Those of you who have had seborrheic dermatitis

[Blondieee]

How much hair loss does it cause? How much hair loss did you have from it? Did all your hair grow back completely?

[lapushka]

I think if you have other health related issues (like you did talk about in previous posts), that can all cause *major* hair loss, then I wouldn't focus on the SD to pinpoint it all on. Sorry. :flower: SD can only cause a little more hair loss.

[Blondieee]

Can you tell me what is causing most of my hair loss? Doctors won't tell me anything. Even a dermatologist wouldn't tell me if it was thyroid or ferritin related.

Ferritin - 26
It was 12 before and I took 1 Flintstones a day (18mg) and now it's 26. Can't help but wonder if it's a lab error though because my mom's ferritin is 30 and she has very thick hair. And my other iron numbers didn't come up.
TSH - 3.45
Free T3 - 3.6 (1.5-3.5)
Free T4 - 1.2 (0.6-1.5)

[lapushka]

Can you tell me what is causing most of my hair loss? Doctors won't tell me anything. Even a dermatologist wouldn't tell me if it was thyroid or ferritin related.

Ferritin - 26
It was 12 before and I took 1 Flintstones a day (18mg) and now it's 26. Can't help but wonder if it's a lab error though because my mom's ferritin is 30 and she has very thick hair. And my other iron numbers didn't come up.
TSH - 3.45
Free T3 - 3.6 (1.5-3.5)
Free T4 - 1.2 (0.6-1.5)

I'm sorry, this is something you're going to have to ask your doctor about.

I think the key here is to get your iron intake up and to an acceptable level. At least that is what you were struggling with majorly. Hair regrowth doesn't happen overnight, and it is not long since you made your last post. :flower:

And you also have a thyroid issue...

I'm sorry!

What do your doctors say? Have you discussed this with them? What are you taking for iron / your thyroid now?

[Blondieee]

I'm sorry, this is something you're going to have to ask your doctor about.

I think the key here is to get your iron intake up and to an acceptable level. At least that is what you were struggling with majorly. Hair regrowth doesn't happen overnight, and it is not long since you made your last post. :flower:

And you also have a thyroid issue...

I'm sorry!

What do your doctors say? Have you discussed this with them? What are you taking for iron / your thyroid now?

I've seen literally about 20+ doctors. They can't tell me specifically what's causing the hair loss. One dermatologist told me ferritin levels should be over 60 (but I already knew that from my own research). But she didn't say that was causing the hair loss. She said getting my ferritin levels up would only help my hair loss a little and that basically I would have to live with bald spots for the rest of my life. And that I won't ever get my hair back. The other doctors didn't care that at one point my ferritin was as low as 4. I'm still taking 1 Flintstone vitamin a day for the iron.

But my serum iron was 62. And it was also in the 60's when I had a ferritin level of 8. That's why I'm wondering if it was a lab error. Well that and one time I went to a different lab and got a result of 38 for ferritin and it was really 12. So that's why I'm worried. Because wouldn't my serum iron be coming up too? From what I've researched, serum iron should be around 110.

I'm not taking anything for my thyroid. Doctors are dismissing it and also, I'm a member of Hashimoto's support groups online and once a week, someone posts about all the thyroid medication related hair loss that they've experienced which is not reversible. It's listed as a side effect of the medication. And when I have brought that up to doctors, they said "Yes thyroid medication does cause hair loss, but hypothyroidism also causes hair loss." I would rather lose my hair from my thyroid not functioning right than to have a medication that I'm choosing to put in my body take my hair.

[lapushka]

I've seen literally about 20+ doctors. They can't tell me specifically what's causing the hair loss. One dermatologist told me ferritin levels should be over 60 (but I already knew that from my own research). But she didn't say that was causing the hair loss. She said getting my ferritin levels up would only help my hair loss a little and that basically I would have to live with bald spots for the rest of my life. And that I won't ever get my hair back. The other doctors didn't care that at one point my ferritin was as low as 4. I'm still taking 1 Flintstone vitamin a day for the iron.

But my serum iron was 62. And it was also in the 60's when I had a ferritin level of 8. That's why I'm wondering if it was a lab error. Well that and one time I went to a different lab and got a result of 38 for ferritin and it was really 12. So that's why I'm worried. Because wouldn't my serum iron be coming up too? From what I've researched, serum iron should be around 110.

I'm not taking anything for my thyroid. Doctors are dismissing it and also, I'm a member of Hashimoto's support groups online and once a week, someone posts about all the thyroid medication related hair loss that they've experienced which is not reversible. It's listed as a side effect of the medication. And when I have brought that up to doctors, they said "Yes thyroid medication does cause hair loss, but hypothyroidism also causes hair loss." I would rather lose my hair from my thyroid not functioning right than to have a medication that I'm choosing to put in my body take my hair.

It is going to take a *whole lot of time* after your iron is at an acceptable level for your hair to grow in right, that's what I know from someone who had the issue of being anemic for a while.

As far as the thyroid, keep on top of it. If doctors are dismissing it, it is either something you're not supposed to worry about, or something you need to go to another doctor for (endocrinologist?) and so yes, it doesn't seem like something that can be easily solved, at least not with an SD shampoo. :flower:

[Blondieee]

It is going to take a *whole lot of time* after your iron is at an acceptable level for your hair to grow in right, that's what I know from someone who had the issue of being anemic for a while.

As far as the thyroid, keep on top of it. If doctors are dismissing it, it is either something you're not supposed to worry about, or something you need to go to another doctor for (endocrinologist?) and so yes, it doesn't seem like something that can be easily solved, at least not with an SD shampoo. :flower:

May I ask how long it takes for hair to start regrowing really thick after getting your iron back to normal?

[lapushka]

May I ask how long it takes for hair to start regrowing really thick after getting your iron back to normal?

It depends. Was it "really thick" before? You can only get back what you lost and you need to keep your iron up as well, the least it fluctuates, it's going to go to hell. It depends for everybody, and I'm no expert.

[Obsidian]

SD usually only causes minor hair loss unless you have a bad case and its not being treated. The reason the doctors aren't telling you why you have hair loss is because they don't know. There are hundreds or reasons for hair loss, unless you go to a expert and have scalp biopsies, it can be almost impossible to diagnose.

When you go to these multiple doctors is it mainly for hair loss or other symptoms? most doctors, even derms don't specialise in hair loss. If you are in the US, I suggest taking a look at this site. http://donovanmedical.com/
Maybe they could help you find a specialist in your area.

[spidermom]

As I was saying in another thread, it isn't helpful to compare lab results to results from another lab or online because different labs calibrate their machinery differently. If the lab where you had your tests done say that your results are normal, they are normal for that particular lab. Believe them.

[Blondieee]

I just got on really quick to say one thing. I have a really busy day today but I saw your post about the labs. I'm sorry but you're incorrect.

I have had labs that say a ferritin of 4 or 12 is normal. So you're saying it is normal to have a ferritin of 4 or 12 because that's what is normal for that lab? I don't think so. Doctors should know what optimal numbers are. Looking at reference ranges is just silly. Doctors should know that ferritin levels should be above 50-60. They shouldn't just look to see if it falls in the reference range. It's negligence and malpractice.

And I did have a fantastic doctor who left the practice a few years back. She saw my ferritin was in range at 12 and she said ferritin levels need to be at least 50 and recommended I take iron immediately. Now THAT'S a good doctor.

[Blondieee]

And I have not just mentioned my hair loss to doctors. Trust me I'm sure they have a huge file with all my list of symptoms.

I have EXTREME debilitating fatigue that makes it exhausting just to brush my teeth. I'm so exhausted I only brush my teeth once a day now as gross as that sounds.

I have severe bloating. I bloat out like I'm 6 months pregnant. Several doctors have seen it and do you know what they have said? "Let's see how it looks in a year or two." While it continues to grow.

I have major water retention and swelling all over my body. I'm at a healthy weight and a caliper says I'm at an obese measurement. Not normal at all. The swelling also grows thoroughout the course of a day and I might be a size 3 at the beginning of the day and be a size 9 in pants by the end of the day because my thighs are so swollen I can't get my pants up my thighs. Doctors say it's "fat." Unless you've had major health issues and have seen how negligent doctors are, you really can't begin to understand my frustration.

[lapushka]

I just got on really quick to say one thing. I have a really busy day today but I saw your post about the labs. I'm sorry but you're incorrect.

I have had labs that say a ferritin of 4 or 12 is normal. So you're saying it is normal to have a ferritin of 4 or 12 because that's what is normal for that lab? I don't think so. Doctors should know what optimal numbers are. Looking at reference ranges is just silly. Doctors should know that ferritin levels should be above 50-60. They shouldn't just look to see if it falls in the reference range. It's negligence and malpractice.

And I did have a fantastic doctor who left the practice a few years back. She saw my ferritin was in range at 12 and she said ferritin levels need to be at least 50 and recommended I take iron immediately. Now THAT'S a good doctor.

I'm sorry but I agree with spidermom. Doctors depend on the figures that labs propose. They can't be expected to know *everything* by heart, which is why they depend on the laboratories! At least that's how it goes here with my doctor and the lab.

[Kiiruna]

There's hundred of blood tests and each and every one of them has different reference ranges and no one can remember them all. Lab reference ranges are where most of the population falls within and there's people who are outside those ranges without it being nothing serious.

I understand you being frustrated and all, but I think this isn't the right place to look for medical advice. :blossom:

[meteor]

And I have not just mentioned my hair loss to doctors. Trust me I'm sure they have a huge file with all my list of symptoms.

I have EXTREME debilitating fatigue that makes it exhausting just to brush my teeth. I'm so exhausted I only brush my teeth once a day now as gross as that sounds.

I have severe bloating. I bloat out like I'm 6 months pregnant. Several doctors have seen it and do you know what they have said? "Let's see how it looks in a year or two." While it continues to grow.

I have major water retention and swelling all over my body. I'm at a healthy weight and a caliper says I'm at an obese measurement. Not normal at all. The swelling also grows thoroughout the course of a day and I might be a size 3 at the beginning of the day and be a size 9 in pants by the end of the day because my thighs are so swollen I can't get my pants up my thighs. Doctors say it's "fat." Unless you've had major health issues and have seen how negligent doctors are, you really can't begin to understand my frustration.

Apart from family physician and endocrinologist, have you seen a gastroenterologist yet? If you haven't, I'd get a referral. :flower:
As far as I know, both iron deficiency (often due to malabsorbtion) and autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto's which you mentioned can be greatly improved if at least the gut health is on point, and they can be made much worse, if it's not. I'd also check for some common gastrointestinal infections, if needed. Just talk to your doctors about all your symptoms in detail, be as specific as possible and ask for referrals, if they aren't sure what's happening. Good luck! :)

[spidermom]

I think we're misunderstanding each other.

I don't know what you mean by "looking at reference ranges is just silly".