My first shed, possible causes?

[Obsidian]

Seems like I'm starting a shed for the first time or at least the first time I've noticed. For the last 20 years or so, my hair has been shoulder length or shorter so I never really noticed shed hairs. Coloring it with henna also makes my sheds more noticeable. I'm going to post my experiences and thought, hopefully it won't be too rambling. Sorry its so long, I really need a place to keep my thoughts in line.

Normal shed for me is around 20 a day, I've collected and counted a few times over the past couple years. Starting about two weeks ago I started noticing more hair in my TT. At first I thought it was just because my hair is getting longer but then I started counting. On a good day, I'm only loosing 30-40 but yesterday, I lost well over 80. I know this is in the "normal" range but its not normal for me.

I do have a small thinning spot above one temple but it also looks like I have new growth there but it could just be my baby hairs, kinda hard to tell at this point. I'm trying to grow out the henna and my natural color is so light, it can be hard to see. I might henna again just so I can get a good look at what is really happening.

I had a growth stall this last winter which is weird, the winter before I had a growth spurt. During this last stall, the hair around my temples didn't grow at all, I could tell this by looking at my roots, the henna in that spot never did get roots that had to be recolored. This is the same spot that looks thin now, its like all the hair that stalled, fell out first.

Hair is falling from all over but my pony tail circumference is the same and I have new growth of various length all over. Could this mean I'm just having a long over due seasonal shedding? Or whatever its called when your hair reaches the end of its life span and falls?

I have been stressed lately over health of a family member. Its more anxiety then stress and I've experienced periods of much worse stress without loosing hair. I've also been sick for well over a month, finally got on antibiotics and its clearing up, I was extremely stressed over this for a couple weeks. I have anxiety and health issues, even minor ones trigger it.

I have hypothyroidism but my levels are good, I was checked just a couple weeks ago. I didn't get my vitamins checked though and I've been bruising really easy lately. I need to start a basic multivitamin as I don't eat that great. I do get plenty of protein though.

Starting perimenopause, hormones are going crazy. I also have endometriosis which makes it worse, not sure if I want to go through with a hysterectomy or just start BC to see if that might help. Hair loss related to this is the most upsetting to me as I'm afraid it will never grow back.

Constant minor SD flair. I don't know whats up but my SD has been a pain lately, its a minor flair but its been constant for 2-3 months. I'm now using medicated shampoo at least once a week (I wash ever 2-3 days) and am trying to stay away from cones as they can aggravate the SD. Its much better now, no sores or itchies.

Excessive tension damaging the roots enough to make it fall? due to my layers about the only way to get my hair up is a ponytail or a claw clip. I've been wearing a pony almost daily and lately (last couple months) it seems like ponytails pull a lot, I can feel individual strands pulling enough that it hurts. Moving the pony to a different spots or using a looser hair tie seems to help. I suppose I should start using a claw clip instead but even they can pull at times, especially if they are non slip as the silicone grippy stuff pulls the hair.

Hair is definitely falling and not breaking, all hairs have the bulb on the end.

If anyone makes it to the end of this, thank you for taking the time. Any thoughts on the subject are welcome:)

[Reyesuela]

If you have any acute stress, it can cause temporary hair fall. Track for 3 months before getting worried. :)

[_flora_]

Excessive tension damaging the roots enough to make it fall?

We are waiting together for some thoughts on that. :) I've been thinking about this for years. I feel my hair is too heavy for most updos, but yet I see so many people with thicker hair using them.
I started to avoid those updos, but my hair loss continued for so much time that right now I have half of the amount I used to have. I'm starting to see some changes and I think it's because I'm eating much more greens (watercress, to be precise) since February.

May our hair keep attached to our covered skeleton, Obsidian!

[Brittpit]

In this month that you've been sick, have you been very ill? I've been very ill and had a fever of over 40 degrees celsius (105 fahrenheit?), and this also caused a excessive shed around 3 months later. Or did you have any changes in medication around 3 months ago?

Any case, I hope it stops soon. I've been there too and it's no fun :blossom:

[Aredhel]

A huge culprit of mine was birth control, hormonal fluctuations will often do it to a lot of people. The bottom half of my hair reflects that. I have a lot of BSL/MBL regrowth while the bottom half of my hair is super thin at almost TBL.

[Brittpit]

A huge culprit of mine was birth control, hormonal fluctuations will often do it to a lot of people. The bottom half of my hair reflects that. I have a lot of BSL/MBL regrowth while the bottom half of my hair is super thin at almost TBL.

YES! Second that. About 2 months after I stopped hormonal birth control, I lost a lot of hair too :(

[lapushka]

Possible things
1/ it's spring - it can happen. It doesn't mean it always does, but sometimes, it can.
2/ hair getting longer - sheds become more noticeable
3/ your health - *keep on top of this esp. if you have a condition*!!!
4/ the stress could be getting to you as well as having been ill
5/ how's your diet lately? multivitamin, definitely recommend one
6/ perimenopause could be the sole factor
7/ SD needs to be under control (so keep on with the medicated shampoo, don't quit until it's all gone) or might be causing more shedding
==> but all these things combined might just be *it*, you know

Those are my thoughts as I read through your text.

Work at it one thing at a time, if you can and it should all slowly return to normal.

[Obsidian]

Thank you all, you've given me some things to think about.

I've not been terribly ill, no fevers just a weird long lasting infection that seems to be in my sinus and throat. I've not changed any meds but I did go through a phase a couple months back where I was very bad about taking my thyroid meds, I also stopped my vitamin D around the same time. I know I have low levels of D and have started on that again.

Oh, you know what I just thought of? 3-4 months ago I started a bought of gastritis. When this happens, I have a very bad diet as I can eat very little. Mostly carbs and meat, no veggies or fruit at all. This is better now and I'm slowly adding fresh veggies/fruits back into my diet.

Next time I go to the DR, I'll have my vitamins and hormones checked but will start with multivitamins today.

[lapushka]

I had a sinus infection (that required 2 rounds of AB (which gave me a yeast infection, I know TMI)) and I had more shedding afterwards too. But it didn't last that long. I guess it's something you just deal with. TBH, I was more worried about the infection than I was worried about my hair.


I've not been terribly ill, no fevers just a weird long lasting infection that seems to be in my sinus and throat. I've not changed any meds but I did go through a phase a couple months back where I was very bad about taking my thyroid meds, I also stopped my vitamin D around the same time. I know I have low levels of D and have started on that again.

Oh, you know what I just thought of? 3-4 months ago I started a bought of gastritis. When this happens, I have a very bad diet as I can eat very little. Mostly carbs and meat, no veggies or fruit at all. This is better now and I'm slowly adding fresh veggies/fruits back into my diet.

Next time I go to the DR, I'll have my vitamins and hormones checked but will start with multivitamins today.

That could be it also!

Many things to think about - indeed!

With all that, I'm surprised you're not shedding more!!!

[Obsidian]

Yeah, its been a crappy couple months for sure. I have terrible sinus issues but this time it moved down my throat, constantly felt like I was being choked. Hopefully the antibiotics don't compound the issue but I am starting to feel better.

Another thing I just though of, about a month ago I passed a kidney stone. Nothing new for me but always a miserable experience and it landed me in the ER. Seems like everything hit all at once.

[Deborah]

The ponytail could be causing some of your problems. They tend to cause breakage and too much tension on the scalp. Have you tried a French Twist? Your hair does not need to be very long to do this style, and it is very chic looking and pretty easy to do.

I'm sorry you have been struggling with so many and such varied health issues. None of those sound fun, and we can only guess which might or might not be causing hair problems. I hope you begin to feel better very soon. :flower:

[Borgessa]

I'm just gonna lend you a supportive hug, cause i'm not expert or anything I'm going through or I hope coming to the end of a big shed, i am thinking its seasonal, so I feel the pain of a major shed. I've had large sheds over the yrs. My largest being after childbirth and those feeding yrs. I think too with age we produce less estrogen and as a result lose the thickness SOME of us had in our youth. Some folks have thick hair for ever. I have perhaps a quarter of the hair I had in my teens, I am now 47.

I'm sure your well aware of the dangers of pony tails. My hair is badly damaged and in recovery from a pony tail worn in the same place everyday for yrs. I didn't realise what i was doing until i googled, why do I have bangs? (i don't remember cutting in a fringe). I won't let a pony tail holder anywhere near my hair now.... I flinch at the sight.

[Obsidian]

It's been awhile since I tried a French twist. Last time it wouldn't hold but I'll try again.

I wore a peacock twist today, worked well for awhile but then it started smiling, hair is currently lose.

I do know about damage from ponytails but so far, I've not had any breakage. I don't know if it's from wearing loose ponies or because I move it around everyday. I'll keep a eye out for damage thought.

[Mlarmour]

It could just be down to you being ill and a little run down. It could also be a delayed reaction to any illness. Last year, towards the end of the year, I lost 50% of my hair 2/3 months after contracting dengue fever and being hospitalised for it. It feels horrible when you're loosing all that hair. All I can say is I hope it stops soon, but in the mean time treat it very gently so not to put any more stress on the hair.

[Aphra]

Sounds like a combo of your health problems could easily do it. If you are bruising easily and that's not normal for you, definitely go and get various things checked (vitamins, iron, blood counts etc) - important even without the hair issues.

[Aredhel]

I've bruised easily from being deficient in iron in the past. I have also been bruising extremely easily lately and my doctor just informed me yesterday that I may be slightly deficient in vitamin C - apparently one of the telltale signs is easy bruising. I'm not sure about hairloss in relation to vitamin C, but it's something to consider... I guess a lot of different types of deficiencies can have different side effects on different people, including hair loss in some people but not others.