Thinning Hair Help

[mamastawb]

Hello! So one of the reasons I was so excited to grow out my hair is that it's always been thick. Not insanely brush-breaking scrunchie-snapping thick, but fairly thick. I remember back when I was in high school, just before I went pixie, my hairdresser grabbing a handful of hair at my crown and saying "she has more hair in this handful that I do on my whole head!"

But now that I'm growing it out...I notice it's thinning. Especially when I brush and in the shower. Not enough to be noticed by anyone but me, but enough to have me seriously freaked out. And my scalp is super itchy, has been for a couple years now, mostly right at the crown. I know it's not that I'm mistreating it, as it's thinner now than it was when I was bleaching and dying all the time. It's not dandruff, I've gone through a whole bottle of head-n-shoulders with no change. My doctor has no clue either, she gave me an anti-fungal shampoo just in case and it did nothing. I've tried giving it every kind of oil I can think of, I've tried drying it out. It's not my thyroid(that was my first thought) or any other health problem me or my doctor can find. I wear my hair down as often as I can as I do have some breakage around my face from pulling it back, otherwise it's french braided or dutch pigtailed. It's not stress, I haven't changed my diet, I'm getting enough sleep, etc.

Anyone have any ideas? Or anyone else have their hair randomly start thinning in their early 20's?

[girlwithsixarms]

It's common to go through a hormonal shift in your early to mid 20s, and that may be causing some of the change, but there also may be other factors to consider. If your scalp is itchy, it could be dryness (my early 20s was when I started having issues with skin/scalp dryness for the first time), developing an allergy or sensitivity to certain common ingredients found in shampoo or other hair products, or any number of other issues. You could try seeing a dermatologist or an allergist to find out if there's anything specific going on, otherwise my best guess would be to try something like an elimination diet, but for hair - trying products that are free from common irritants/allergens.

[checkuponit]

Is it possibly hormonal?

[SallySue]

I can totally relate to growing my hair out from the pixie I had in my early 20's and thinking, "OK, there used to be more of this."
It is absolutely frustrating and disheartening, so I feel your struggle. Obviously, if the hair loss becomes really persistent and noticeable, you can see your doc to check your thyroid levels, which I'm thinking about doing myself.

One immediate recommendation I can give you as a result of my own research is castor oil. Particularly since you mentioned scalp troubles. Castor oil is good for not only stimulating blood flow to the scalp and promoting growth (as do other botanicals like rosemary and peppermint), but it is anti-fungal meaning that it will get rid of the pernicious gazigglies that may be setting up shop in the microscopic environment of your skin.

[SallySue]

Sorry, I clearly didn't read carefully to see that you've already been checked for thyroid. If you notice any help from castor oil or from anything else, let me know.

[lapushka]

Are you using oil or conditioner on your scalp? Because some people can't tolerate it and will shed bucket loads. If you do that, and notice that, quit using oil and/or conditioner on the scalp immediately.

[checkuponit]

mamastawb, because of your age, I'm wondering if you've had any changes in birth control lately? I know that can cause hair thinning. I'm going through thinning myself, but I'm older so if mine is hormonal, it's for a different reason!

[parkmikii]

This is what I am dealing with right now. I'm almost 21 and for the past year I have been shedding a lot, more than half of my hair thickness is gone. I've been to a lot of dermatologists that didn't help and a few endocrinologists. In the end, the blood tests and ultrasound confirmed that I have PCOS and I am underweight . It's a hormonal disorder and one of the symptoms really bad hair thinning.
Try to see an endocrinologist if you can and ask for a set of hormonal blood tests.

[lapushka]

This is what I am dealing with right now. I'm almost 21 and for the past year I have been shedding a lot, more than half of my hair thickness is gone. I've been to a lot of dermatologists that didn't help and a few endocrinologists. In the end, the blood tests and ultrasound confirmed that I have PCOS and I am underweight . It's a hormonal disorder and one of the symptoms really bad hair thinning.
Try to see an endocrinologist if you can and ask for a set of hormonal blood tests.

OMG parkmikii, I'm so sorry to hear that, about the PCOS and being underweight. Maybe a nutrition specialist can set you on the right path and the PCOS, is something you and your doctor(s) will have to deal with. I hope you can find a solution. What are they going to do?

[parkmikii]

OMG parkmikii, I'm so sorry to hear that, about the PCOS and being underweight. Maybe a nutrition specialist can set you on the right path and the PCOS, is something you and your doctor(s) will have to deal with. I hope you can find a solution. What are they going to do?

Well, I'm trying to gain weight and they gave me progesterone to take 10 days a month. The actual treatment would have been to take some antiandrogenic birth control but estrogen in them could harm the breast lump I have. The dermatologist recommended minoxidil but I'm waiting on that at first. Not sure I want to use it from now to when I'm old, since I know that quitting it will make all the hair dependant on it to fall again. But I'll have my blood tests redone next year in February as well as the ultrasound to see if there is any improvement. It's strange because no one in my family has any endocrine related issues but me, guess I got the short end of the stick.. Also thinking to cut from TBL back to hip because of the thinness, it's kinda hard to deal with this, but the hairloss is the thing that affects me the most, I'm getting clumps of hair out every day :/
Maybe I'll post some pics before I get the trim.

[Reservechic]

The reason or reasons behind ones hair becoming thinner will of course vary from person to person. However, I developed severe scalp eczema and I also suffer with seborrheic dermatitis. My father suffers with psoriasis and has been all of his life, and a lot of things that are big issues that I deal with, has a lot to do with to genetics, but. It all of it. I have been getting help for skin issues from a dermatologist, and when I couldn't afford to go to a dermatologist, I would have my own PCP treat me for such. My PCP isn't a huge specialist in skin disorders, which is why, I prefer seeing a dermatologist, which I am currently doing so at this time. My scalp eczema has been so bad till I have had to take shots, numerous laser scalp treatments (which had to be specially approved by my insurance), been prescribed pills, medicated shampoos, medicated creams, medicated sprays, etc. My main issues are with intense itching, severe scalp flaking, red bumps on my scalp that bleed, areas on my head where my hair has become noticeably thinner, redness, and irritation. I am highly allergic to a lot of stuff, and when it comes to hair care products, I have learned to avoid the ones that I already know contain an ingredient or ingredients in them that I already know I'm allergic to However, with any new product I always have to be cautious, and if it doesn't end up causing a negative reaction to my skin or scalp and actually does what I need it to do, then I stick with it. For my yearly physicals, the doctor has not found anything serious with my body. I do suffer with issues with acid reflux (which I take prescription medication for), severe sinus and nasal allergy issues (which I take medication for), and problems with ear infections (which I am regularly prescribed an antibiotic ear drop for). I deal with motion sickness and have been using prescription motion sickness medication for years for that, and none of these things have been singled out as adding to my hair's thinning. And, I am on an ultra low dose BC pill, however, my scalp,and skin issues actually started before I started taking BC pills, so that directly isn't a major factor in regards to either my scalp or skin issues either.

I have not experienced any major help from the medicated products that my derm keeps having me try, which is why, I decided to go a more natural route with my hair care products. I avoid all silicones, mineral oil, sulfates, products with dyed, and parabens. Because I am highly allergic to a lot of fragrances in products, I really try to avoid using products with synthetic chemical fragrances in them as much as I can. Do I feel that I will ever be 100% cured of my scalp and skin disorders? I don't know. But, I do remain hopeful, and I still continue to pray everyday, that maybe one day may that will become a reality.

Oh and by the way, my hair was never thick, so the hair thinning in areas of my head that I am constantly dealing with makes things worse, which is why, I wear my hair pulled back into a bun on a daily basis at this time.

[lapushka]

Well, I'm trying to gain weight and they gave me progesterone to take 10 days a month. The actual treatment would have been to take some antiandrogenic birth control but estrogen in them could harm the breast lump I have. The dermatologist recommended minoxidil but I'm waiting on that at first. Not sure I want to use it from now to when I'm old, since I know that quitting it will make all the hair dependant on it to fall again. But I'll have my blood tests redone next year in February as well as the ultrasound to see if there is any improvement. It's strange because no one in my family has any endocrine related issues but me, guess I got the short end of the stick.. Also thinking to cut from TBL back to hip because of the thinness, it's kinda hard to deal with this, but the hairloss is the thing that affects me the most, I'm getting clumps of hair out every day :/
Maybe I'll post some pics before I get the trim.

From TBL to hip took me a year to grow back, no actually, more around 9 months (November 2016 - August 2017), so it's not that big of a deal if you do decide to trim a bit back - well I say that now, but I was glad to have the length back!

Hang in there! :flower:
I wish you the very best on your medical journey!