silverbrumby]

I found henna very conditioning for my hair.

Thank you. I'm gong to henna again tonight.

[Agnieszka]

Neoma -- Queen of the Multi-Quote! :D

Agnieszka, my iron levels have been single digit in the past. They'll get them up with mega vitamin D doses and tell me to stop. Then when they test again, they'll be down. So far, they have never gotten as low as 6 again, thank goodness.

I feel certain that plays a part in my shedding, but, for me, the biggest culprit has been medication.

Please do keep us posted on the peppermint spray experiment! I hope that it works for you! [/B][/B]


I had no idea that vitamin D might rise iron levels, that is very interesting actually. Maybe I should test for vitamin D too just in case next time. Thank you! Ferritin 6 would be very low, you probably felt dizzy and weak... I'm sorry that you are loosing some more hair recently :-( Sending you hugs and I hope that your hair will stop falling...

I will keep you posted about peppermint oil ( I also mix it with rosemary, forgot to add before)



Arctic yes I do enjoy using it as it smells lovely, especially rosemary. Even if it won't do a thing at least smells good :-) I used it today with argan oil and could not wash it off with my shampoo. Oils are not great for me either :)

[rags]

Agnleska, my ferritin level at the height of my shed was 3. I'd certainly keep my iron levels up any way you can! (I don't absorb it properly, so I periodically have to get infusions).
I thought mine was almost entirely medication, but it seemed to be a combination. When I finally got the ferritin under control is when the shed slowed (and then I was able to lower the medication dosage, and that slowed it even more).

And I second keeping us posted on the peppermint oil experiment! I'm really interested in this - may have to do some googling today.

[Agnieszka]

Wow Rags, ferritin 3!!! Oh my that's low. Good to hear that you managed to rise it up and slow down your shedding. There is one study about peppermint oil, it looks promising but it was done on mice... Oh well, I will be using it anyway :)

[Neoma]

I had no idea that vitamin D might rise iron levels, that is very interesting actually. Maybe I should test for vitamin D too just in case next time. Thank you! Ferritin 6 would be very low, you probably felt dizzy and weak... I'm sorry that you are loosing some more hair recently :-( Sending you hugs and I hope that your hair will stop falling...

I will keep you posted about peppermint oil ( I also mix it with rosemary, forgot to add before)



Agnieszka, I apologize for the confusion... I will go back and edit my post. My vitamin D levels are low without supplements. I didn't mean to imply that has anything to do with low iron levels. :flower:

[Arctic]

Talking of peppermint, I just did my scalp treatment (aloe, caffeine and peppermint + some other EOs), first one this week, I think.

The general doctor said she did see some re-growth, I hope there will be enough to make a difference. I have had some new hairs growing this all time, but not enough to fill in the thinned areas. I guess the shedding has been equal to new growth. I am hopeful to see some progress now that the shedding seems to have been slowed down. IF my hair loss was mainly stemming from malnourishment, I've read it might take 1-2 years to fully recover. I've corrected my diet since February this year, so hopefully there will soon to be a real difference in how my hair/scalp looks (=ideally I wouldn't want to be able to look at my scalp at all due to having thick, dense hair, lol).

When I collected the photos for the doctor (which she didn't take a look at), I really realized how little change there had been with how my scalp/hair looked from February to October. It was a bit like cold shower, I admit.

[Neoma]

Talking of peppermint, I just did my scalp treatment (aloe, caffeine and peppermint + some other EOs), first one this week, I think.

The general doctor said she did see some re-growth, I hope there will be enough to make a difference. I have had some new hairs growing this all time, but not enough to fill in the thinned areas. I guess the shedding has been equal to new growth. I am hopeful to see some progress now that the shedding seems to have been slowed down. IF my hair loss was mainly stemming from malnourishment, I've read it might take 1-2 years to fully recover. I've corrected my diet since February this year, so hopefully there will soon to be a real difference in how my hair/scalp looks (=ideally I wouldn't want to be able to look at my scalp at all due to having thick, dense hair, lol).

When I collected the photos for the doctor (which she didn't take a look at), I really realized how little change there had been with how my scalp/hair looked from February to October. It was a bit like cold shower, I admit.

It's good news that you do have regrowth. As you said, it can take a long time -- years -- to regrow hair. I'm trying not to think about it and just pamper the hair I have on a daily basis. But, I, too, have had those "cold shower" moments. :grouphug:

[Arctic]

Neoma I think it's good approach to not to over think, although now at retrospect I wish I would have called the doctor sooner; but I didn't have a clue the shedding period would last that long, when I first noticed it. I guess there is good to have a balance. You have thankfully been in contact with your doctors this all time, so I think that will give you some leverage to your (hopefully very swift) recovery!

Those cold shower moments are the worst, aren't they. :grouphug:

[Agnieszka]

Agnieszka, I apologize for the confusion... I will go back and edit my post. My vitamin D levels are low without supplements. I didn't mean to imply that has anything to do with low iron levels. :flower:

thank you for clarifying this Neoma:blossom: I should have realised that it was a mistake :)

[Agnieszka]

(=ideally I wouldn't want to be able to look at my scalp at all due to having thick, dense hair, lol).

wow I want that for Christmas pretty please :gift: :-)

[summergreen]

Neoma, hope things get better really soon. My thinning seems to look much worse some days and then apparently better; I really hope that might happen with yours too.

Arctic, that's good news about the new growth!

Does/would anyone here use hair fibres? I have some and they're pretty good at hiding visible scalp. I don't use them much as I'm paranoid they'll block the follicles but they're good as a last resort on days when you feel despairing. It's nice to not worry about what the person behind you in the queue or on the bus is seeing once in a while!

[Arctic]

wow I want that for Christmas pretty please :gift: :-)

LOL, yes, let's write to Santa Claus, who of course lives in Finnish Lapland, and not at the North Pole :D

[meteor]

My heart goes out to everyone going through the Great Shed! :grouphug: It can be so devastating and disorienting! :( I'm hoping for a great improvement and full regrowth for everyone! :pray:

I'm having a very heavy shed at the moment (I stopped counting hairs after 500+ when I detangled it), and it is very likely due to my iron deficiency (ferritin at 5, according to the latest blood test). So I started heavy supplements again, despite problematic side effects. Unfortunately, it looks like when I'm not supplementing, my body automatically becomes anaemic, despite being a meat-eater.

I am confused, because I've had this problem my entire life and the doctors can't find any specific reason and just say it's probably just because I'm a woman (blood loss due to periods), which doesn't sound like an exhaustive enough explanation, to be perfectly honest.


I've stopped taking iron more than half a year ago when my ferritin reached 100. Now my blood test results are back and ferritin is 44. It looks like if I don't take iron supplements my ferritin goes down. I believe my general hair thinning depends on ferritin levels. I remember that I was very often anaemic when young, maybe my body is not absorbing iron well from foods? From one side it's good news as maybe iron supplement taken regularly would be a solution for me? I will repeat my blood tests in 3 months again.


I had no idea that vitamin D might rise iron levels, that is very interesting actually. Maybe I should test for vitamin D too just in case next time. Thank you! Ferritin 6 would be very low, you probably felt dizzy and weak... I'm sorry that you are loosing some more hair recently :-( Sending you hugs and I hope that your hair will stop falling...


Agnleska, my ferritin level at the height of my shed was 3. I'd certainly keep my iron levels up any way you can! (I don't absorb it properly, so I periodically have to get infusions).
I thought mine was almost entirely medication, but it seemed to be a combination. When I finally got the ferritin under control is when the shed slowed (and then I was able to lower the medication dosage, and that slowed it even more).

My heart goes out to you, guys! :grouphug: I hope it will get much, much better for you soon!

Did your doctors do any further testing to help with this? Or did you find any patterns? Like, for example, is there anything diet-related that can be done (beyond the iron-rich foods + Vit.C routine)? I think I'm doing everything right, except I still drink coffee and tea, eat calcium-rich foods, some gluten products and sometimes have sweets. This stuff gives me much-needed energy, but if it's not right for people with really low iron, I could change that.

Neoma, how did you get to test for Vitamin D? :flower: Was it enough to just ask your doctor or did you have to present a case to get tested for that? I would be surprised if my levels were healthy (sun-avoiding Northerner here :lol:), and I did read that low Vitamin D could be associated with anaemia (https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/anemia/)?

Wishing everybody a complete and full regrowth!! :pray: :love:

[ThrowNormanAway]

Hi everyone, I don't know if I'd belong in this thread but I'm currently recovering from two major sheds as well as traction alopecia. I had a brutal post partum shed in late 2013 through spring 2014, in which I lost about 1/4 of my total density. when that was finally over, I had a major car wreck in the autumn of 2014 which left me hospitalized and subsequently bed ridden for so long that I developed traction alopecia on the back of my head. If I part my hair down the center back, I can grab a small ponytail of hairs, probably the diameter of a dime or so, that are still growing back and are only a few inches long. From the same medical event, I dont know if it was the drugs or nutrition (hospital food, need I say more?) but I suffered very severe breakage all over my head. My hairs are only just long enough around my hairline to be brought up in a pony or bun.

It's a long road to recovering former hair quality and density. Hope everyone here is growing happily :)

[diddiedaisy]

Talking of peppermint, I just did my scalp treatment (aloe, caffeine and peppermint + some other EOs), first one this week, I think.

The general doctor said she did see some re-growth, I hope there will be enough to make a difference. I have had some new hairs growing this all time, but not enough to fill in the thinned areas. I guess the shedding has been equal to new growth. I am hopeful to see some progress now that the shedding seems to have been slowed down. IF my hair loss was mainly stemming from malnourishment, I've read it might take 1-2 years to fully recover. I've corrected my diet since February this year, so hopefully there will soon to be a real difference in how my hair/scalp looks (=ideally I wouldn't want to be able to look at my scalp at all due to having thick, dense hair, lol).

When I collected the photos for the doctor (which she didn't take a look at), I really realized how little change there had been with how my scalp/hair looked from February to October. It was a bit like cold shower, I admit.

My big sheds are connected to malnourishment, but I found that as soon as that issue was sorted my hair stopped shedding very quickly and new growth also came in very quickly.

[Suzysu]

I had no idea that vitamin D might rise iron levels, that is very interesting actually. Maybe I should test for vitamin D too just in case next time. Thank you! Ferritin 6 would be very low, you probably felt dizzy and weak... I'm sorry that you are loosing some more hair recently :-( Sending you hugs and I hope that your hair will stop falling...

I will keep you posted about peppermint oil ( I also mix it with rosemary, forgot to add before)



Arctic yes I do enjoy using it as it smells lovely, especially rosemary. Even if it won't do a thing at least smells good :-) I used it today with argan oil and could not wash it off with my shampoo. Oils are not great for me either :)

Well, and I hope I didn't get this info from this thread - if I did, excuse the repetition, but not only do they smell lovely as you say, essential oils, including Rosemary, worked very well in a clinical trial:

Some essential oils used in aromatherapy also have the ability to stimulate hair growth. In a clinical trial at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland, 86 patients with alopecia areata a hair loss condition that results in patchy bald spots used either a combination of essential oils in a carrier oil, or just the carrier oil, for seven months (see box for details).

The group using the essential oils had an area of hair regrowth that averaged an amazing 104 square centimetres (about a four-inch square), compared with almost zero for the control group (Arch Dermatol 1998; 134: 1349-1352). Compare that with the paltry 15 per cent success rate with Regaine!

Try this aromatherapy blend to reverse hair loss

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary study, patients massaged their scalps for two minuites every evening with the following blend of oils. A warm towel wrapped around the head afterwards enhances absorption.

Cedarwood 2 drops
Thyme 2 drops
Lavender 3 drops
Rosemary 3 drops
Jojoba oil 1/2 teaspoon (carrier)
Grapeseed oil 4 teaspoons (carrier)

http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/skin-hair-nails/natural-hair-loss-remedies-for-men-00219/

[vpatt]

I'm interested, too in your results with the peppermint. I think I would need to dilute it a lot because of my skin. I know I can't use chapstick with mint in it.

[Neoma]

Neoma I think it's good approach to not to over think, although now at retrospect I wish I would have called the doctor sooner; but I didn't have a clue the shedding period would last that long, when I first noticed it. I guess there is good to have a balance. You have thankfully been in contact with your doctors this all time, so I think that will give you some leverage to your (hopefully very swift) recovery!
Thank you, Arctic. :flowers:



thank you for clarifying this Neoma I should have realised that it was a mistake You're welcome. :flower:


Neoma, hope things get better really soon. My thinning seems to look much worse some days and then apparently better; I really hope that might happen with yours too.
Thank you, summergreen. :flowers:


My heart goes out to everyone going through the Great Shed! :grouphug: It can be so devastating and disorienting! :( I'm hoping for a great improvement and full regrowth for everyone!

I'm having a very heavy shed at the moment (I stopped counting hairs after 500+ when I detangled it), and it is very likely due to my iron deficiency (ferritin at 5, according to the latest blood test). So I started heavy supplements again, despite problematic side effects. Unfortunately, it looks like when I'm not supplementing, my body automatically becomes anaemic, despite being a meat-eater.

I am confused, because I've had this problem my entire life and the doctors can't find any specific reason and just say it's probably just because I'm a woman (blood loss due to periods), which doesn't sound like an exhaustive enough explanation, to be perfectly honest.







My heart goes out to you, guys! I hope it will get much, much better for you soon!

Did your doctors do any further testing to help with this? Or did you find any patterns? Like, for example, is there anything diet-related that can be done (beyond the iron-rich foods + Vit.C routine)? I think I'm doing everything right, except I still drink coffee and tea, eat calcium-rich foods, some gluten products and sometimes have sweets. This stuff gives me much-needed energy, but if it's not right for people with really low iron, I could change that.

Neoma, how did you get to test for Vitamin D? :flower: Was it enough to just ask your doctor or did you have to present a case to get tested for that? I would be surprised if my levels were healthy (sun-avoiding Northerner here :lol:), and I did read that low Vitamin D could be associated with anaemia (https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/anemia/)?

Wishing everybody a complete and full regrowth!! meteor, thank you for your well wishes.

I've been tested multiple times for Vitamin D deficiency. The tests were always ordered by my doctors because they suspected that low vitamin D was contributing to certain health issues.


Hi everyone, I don't know if I'd belong in this thread but I'm currently recovering from two major sheds as well as traction alopecia. I had a brutal post partum shed in late 2013 through spring 2014, in which I lost about 1/4 of my total density. when that was finally over, I had a major car wreck in the autumn of 2014 which left me hospitalized and subsequently bed ridden for so long that I developed traction alopecia on the back of my head. If I part my hair down the center back, I can grab a small ponytail of hairs, probably the diameter of a dime or so, that are still growing back and are only a few inches long. From the same medical event, I dont know if it was the drugs or nutrition (hospital food, need I say more?) but I suffered very severe breakage all over my head. My hairs are only just long enough around my hairline to be brought up in a pony or bun.

It's a long road to recovering former hair quality and density. Hope everyone here is growing happily :)

ThrowNormanAway, I am so sorry to hear about your serious accident. :grouphug:

I hope that you are able to regrow your beautiful locks.

[ThrowNormanAway]

ThrowNormanAway, I am so sorry to hear about your serious accident. :grouphug:

I hope that you are able to regrow your beautiful locks.

thanks. I think I used to take for granted having very thick hair. lots of comments and compliments, that sort of thing, as well as a feeling of security in your natural beauty. I really underestimated how losing hair or having lower hair quality and color (turns out hair texture changes sometimes when you have a baby, or when you undergo serious long term stress) can impact your feelings of happiness and self identity. but that's OK! I think it's good to experience new things in life, even when theyre very hard at times. thanks for the kind words.

[Agnieszka]

I'm having a very heavy shed at the moment (I stopped counting hairs after 500+ when I detangled it), and it is very likely due to my iron deficiency (ferritin at 5, according to the latest blood test). So I started heavy supplements again, despite problematic side effects. Unfortunately, it looks like when I'm not supplementing, my body automatically becomes anaemic, despite being a meat-eater.


Sorry to hear about your hairfall and ferritin levels Meteor. I hope it will improve over the next few weeks. I'm also meat eater, I eat good quality lean beef twice a week, but without supplements ferritin just decreases :-( You mentioned about side effects, I'm not sure if I will be helpful here but I used to have bad side effects with ferrous sulphate (taken with food made me feel sick, taken on empty stomach made me actually sick.)

My appetite was really low too while taking ferrous sulphate. Then I switched to ferrous fumerate 210mg and I'm pleased to say that there is no side effects. I take it before going to bed 2h after meal with some orange juice. I also take Floradix liquid first thing in a morning 30 min before breakfast, it has low amount of iron in it, just 15mg of ferrous gluconate. I know that it's very individual thing but in my case it helped to just change type of iron. Have you tried different one?

[Agnieszka]

Well, and I hope I didn't get this info from this thread - if I did, excuse the repetition, but not only do they smell lovely as you say, essential oils, including Rosemary, worked very well in a clinical trial:

Some essential oils used in aromatherapy also have the ability to stimulate hair growth. In a clinical trial at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland, 86 patients with alopecia areata a hair loss condition that results in patchy bald spots used either a combination of essential oils in a carrier oil, or just the carrier oil, for seven months (see box for details).

The group using the essential oils had an area of hair regrowth that averaged an amazing 104 square centimetres (about a four-inch square), compared with almost zero for the control group (Arch Dermatol 1998; 134: 1349-1352). Compare that with the paltry 15 per cent success rate with Regaine!

Try this aromatherapy blend to reverse hair loss

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary study, patients massaged their scalps for two minuites every evening with the following blend of oils. A warm towel wrapped around the head afterwards enhances absorption.

Cedarwood 2 drops
Thyme 2 drops
Lavender 3 drops
Rosemary 3 drops
Jojoba oil 1/2 teaspoon (carrier)
Grapeseed oil 4 teaspoons (carrier)

http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/skin-hair-nails/natural-hair-loss-remedies-for-men-00219/

Suzysu, thank you for posting this, my friend was following this exact recipe and was convinced it worked for her. She was using it for few years twice a week. I might give it a go in the future after my peppermint/rosemary experiment. I noticed lot's of hairloss shampoos contain peppermint so maybe there is something there. My hair doesn't fall at the moment, it's just very thin on the top of my head, which I'm trying to improve.

[Arctic]

Welcome to all new comers; I have to say I am surprised that there are so many of us. Or maybe more surprised to realized that since there are so many of us, why this subject is often silenced and why a thread like this hasn't been active for years.

:grouphug:


My big sheds are connected to malnourishment, but I found that as soon as that issue was sorted my hair stopped shedding very quickly and new growth also came in very quickly.

You were very lucky then, to have found the actual cause of the hair loss. To my understanding that's not often the case. I'm very happy for you that you got so quick responce from your body, and your hair started to grow back right away! Stories like yours give hope to many!


***

I am cautiously optimistic: I tooks some macro photos (super close-up photos) from my scalp, from the most thinned out areas, and I can see many very small hairs = new growth. I am not celebrating just yet, as there has been some new growth all this time, yet the over all situation hasn't been improving. Keeping that in mind, this, too might not be making a difference. But I think, comparing to older photos, that there hasn't been quite this many new hairs before (plus the shedding is less now too).

I am waiting with interest, what the derm will say on Wednesday!

[Beborani]

After seeing EOs mentioned here over and over again and reading a study where combining it with minoxidil improved hair growth (only one study) I decided to dilute my minoxidil with it--I don't know if it is beneficial even though I have been using it for a year but I like the feeling and it does seem to keep occasional itchiness at bay. I also add a couple of drops to my oil when I preoil my scalp before washing. I also cowash exclusively (no shampoo has touched my scalp in nearly two years) though there is only one condiitoner that I really like for this--Trader Joes Tea Tree---coincidentally again full of EOs! The only truly active ingredient that is improving my scalp density is Minoxidil but I like all these EOs--I keep changing them.

Neoma, living with bare areas on scalp has been my norm since adulthood--I still have areas I need to adjust though I am hoping for a day when it wont be so--I thought it would be this year, perhaps next. Even though I was never unduly upset at having to live with that kind of hair for decades, I suspect I will be upset if I were to lose all this now even though I tell myself this new growth is unexpected windfall.

Part of me feels I don't belong here as I am not in shed period but almost unheard of growth phase. On the other hand almost all my hair on my head exists because of artificial stimulation!

Arctic, taking macro pictures is a great way to measure progress--that is the only way I can tell as I look at my scalp section by section (ponytail measurements are unhelpful). I also attach measuring tape with clips and take pictures of gaps to get an idea of distance between follicles.

[Arctic]

Beborani, do hang out if you feel like you want to; we all know you understand what we, in active hair loss phase, are going through. You have huge knowledge base, which I know you often share, and it can be very helpful and encouraging!

ETA: Yes macro photos seem very handy, and thankfully I have great camera for that. I have been taking comparison photos since February, from all distances, and the macros are the ones that seem to show any progress (or lack of) the best. I also have lot of comparison photos from years past, both macros and other hair photos, which ultimately were how I even realized I have been having thinning. For that I am very grateful for photos!

[meteor]

meteor, thank you for your well wishes.

I've been tested multiple times for Vitamin D deficiency. The tests were always ordered by my doctors because they suspected that low vitamin D was contributing to certain health issues.

Thank you so very much, Neoma! :flowers: I'll try to ask my doctor if Vit.D should be something to test, since lots of the symptoms I have with anemia are also typical symptoms of Vit.D deficiency...


Sorry to hear about your hairfall and ferritin levels Meteor. I hope it will improve over the next few weeks. I'm also meat eater, I eat good quality lean beef twice a week, but without supplements ferritin just decreases :-( You mentioned about side effects, I'm not sure if I will be helpful here but I used to have bad side effects with ferrous sulphate (taken with food made me feel sick, taken on empty stomach made me actually sick.)

My appetite was really low too while taking ferrous sulphate. Then I switched to ferrous fumerate 210mg and I'm pleased to say that there is no side effects. I take it before going to bed 2h after meal with some orange juice. I also take Floradix liquid first thing in a morning 30 min before breakfast, it has low amount of iron in it, just 15mg of ferrous gluconate. I know that it's very individual thing but in my case it helped to just change type of iron. Have you tried different one?

Thank you so very much, Agnieszka! You are very kind! :flowers: And that's great information! :thumbsup: You are absolutely right about the different kinds of iron - and I already take ferrous fumarate with orange juice :D (300 mg, though the doctor said I can take twice as much, but I'd rather not hit the liver and kidneys too hard with megadosing), the side effects of stomach pain, stomach upset and constipation seem pretty difficult to avoid with iron... But that liquid form iron is truly great (easier on the stomach, easier to digest), and just in case, I wanted to mention that I was told it's important to drink liquid iron with a straw to avoid staining of teeth, maybe mouthwash and water help as well, but I think drinking it with a straw is probably safer, since iron can stain everything like there is no tomorrow.
Also, I do wonder if it's important to start loading up more heavily on veggies/fruit (for Vit.C and non-heme iron sources) with low iron? :hmm:

About the time frame, honestly, it took me at least 6 months in the past to get ferritin to budge upward a bit, and it's a very long term project to get it to any semblance of normal range, but the symptoms seem to improve faster than that! And my doctor said it's normal for iron stores to take a very long time to build up. So I stay optimistic! :D

I really hope we'll get to the end of the big shed very soon and, of course, our ferritin and overall health in order! :pray: :love:

[ThrowNormanAway]

I've officially had to downgrade my thickness to ii from iii. I've kind of seen it coming but it still hurts!

[meteor]

The general doctor said she did see some re-growth, I hope there will be enough to make a difference. I have had some new hairs growing this all time, but not enough to fill in the thinned areas. I guess the shedding has been equal to new growth. I am hopeful to see some progress now that the shedding seems to have been slowed down. IF my hair loss was mainly stemming from malnourishment, I've read it might take 1-2 years to fully recover. I've corrected my diet since February this year, so hopefully there will soon to be a real difference in how my hair/scalp looks (=ideally I wouldn't want to be able to look at my scalp at all due to having thick, dense hair, lol).


My big sheds are connected to malnourishment, but I found that as soon as that issue was sorted my hair stopped shedding very quickly and new growth also came in very quickly.

I'm very sorry if my question sounds stupid :oops:, but how does one find out if it's malnourishment, and how is it different from dietary deficiencies? :) Is it something obvious like severely limited caloric intake and extreme weight loss, or is it more subtle than that, and you can find it out through blood tests? If so, which medical tests should one ask for? Should one worry about the possibility of malnourishment even when frequently skipping meals, eating processed foods on the run and not eating veggies, for example? (I'm sorry again if it's a stupid question, I'm just trying to understand what I can do in terms of a better diet. :flower:)
Also, how exactly did you improve your diets, ladies? :blossom:

ETA: Just saw the post above. :( I'm so sorry, ThrowNormanAway! :grouphug: I really hope it will regrow soon! :pray:

[Arctic]

Meteor in my case, after I broke up with my ex-fiance a little over 2 years ago, I started to eat very badly. Way too little and too infrequently. I didn't need to calculate to know, that I got too little calories and too little nutrients. On top of that, I am vegetarian, who eats vegan foods 90% of the time, so there is that, too. I also was skipping taking my vitamins during that time.


ETA: For improving the situation and my nutritional levels, I started to eat a proper, warm meal every day, and in general eat more, and more frequently. I pay attention to getting as much protein as it's possible on almost-vegan diet, and take my supplements daily. That's about it.

[Arctic]

Has anyone used cotrisone on their scalp? The general doctor was suggesting that to me (my scalp has been a bit irritated lately), and asked how I'd feel about it. I didn't really know what to say; I've read some people find cortisone does a number to their skin, but that's about it. I am going to google about it before my derm appt, but thought to ask, if any of you have experiences using it on your scalp.

[meteor]

^ Oh, I get it. Thanks a lot, Arctic! :D So glad you are eating better now! :flower: Your hair will thank you for it! :cheer: I really hope the regrowth will follow soon!

[Arctic]

^ Oh, I get it. Thanks a lot, Arctic! :D So glad you are eating better now! :flower: Your hair will thank you for it! :cheer: I really hope the regrowth will follow soon!

You know I was so sure the malnourishment was the reason behind this for me, and I truly expected the situation to change for better after few months of eating better. But it's been 9 months, and my hair looks pretty much same as it did on February, when I first really opened my eyes and noticed my hair looked much thinner than before. So this makes me worry, whether it is something else. On the other hand, finally now during the past weeks, my shedding seems to have been pretty close to what is normal to me, and now I can see (and the doctor saw) new baby hairs, so maybe, maybe...? In any case, the derm will hopefully be able to enlighten me more.

Thanks for the well wishes, I hope the same for you too. My doctor couldn't refer me to ferritin test for some reason, so I won't be able to know what my ferritin levels are :( Hopefully you'll get yours up soon!

[meteor]

Thanks for the well wishes, I hope the same for you too. My doctor couldn't refer me to ferritin test for some reason, so I won't be able to know what my ferritin levels are :( Hopefully you'll get yours up soon!

Thank you so very much, Arctic! :flowers: I can only say: keep digging with the doctors! :cheer:

I can tell you how I got my ferritin level to get tested :) : my hemoglobin (on the standard annual test) was low. After that, the procedure is to check ferritin (iron stores) together with Vit. B12 (B12 testing is highly recommended for all vegans and since your diet is almost all-vegan, it deserves a special mention :flower:). Also, once I had a history of anemia, I always get full blood count automatically tested now. Unfortunately, they stop after that, no further digging. They didn't check total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and transferrin saturation, but if you can get those tests together with ferritin, it will help find out more about what could be causing problems. (Doctors really tend to focus on your medical history when choosing tests around here, but I don't know how it is in Finland...)

It's awesome that you take pictures! :thumbsup: It's a very good form of measurement, and as we all know, it's impossible to analyze something that isn't even measured. I'd be curious to know how you choose your positioning/camera angles to keep the photos easily comparable. Do you take pictures specifically of hairline and partings?

[Agnieszka]

Meteor, oh yes, thank you for reminding me of that liquid iron and teeth staining.:blossom: I heard it somewhere before, will be using straw from now on.

300mg twice a day sounds like a lot but I guess it's not unusual with such low ferritin. My sister in law was prescribed similar doses when she was very anaemic and her haemoglobin levels were like 6 or 7. She also had some blood transfusions. In my case I managed to get ferritin from 20 to 100 in about six months with 210mg of iron once a day in a past but I think this is very individual. Wished I haven't stopped taking it. We eat healthy here, lot's of veggies, fruit, fish, some meat. I guess coffee is my sin, I just can't live without it and I know it flushes out our precious iron... Also sorry to hear that ferrous fumerate causes some side effects :-( I was hoping I could be helpful :-)

Thank you for always being so supportive to everyone Meteor

[Agnieszka]

My doctor couldn't refer me to ferritin test for some reason, so I won't be able to know what my ferritin levels are :( Hopefully you'll get yours up soon!


Oh it's so frustrating with getting referrals. My GP will not do it for me at all, as my general blood count is in the normal range, so no reason for testing ferritin. I managed to persuade them few times in the past but now I just make them privately. Normally when I go to my home country (Poland) twice a year and luckily it costs like £5 there! In the UK it's very expensive, about £80. As I'm not planning any holidays till next summer I will have to pay unfortunately. I suspect it's pricey in Finland too.

I just noticed you asked about cortisone cream. I haven't used it myself, but my son suffered with severe eczema when he was 2 months old and I had to use it for more than a year almost all over him, daily. It hasn't thinned his skin, he didn't have any side effects either and cream was very helpful. We were using 1% hydrocortisone ointment. He is 4 years old now, and his skin is beautiful and eczema is gone (not because of cortisone cream but he grew out of it, cortisone just kept it bearable for him)

[Arctic]

Meteor - Good to hear you have been regularly monitored, and they caught the low iron levels now too.

I have history of low hemoglobin too, and have been pretty much taking iron supplement all the time since my teens (sometimes there's been off seasons). My hemoglobin has been monitored regularly for years, and is pretty good (with supplements). I did get some sort of storage iron test taken (not serum ferritin), but I didn't catch the name; I'll get to hear how it is on Wednesday.

I know about B-12 and in general quite a bit about vegetarian/vegan diet, I have been one or the other for 20 years and always interested in nutrition. My B-12 has also been monitored regularly for years, and have been at good levels (supplements are to be thanked, again). I believe they took B-12 test now too. Other vitamin test they couldn't refer to me at uni clinic. I would have been interested to learn about A and D too.

I don't really have "scientific" method for taking pictures. My hair loss seems to be mostly near the perimeter of my scalp, so I've been taking macro photos from both sides/temples, from front hairline, and from nape area. They are comparable enough from month to month, I often find photos that are look so alike that I have to have a double take to see there are months between the photos, and they were not taken at the same day. I guess the combination of having certain scalp areas, having camera close to the head so that lens and flash are not blocked, and so on atutomatically puts the photographs approximately at the similar composition.

The photos taken from farther away, those are also front, both side and back views; general hair style photos. I haven't been taking that much photos of my part/top of the head, as that hasn't been the problem area.

[Arctic]

Oh it's so frustrating with getting referrals. My GP will not do it for me at all, as my general blood count is in the normal range, so no reason for testing ferritin. I managed to persuade them few times in the past but now I just make them privately. Normally when I go to my home country (Poland) twice a year and luckily it costs like £5 there! In the UK it's very expensive, about £80. As I'm not planning any holidays till next summer I will have to pay unfortunately. I suspect it's pricey in Finland too.

Yes it was frustrating. I have to be honest though, that I have only ever learned about serum ferritin here at LHC. I have no idea how costly having it taken by private clinic would be, but like you I assume it's expesive, because Finland is very expensive country in general. But WOW that is a huge difference in price between countries!

I've read that ferritin levels are often low on vegetarians/vegans, and are hard to get upwards. That didn't sound encouraging. I have been taking iron pills for over 20 years (with some off times in between), so I hope my ferriting levels wouldn't be terribly off.

[meteor]

Thank you so much for your help and support, Agnieszka! :flowers: And the information about the fumarate was definitely super-helpful, Agnieszka! It's very important to compare side effects of different forms of iron.

About coffee, I'm exactly the same. I mean, with anaemia it's hard enough to have any energy and not faint or feel cold all the time, so that lovely coffee boost seems like a tough thing to give up! :lol:

I'm very sorry your sister was going through this too, even getting blood transfusions! :grouphug: I hope she's feeling much, much better now! :pray: But hey, it's best to catch this thing early and start getting treatment ASAP. (Doctors usually prescribe transfusions when there is literally no time to wait (e.g. surgical treatments). Over here, they give you some time to take iron, but if it doesn't start going up to at least 10 fast enough (or your symptoms are really bad), they make you get transfusions asap.)
Best of luck and speedy recovery to you and your sister! :love:
I hope we'll all soon be recovering! :cheer:


Arctic, thank you so very much! :flowers: Great details on how to take pictures! :D And I'm so happy to hear you are supplementing, both B12 and iron! That's great! I think supplementing really works when there is a deficiency, I just wish it wasn't such a constant necessity. With iron, one needs to be careful to only drink heavy supplements when needed (judging by current ferritin levels), because high iron can be dangerous to liver and other internal organs... but that's a different story.

I'm so sad to hear that some doctors don't test for ferritin (unless you go for private testing), even when hemoglobin levels clearly point to that... I should have added that I also had a history of fainting randomly (rushed to hospital at some point, too) and feeling very cold at all times, and I brought it up to my doctor. Maybe that was the reason (apart from low hemoglobin) that he chose to test for ferritin... :hmm: I think, if one has the symptoms, they really should check.

About Vitamins A and D... yes, they don't test for that here either. I'm sure they test it in some specific cases though. I just try to cook with red palm oil (for Vit. A) as much as I remember to and Vitamin D... well, it's available only in very tiny doses in food (salmon, dairy...), so I guess, it's just not happening much with our lack of sun... :lol:


Did anybody here experience iron deficiency in conjunction with low thyroid function? or gluten or any other dietary intolerance? or any underlying infection or yeast issue?... It's just that these pathways are sometimes mentioned as pretty common causes of higher needs for iron, depleting blood stores of even people who get plenty of iron through nutrition or supplementation... (The problem is, this would require further testing...)

[Neoma]

...I have to say I am surprised that there are so many of us. Or maybe more surprised to realized that since there are so many of us, why this subject is often silenced and why a thread like this hasn't been active for years.

***

I am cautiously optimistic: I tooks some macro photos (super close-up photos) from my scalp, from the most thinned out areas, and I can see many very small hairs = new growth. I am not celebrating just yet, as there has been some new growth all this time, yet the over all situation hasn't been improving. Keeping that in mind, this, too might not be making a difference. But I think, comparing to older photos, that there hasn't been quite this many new hairs before (plus the shedding is less now too).

I am waiting with interest, what the derm will say on Wednesday!Arctic, I, too, am shocked that this kind of thread hasn't been thriving for years on this site. It makes no sense to me considering the response this one has received.

That's great news about the new growth and the reduced shedding! :cheer:


After seeing EOs mentioned here over and over again and reading a study where combining it with minoxidil improved hair growth (only one study) I decided to dilute my minoxidil with it--I don't know if it is beneficial even though I have been using it for a year but I like the feeling and it does seem to keep occasional itchiness at bay. I also add a couple of drops to my oil when I preoil my scalp before washing. I also cowash exclusively (no shampoo has touched my scalp in nearly two years) though there is only one condiitoner that I really like for this--Trader Joes Tea Tree---coincidentally again full of EOs! The only truly active ingredient that is improving my scalp density is Minoxidil but I like all these EOs--I keep changing them.

Neoma, living with bare areas on scalp has been my norm since adulthood--I still have areas I need to adjust though I am hoping for a day when it wont be so--I thought it would be this year, perhaps next. Even though I was never unduly upset at having to live with that kind of hair for decades, I suspect I will be upset if I were to lose all this now even though I tell myself this new growth is unexpected windfall.

Part of me feels I don't belong here as I am not in shed period but almost unheard of growth phase. On the other hand almost all my hair on my head exists because of artificial stimulation!

Arctic, taking macro pictures is a great way to measure progress--that is the only way I can tell as I look at my scalp section by section (ponytail measurements are unhelpful). I also attach measuring tape with clips and take pictures of gaps to get an idea of distance between follicles.
Beborani, I would be cautious about mixing EO's with minoxidil. Why? For the same reason they tell you to tell your doctor about any herbs or supplements you're taking; they may interact with your meds. :twocents:

You're more than welcome to participate in this thread! :flower:

[lapushka]

Has anyone used cotrisone on their scalp? The general doctor was suggesting that to me (my scalp has been a bit irritated lately), and asked how I'd feel about it. I didn't really know what to say; I've read some people find cortisone does a number to their skin, but that's about it. I am going to google about it before my derm appt, but thought to ask, if any of you have experiences using it on your scalp.

Back when I had a chemical cut/burn, I used a cortisone lotion on the scalp for about a week, to 2 weeks, prescribed by my GP. It was fine and eased the burn! Thank God. I didn't question it - at all. No ill effects, other than the burn clearing up rather nice! The important thing is, I had no more damage to my scalp, and that's what counts.

[Beborani]

I can't multi quote--sorry.

Neoma, yes caution should be exercised when mixing minoxidil with anything--I use only mild eos like tea tree or lavender and use tiny amounts--also I have nearly 5 years experience with minoxidil so I have a handle on this that a person trying it for the first time won't.

Arctic, you said somewhere you didn't take pictures of other areas--I will suggest you take some of crown and back areas for future reference as women often have diffuse hair loss all over--it is not obvious initially if the loss is mild as hair is naturally denser in those areas. We can hope you will never see that level of loss of course!

[QuirkyCorky]

I'm new here 😊 my hair has been falling out for the past few years. I've been tested for thyroid problems and lupus and everything came back all clear.

My doctor said genetically, some women do go bald/thin, but I have no family history of that. It was hard to get him to look further into it, because he is bald, and just says, hey, I don't like it either!

Anyway, I'm going to try a bunch of natural remedies and see if anything will work.

So far, I'm trying inversion method, black tea rinses and isochronic tones. I've been doing this for about three days, and my scalp feels very prickly! I'm hoping this is a good sign.

Also, I mentioned in my introduction post that I have a lot of breakage? I had a close look at my ends and I only have small split ends, but not many! My last bad hair drop was a few months ago, and I think the short hairs aren't broken hair, and are new growth! My bald patches still exist, but seem to be filling in slowly.

I forgot to mention, I'm meditating daily to manage stress, as I think it's a big contributor.

Another thing I'm noticing is I drop hardly any hair if I only finger come when it's wet. I'm hoping I can beat this, and actually grow my hair long! I'm so glad to have found this place!

[Arctic]

About coffee, I'm exactly the same. I mean, with anaemia it's hard enough to have any energy and not faint or feel cold all the time, so that lovely coffee boost seems like a tough thing to give up! :lol:

<snip>

Arctic, thank you so very much! :flowers: Great details on how to take pictures! :D And I'm so happy to hear you are supplementing, both B12 and iron! That's great! I think supplementing really works when there is a deficiency, I just wish it wasn't such a constant necessity. <snip>

<snip> I should have added that I also had a history of fainting randomly (rushed to hospital at some point, too) and feeling very cold at all times, and I brought it up to my doctor. <snip>

About Vitamins A and D... yes, they don't test for that here either. I'm sure they test it in some specific cases though. I just try to cook with red palm oil (for Vit. A) as much as I remember to and Vitamin D... well, it's available only in very tiny doses in food (salmon, dairy...), so I guess, it's just not happening much with our lack of sun... :lol:


Did anybody here experience iron deficiency in conjunction with low thyroid function? <snip>

Hi again! I'm a coffee drinker too, and like you, it's one of my rare "vices", and at this point I'm not really willing to give up. I have reduced it to mornings mostly since 1,5 years ago. I also take my iron supplement in the evening, and not with coffee. (There has been times in my life, even long periods, when I naturally just didn't want to drink coffee, but the latest coffee drinking period has lasted probably close to 10 years, ha ha.)

I can really recommend taking pictures, that's how I finally noticed my own hair loss. I had been away from LHC and hadn't really taken hair photos in a long time. Then when I returned here on February and started to re-take hair photos, I saw right away that my hair looked different than before. It took some days and more photos, when I was really starting to see what the difference was, that it looked much thinner and sparser. I think since my hair loss was so gradual, seeing it in the mirror was more difficult, but photos were different. I am very grateful for the photos to opening my eyes. (Photos can distort and lie quite a bit too, but they can give general idea.)

Your iron related problems sound very serious :grouphug:

For me, I suspect I might have vit A overdose. Over the months I have been going through every possible reason I can think of why I might be shedding and losing hair, and the vit A in too big quantities can be a problem. I am on a medication that is based on vitamin A, so if this is a problem for me, I would like to know.

And D, one would think it would be a routine test in Finland, with out long and dark winters. In the recent years there has been more awareness about it, and I hope the situation will change in the near future. It's such a paradox: on the other hand everyone is talking how common vit D deficiensy is, and how almost everyone needs supplements. Then on the other they are not taking tests and warn that taking too much supplements is dangerous too. What is a Jane Doe to do.

ETA: I have been monitored for thyroid issues for a decade: my whole family has thyroid diseases (both hypo and hyper), and I have tons of the symptoms, but on paper I have always been healthy. I suspect at some point I will get thyroid issues which are also visible in paper, and will get medication.



Arctic, I, too, am shocked that this kind of thread hasn't been thriving for years on this site. It makes no sense to me considering the response this one has received.

That's great news about the new growth and the reduced shedding! :cheer:

Thank you; I'm not celebrating yet, I want to be 100% sure before :D

You did an amazing deed by creating this thread, we are all thankful you too the step, and with your active participating gently steered the thread over the time period (first few days), where many potentially good threads get silent and die. :flower:



Back when I had a chemical cut/burn, I used a cortisone lotion on the scalp for about a week, to 2 weeks, prescribed by my GP. It was fine and eased the burn! Thank God. I didn't question it - at all. No ill effects, other than the burn clearing up rather nice! The important thing is, I had no more damage to my scalp, and that's what counts.

Thanks! I think I will try the cortisone, if the dermatologist also recommends it. The general doctor didn't really recommend it, or say she thinks I should use it: she was more like "how do you feel about cortison?" and I was like o_O ???

I guess, after reading some, that the important thing is to only use cortisone for a short periods of time.



<snip>
Arctic, you said somewhere you didn't take pictures of other areas--I will suggest you take some of crown and back areas for future reference as women often have diffuse hair loss all over--it is not obvious initially if the loss is mild as hair is naturally denser in those areas. We can hope you will never see that level of loss of course!

You are probably right; I do have some photos from top of my head too, but I haven't been taking them systematically. I can start from now on, though. Thanks for the idea!



I'm new here �� my hair has been falling out for the past few years. I've been tested for thyroid problems and lupus and everything came back all clear.

My doctor said genetically, some women do go bald/thin, but I have no family history of that. It was hard to get him to look further into it, because he is bald, and just says, hey, I don't like it either! <snip>


Welcome and sorry that you, too have been experiencing thinning! I'm the same, I always look quite healthy on paper, but still have many problems.

ARGH you doctor with his personal involvement is an idiot. I had my derm to a similar thing once, bringing their own problems to me.

[Neoma]

Thank you for your kind words, Arctic. :flower:

[meteor]

^ Oh yes, Neoma, thank you so very much for starting this awesome thread! :flowers:
Though the LHC has many threads with hairloss questions, they were usually kept very case-specific, whereas here we can talk about all the various aspects, which is important. (Because, let's face it, *many* health conditions, pharmaceuticals, other things can cause hairloss..., and the original cause should drive the search for solution.

Thank you so very much, Arctic! :flowers: I really hope your doctors will keep digging... checking for Vit. A and D seems like an important step, for sure! :agree:
About the undiagnosed thyroid problems... I found this website (http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/things-we-have-learned/) helpful, because at least it mentions things to check with your doctor if you have lingering symptoms, despite normal test results.

QuirkyCorky, welcome to the LHC! :cheer:
So sorry to hear that your doctor is not searching further... Did he at least diagnose the problem? His response of "Hey, I don't like it either!" seems to imply that he thinks it's androgenic alopecia, but I don't want to assume...

But if it is confirmed, you could consider the protocol that people with Male/Female Pattern Baldness follow, looking into Minoxidil/Rogaine and Finasteride/Propecia...

Androgenic alopecia is both hormonal and genetic, linked to sensitivity to DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which develops in the scalp. Controlling both the DHT sensitivity and calming the scalp are needed to treat this type of hair loss. So treatment regimen usually focuses on:
- DHT inhibitors (reduce levels of DHT by inhibiting its creation);
- anti-androgens (block DHT from reaching the follicle);
- growth stimulants;
- anti-inflammatories.
Regularly using a ketoconazole product (e.g. Regenepure Dr, which also has saw palmetto, niacin, caffeine..., or Nizoral) can sometimes help with DHT control as part of the overall regimen... I think it's an important first step, but some people would also need stronger treatments like minoxidil and finasteride, and those can have some serious side effects.

Honestly, if your doctor is not willing to work with you on this, it might be worth asking for a referral to a derm or just start looking for a different doctor. :flower: I'm just saying this because it's just not a good idea to work on a hairloss regimen without doctor's supervision and you'll need a health professional who takes this seriously. :blossom:

That said, I really hope it's not that at all! :pray: The fact that your scalp is already feeling prickly with the inversion method and other forms of scalp stimulation is really great and really, really promising!! :cheer:
Best of luck! And I'm hoping for a fast and full regrowth for you! :cheer:

[Neoma]

Thank you for your kind words, meteor. :flower:

[CurlyCap]

I've lost about half my hair thickness in the last 18 months. I went from around 4.5" to ~2.5". At first I noticed that I was shedding a lot in the shower when I usually lose almost nothing at all. Then I noticed that when I undid my hair at night, I was losing 20+ hairs just running my hands over my hair. I let it go on for nearly a year without comment because I was working hard and eating terribly and I assumed it was just consequences.

About five months ago I got really sick and got some blood tests back saying that my lots of simple basic things weren't working well. Six months later they know whatever is going on is autoimmune, but they don't know what type. I've been told hair loss is a very common symptom of an autoimmune flare. Additionally, when your immune system is irritated, the hair you grow can be very fragile, causing breakage. Sigh.

My hair loss really bothers me, but I also know most people don't even notice because I have very big, curly hair. And it seems silly to want to complain that you don't have enough hair to style it horizontally or vertically anymore, when most people think your "thin" hair has great volume. It's really frustrating. I'm very thankful this thread was started, because it's good to know I'm not the only one dealing with working through this.

With the recent sickness, I've also lost my rate of growth. I used to easily grow 1" a month, more in the spring when I had my growth spurts. Now I've grown 3" of hair in 6 months, which I know is the average but to me isn't normal. And then I get frustrated thinking about how it will take even longer for my hair to grow back in if it's growing slowly.

I will give kudos to my doctors though. Things are heading the right direction. I feel better. They also noted that I had a ton of nutritional deficiencies and so gave me a lot of things back IV. And all over my head are short little 1" new hairs.

I haven't lost my length, but I think the ends are suffering because I started my hair journey with layers...and so the ends were always a bit thinner. So I'm thinking of maintaining next summer to just get a bit of density back at the ends. It'll be long enough by then to just grab the ends and trim them like in JJJlonghair's tutorial, so it'll be easier to maintain. I tried recently but at just nearly classic, it'll still a bit too short.

Thanks for the thread everyone!

[meteor]

^ CurlyCap, big hugs to you! :grouphug: Auto-immune disorders can be so complex and tough! :( But I'm really happy you have very good doctors, who are giving you thorough examinations! I really hope you'll find good treatments and both full thickness and speedy growth rate will return! :pray:


I can't multi quote-
Just in case, to multi-quote, you can click on the little quotation "+ sign (on the very right, bottom corner) of every post that you want to quote. (As you click on it, the little check sign "✓" will be added to the little quotation ''+ sign you click on.) But when you reach the last post you want to quote, click on "Reply With Quote". At that moment all the posts you wanted to quote will appear in your reply window. HTH! :flower:

[Neoma]

I've lost about half my hair thickness in the last 18 months. I went from around 4.5" to ~2.5". At first I noticed that I was shedding a lot in the shower when I usually lose almost nothing at all. Then I noticed that when I undid my hair at night, I was losing 20+ hairs just running my hands over my hair. I let it go on for nearly a year without comment because I was working hard and eating terribly and I assumed it was just consequences.

About five months ago I got really sick and got some blood tests back saying that my lots of simple basic things weren't working well. Six months later they know whatever is going on is autoimmune, but they don't know what type. I've been told hair loss is a very common symptom of an autoimmune flare. Additionally, when your immune system is irritated, the hair you grow can be very fragile, causing breakage. Sigh.

My hair loss really bothers me, but I also know most people don't even notice because I have very big, curly hair. And it seems silly to want to complain that you don't have enough hair to style it horizontally or vertically anymore, when most people think your "thin" hair has great volume. It's really frustrating. I'm very thankful this thread was started, because it's good to know I'm not the only one dealing with working through this.

With the recent sickness, I've also lost my rate of growth. I used to easily grow 1" a month, more in the spring when I had my growth spurts. Now I've grown 3" of hair in 6 months, which I know is the average but to me isn't normal. And then I get frustrated thinking about how it will take even longer for my hair to grow back in if it's growing slowly.

I will give kudos to my doctors though. Things are heading the right direction. I feel better. They also noted that I had a ton of nutritional deficiencies and so gave me a lot of things back IV. And all over my head are short little 1" new hairs.

I haven't lost my length, but I think the ends are suffering because I started my hair journey with layers...and so the ends were always a bit thinner. So I'm thinking of maintaining next summer to just get a bit of density back at the ends. It'll be long enough by then to just grab the ends and trim them like in JJJlonghair's tutorial, so it'll be easier to maintain. I tried recently but at just nearly classic, it'll still a bit too short.

Thanks for the thread everyone!
CurlyCap, I am so sorry to hear about your illness and the resulting hair loss. :grouphug:

Thank goodness you have such excellent doctors who are able to help you regain your health.

I'm glad that you found this thread. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

I wish you a full and speedy recovery of both health and hair! :blossom:

[Idreamlong]

I've refrained from posting on this thread as I've been waiting to see what happens but about 2 weeks ago now I noticed I was losing a lot of hair. The shower is now blocked and I had to pour bleach down the plug hole yesterday to disintegrate it all!

If I run my hands through my hair and pull slightly I am getting pretty big clumps.

Nothing has changed, I'm taking iron and zinc supplements. I've also just started taking MSM so I don't know if that will help?

It could just be a seasonal shed (I'm really hoping it is!) My hair is thin anyway and I don't have loads of it to lose so I'm just a bit worried!

I have spoken to a couple of friends and they say that they are 'moulting' a lot too at the moment.

Anyone else shedding more at the moment than usual?

[QuirkyCorky]

You are probably right; I do have some photos from top of my head too, but I haven't been taking them systematically. I can start from now on, though. Thanks for the idea!
ARGH you doctor with his personal involvement is an idiot. I had my derm to a similar thing once, bringing their own problems to me.

It was frustrating! lol. One thing I will say in this doctor's defense, though: he did any tests I asked him to do without me having to beg and plead, which made a nice change from the other times :D He suggested a dermatologist, but admitted others he's sent for the same problem had no luck with that, but he'd do a referral if I wanted one. I would love to see one, but I can't afford it at this moment. Things are improving with what I'm doing at the moment, so it'd be great if I ended up not needing it.

[QuirkyCorky]

^ Oh yes, Neoma, thank you so very much for starting this awesome thread! :flowers:



QuirkyCorky, welcome to the LHC! :cheer:
So sorry to hear that your doctor is not searching further... Did he at least diagnose the problem? His response of "Hey, I don't like it either!" seems to imply that he thinks it's androgenic alopecia, but I don't want to assume...

But if it is confirmed, you could consider the protocol that people with Male/Female Pattern Baldness follow, looking into Minoxidil/Rogaine and Finasteride/Propecia...

Androgenic alopecia is both hormonal and genetic, linked to sensitivity to DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which develops in the scalp. Controlling both the DHT sensitivity and calming the scalp are needed to treat this type of hair loss. So treatment regimen usually focuses on:
- DHT inhibitors (reduce levels of DHT by inhibiting its creation);
- anti-androgens (block DHT from reaching the follicle);
- growth stimulants;
- anti-inflammatories.
Regularly using a ketoconazole product (e.g. Regenepure Dr, which also has saw palmetto, niacin, caffeine..., or Nizoral) can sometimes help with DHT control as part of the overall regimen... I think it's an important first step, but some people would also need stronger treatments like minoxidil and finasteride, and those can have some serious side effects.

Honestly, if your doctor is not willing to work with you on this, it might be worth asking for a referral to a derm or just start looking for a different doctor. :flower: I'm just saying this because it's just not a good idea to work on a hairloss regimen without doctor's supervision and you'll need a health professional who takes this seriously. :blossom:

That said, I really hope it's not that at all! :pray: The fact that your scalp is already feeling prickly with the inversion method and other forms of scalp stimulation is really great and really, really promising!! :cheer:
Best of luck! And I'm hoping for a fast and full regrowth for you! :cheer:

I'm not sure if that's what he meant, to be honest. I'll ask him next time I see him. I am thrilled to pieces about the prickly scalp, just quietly :)

[LegoCaltrops]

Well, I'm feeling a bit more optimistic. I've just measured my ponytail circumference, I've gone from 1.75 to a really tiny fraction under 2 inches, in the last month. :happydance: I'm putting this down to scalp massage, Nizoral shampoo, & the selenium & zinc supplements I'm taking to counteract the follicle destroying Topamax. I'm definitely shedding a lot less. I do look like a very fluffy person now - but I'm getting between half and 1 inch per month growth, so in a year or so, it should hopefully look a lot better. I have quite thick individual hairs, so it's not a total surprise that I could get a good increase so quickly. Hope the annoying shiny scalp at the top of my head decides to follow suit. I'm so sick of catching my reflection in a window & thinking for a second, that it's someone with a bad combover.

At least I can be moderately confident now, that the Aloe Vera & essential oil blend I've been massaging into my scalp after washing, isn't making me shed again. I barely have any shed hairs when I do it. I've only been using it a couple of weeks so I'm not sure how much of a beneficial effect it has on my shedding - but it smells nice & is a good non oily conditioning agent. I don't get so many tangles on the days I've used it (I'm outside a lot & have a very "lively " 3 year old daughter).

QuirkyCorky I get the prickly scalp feeling after a scalp massage, or after using my AV & EO blend. It's encouraging isn't it. Hope you start to see some good results too.

Idreamlong - I'm going to get some glucosamine / chondroitin / MSM as I get aching joints. Maybe it will help the hair as well. I'm all in favour of dual-purpose, I'm on vitamin B high dose for migraines but supposedly they help the hair as well.

CurlyCap - sorry you've been so ill. I sometimes think our hair is the body's indicator of health - if everything is fine, it's likely it will be thick & in good condition. If you're ill, even if you don't look ill, the hair is often one of the first things to suffer. I really don't know why doctors are so quick to dismiss hair loss. I'm glad you're getting treatment but it's a shame it took you getting really sick before it got sorted. Your hair said things weren't well for quite a while.

[Neoma]

Well, I'm feeling a bit more optimistic. I've just measured my ponytail circumference, I've gone from 1.75 to a really tiny fraction under 2 inches, in the last month. :happydance: I'm putting this down to scalp massage, Nizoral shampoo, & the selenium & zinc supplements I'm taking to counteract the follicle destroying Topamax. I'm definitely shedding a lot less. I do look like a very fluffy person now - but I'm getting between half and 1 inch per month growth, so in a year or so, it should hopefully look a lot better. I have quite thick individual hairs, so it's not a total surprise that I could get a good increase so quickly. Hope the annoying shiny scalp at the top of my head decides to follow suit. I'm so sick of catching my reflection in a window & thinking for a second, that it's someone with a bad combover.

At least I can be moderately confident now, that the Aloe Vera & essential oil blend I've been massaging into my scalp after washing, isn't making me shed again. I barely have any shed hairs when I do it. I've only been using it a couple of weeks so I'm not sure how much of a beneficial effect it has on my shedding - but it smells nice & is a good non oily conditioning agent. I don't get so many tangles on the days I've used it (I'm outside a lot & have a very "lively " 3 year old daughter).

LegoCaltrops, that's such great news!!!!!! :cheer: :disco: :cheer:

[vpatt]

Yay, Lego, for your improvement.

Idreamlong, I'm sorry you are having a shed. Hopefully it is a normal one. I don't know about the iron. Is a doctor prescribing? I have just read to be careful with iron. I am trying the Pur D'or shampoo right now. But I have only used it once so no feedback yet on how it works.