Hair loss

[creme]

Hi,
I finished my last year of highschool in 2015 and i am now on a gap year working on and off. due to a lot of life changed, events i have become more and more stressed.

One thing I have noticed is how light, stringy and sort of thin my hair has become. It was much thicker during school (even when i was stressed with exams) but now I have noticed that it looks and feels much thinner. It's bumming me out and I really have no idea what to do. I feel that it might be related to my stress..
Most people in my family have very thick and healthy hair.. And I am also only 18.

Does anyone know what I could do to help get my hair back?

[gthlvrmx]

I read in a book that there are specific crystals that can help with hair thickness problems. If you feel it's stress, try cutting back on the stress. If you can't take out the root of the problem, then you'll need to work on coping with the symptoms, somehow finding a way to relieve the stress but not completely removing it. Have you seen a doctor about this?

[Anya15]

Hi,
I finished my last year of highschool in 2015 and i am now on a gap year working on and off. due to a lot of life changed, events i have become more and more stressed.

One thing I have noticed is how light, stringy and sort of thin my hair has become. It was much thicker during school (even when i was stressed with exams) but now I have noticed that it looks and feels much thinner. It's bumming me out and I really have no idea what to do. I feel that it might be related to my stress..
Most people in my family have very thick and healthy hair.. And I am also only 18.

Does anyone know what I could do to help get my hair back?

I had the same problem! For me it was a combination of stress and hormonal changes. I tried to give my hair all the TLC possible but it took three ish years for it to thicken up again. A few things that helped me were - going sulfate free, regular oiling etc. These may not work for everyone, however. Even now my hair is not at its original thickness.

[creme]

did you exercise more? or was that all you had to do, oil and remove sulfate? and how much stress did you go through

[mindwiped]

Have you started or changed your type of hormonal birth control? That can cause issues like this for a small population of women

[Silverbrumby]

Not enough protein, heavy dieting, birth ,control, not eating well, not enough good fats in the diet can sometimes effect the hair.

[Silverbrumby]

Oh and too much heat tools, bleach and heavy handling.

[Anje]

How's your diet compared to when you were in school?

What about energy levels? Are you getting tired more easily? (Hypothyroid and anemia are common causes for thinning and slow growth, and both leave you low energy.)

[lapushka]

First of all, start to measure your circumference for real, and keep track of it that way. It can fluctuate in a year - that is normal, as long as it levels back out in the end, it's fine.

There is such a thing as a spring & fall shed, so losing slightly more hair right now is normal.

Just keep an eye on it, but don't freak out just yet.

[Stepo_NiNha]

You're probably right. Sounds like you're facing a stressful period in your life. It happened to me when I finished college.

When you feel stressed, you become sensitive to hormones and therefore, you may face hair thinning and other symptoms such as oily skin, acne and weigth loss (or even weight gain if you're in the mood to eat more in stressful periods). This happens to many young women in early 20's, especially when they're starting a career.

I agree with the above said: try to cut back on the stress and review your diet: invest on protein and vitamins and cut too fatty products and sweets. You should also talk to your doctor to check/change/subscribe a new birth control pill. Some birth control pills may also cause stress, depression and thinning hair either. Others may improve your situation.

[hopefullocks]

I agree with Lapushka above--don't freak just yet. You're likely dealing with some hormonal changes that are totally normal for someone your age. Just practice healthy hair habits and above all, take care of yourself. Make sure you're getting proper nutrition, sunshine, and exercise, and try not to stress. Lots of times it's easier said than done so I get your frustration, though. The body is a crazy vessel, isn't it? Hugs to you!