Frustrated. Rant about thin hair.

[Dee94]

My hair has always been thin... but, I feel now its thinner then it has been before. I feel like its been like this for the past year though. No, I dont see any balding on the scalp. Yes, I got my blood checked, even my thyroid, all is normal. My routine right now, is Sunday and Wednesday is wash days, sundays i do a deep treatment. Shampoo, hask (deep treatment) shampoo, conditioner 1 (leave on for a few), then I rinse and use the HH hello hydration as a leave in, very tiny amount (it's actually real nice). Wednsday I just shampoo twice then condition once and that's it. It's frustrating because I can't even really do any styles because it's so damn thin.... I look stupid with a bun because of how small it sits on my head. The way I eat, is fine for hair wise as well, I'm not unhealthy or anything. I mean the odd bowl of chips and or chocolate bar isn't going to do a number on my hair. I know I use to have more hair on my head.... I'm trying to explain this the best way I can. Had more hair when younger but was still thin, but, now hair feels thinner but theres no balding, blood, thyroid all good, eating habits are good enough, I've done research after research, looked at post here, joined the thin hair club, and nothing.... the only 2 things I can possibly think of was maybe when I was pregnant with my kid but hes 4 now and I feel that recently this past year is when it started feeling thinner? And my anxiety, but, I've had it since I was 14 and it's actually been better, so, why would it thin now all of a sudden? The normal stress nothing majorly changes with that. I checked my ends and dont see many splits or dots, although I feel i always got strands falling out but then again my scalp looks normal and not balding, the strands that fall look full and not half broken ones. I wonder if it will ever go back to being somewhat normal or if it's just going to stay this lame crappy thin way that I hate so much. I must say though, I've noticed that my hair has been growing. Good I guess. Anyways, if you got an ideas, tips, tricks or whatever you think can help, comment below, please!!!!!!! Maybe itll just be this way forever but I pray not cause I'm not liking this hair since I cant do anything with it, except a half up do that makes it look half decent. I gotta brush my hair just to make it puffy so it actually looks full. I wish i didnt have to do half up dos though because then my hair is out and exposed,but, I dont know what else to do. Or maybe once it gets longer, itll look thicker when I do a bun or whatever.
Rant over.

Products I use:

Shampoo - Prairie naturals northern lights
Conditioner 1 - Natures aid
Conditioner 2 - HH hello hydration
Masks - hask brand

[CrowningGlory]

I wonder if you're being too hard on yourself? I often think my braid looks thin in the mirror but when I see it in photos it looks a lot better. We often don't see ourselves the way others do. And mirrors or the images we carry in our heads are not always the whole story.

Even if your hair is thin, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Thin hair is beautiful, too, and there are styles you can do to make it look thicker. Try a sock bun or braid a scarf into your hair before bunning. I see that you're at 16" so it might be that you just need more length to achieve the look you're after. Thin hair is going to compress into a smaller bun than thick hair but I would also imagine that 36" of hair will make a bigger bun than 16".

You've had blood work done and have examined your diet, and as long as you're not losing excessive amounts, then they is probably nothing more to do than embrace what you have. You might be surprised at the number of members on here who identify as having thin hair - and whose hair is absoutely gorgeous.

[Freyja_Fernwood]

I have thin hair, the base of my ponytail measures about inch and a half all the way around- but it's a bit different from yours because it looks like it's big and poufy... I remember going to a hair salon years ago and he stylist saying "you have too much volume, so I'm going to use thinning shears!!" *snip snip* In reaction to my frizzy poofy mess- it took years to grow out that horrible thin patch she made.
Alas... despite the "volume" the moment I put it into a bun it's less than a quarter of the size and I realize that it's all just an illusion. I always get upset when I do hairstyles and they look nowhere near as full as the tutorial pictures, but I figure, that's just how my hair is. It's how it always has been, and I've made peace with it. Thick hair is probably preferable, but try to look at the positive-
1- Your hair is much lighter, and when it gets longer styling might be more manageable and comfortable.
2- It's not as hot during summer when you have it down.
3- You can use less shampoo, conditoner, styling products, ect. and save money as well, right?

I've personally found that accentuating my curls and waves cover up the thinness. I'm not sure if you've tried this yet, but I suggest trying to rock your 3a/3b hair! While it's wet put in something to help define your curls and make them come out. When the curls have formed and are dry, you can fluff them out for volume and embrace it's natural texture. It might take a few tries to find the right product- I look for products that leave the absolute LEAST amount of build up, because anything that weighs my hair down will make it look limp and flat. No silicones, no heavy waxes, nothing like that- just light, moisturizing sorts of products tend to work well.

[lapushka]

i hair = thin, and there's no way around it. My mom is i now too. After my mom had me, her hair fell out post-partum and stayed gone. She is 72 now, has gone through menopause and lost some hair during that process as well. She used to be ii.

Are you on any type of medication? Any changes there?

[Dee94]

I wonder if you're being too hard on yourself? I often think my braid looks thin in the mirror but when I see it in photos it looks a lot better. We often don't see ourselves the way others do. And mirrors or the images we carry in our heads are not always the whole story.

Even if your hair is thin, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Thin hair is beautiful, too, and there are styles you can do to make it look thicker. Try a sock bun or braid a scarf into your hair before bunning. I see that you're at 16" so it might be that you just need more length to achieve the look you're after. Thin hair is going to compress into a smaller bun than thick hair but I would also imagine that 36" of hair will make a bigger bun than 16".

You've had blood work done and have examined your diet, and as long as you're not losing excessive amounts, then they is probably nothing more to do than embrace what you have. You might be surprised at the number of members on here who identify as having thin hair - and whose hair is absoutely gorgeous.

Ya, I am a bit hard on myself. My hair is my number one thing about myself. I think what's frustrating is that I use to have such long hair but when I was younger I fried it away. So, maybe since it's not there yet and hasn't been for years... I get frustrated with it quickly. Positive is that it is growing and has gotten better, where as before it use to grow but then be stuck at top of shoulders where as now it very close to armpit length.



I have thin hair, the base of my ponytail measures about inch and a half all the way around- but it's a bit different from yours because it looks like it's big and poufy... I remember going to a hair salon years ago and he stylist saying "you have too much volume, so I'm going to use thinning shears!!" *snip snip* In reaction to my frizzy poofy mess- it took years to grow out that horrible thin patch she made.
Alas... despite the "volume" the moment I put it into a bun it's less than a quarter of the size and I realize that it's all just an illusion. I always get upset when I do hairstyles and they look nowhere near as full as the tutorial pictures, but I figure, that's just how my hair is. It's how it always has been, and I've made peace with it. Thick hair is probably preferable, but try to look at the positive-
1- Your hair is much lighter, and when it gets longer styling might be more manageable and comfortable.
2- It's not as hot during summer when you have it down.
3- You can use less shampoo, conditoner, styling products, ect. and save money as well, right?

I've personally found that accentuating my curls and waves cover up the thinness. I'm not sure if you've tried this yet, but I suggest trying to rock your 3a/3b hair! While it's wet put in something to help define your curls and make them come out. When the curls have formed and are dry, you can fluff them out for volume and embrace it's natural texture. It might take a few tries to find the right product- I look for products that leave the absolute LEAST amount of build up, because anything that weighs my hair down will make it look limp and flat. No silicones, no heavy waxes, nothing like that- just light, moisturizing sorts of products tend to work well.
You got some good positives for me to think about, thank you. I do save a lot of money because of how thin it is, barely need any product at all, everything lasts me for a bout a year or longer. Especially since I may cut down on washing. Go to once a week instead of two. Although, I do wash twice only because my hair seems to go flat and limp after 3 or 4 days from my last wash, so I only really wash just to get some of the volume back a bit.



i hair = thin, and there's no way around it. My mom is i now too. After my mom had me, her hair fell out post-partum and stayed gone. She is 72 now, has gone through menopause and lost some hair during that process as well. She used to be ii.

Are you on any type of medication? Any changes there?
Ya, I might be like this forever, hopefully when it grows longer it'll look thicker when I style it like CrowningGlory said.
No, no medications or any changes with meds.
Would those thicking shampoos work? I know a brand at my vitamin store that's natural, or, with no harsh chemicals.

[lapushka]

Ya, I might be like this forever, hopefully when it grows longer it'll look thicker when I style it like CrowningGlory said.
No, no medications or any changes with meds.
Would those thicking shampoos work? I know a brand at my vitamin store that's natural, or, with no harsh chemicals.

You could try; I mean it is not gonna hurt! But be realistic and don't focus too much on it. I fear that no product will touch this if it's how it's gotta be.

There is a fine, thin hair thread on this forum that you can check out, especially for support and hints and tricks!

[Dee94]

You could try; I mean it is not gonna hurt! But be realistic and don't focus too much on it. I fear that no product will touch this if it's how it's gotta be.

There is a fine, thin hair thread on this forum that you can check out, especially for support and hints and tricks!

Ok, great. Thank you! :flower:

[lapushka]

Ok, great. Thank you! :flower:

Hang on, I'll look it up for you! :D
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=17115

There you go! :)

[SallySue]

You are not alone. The best advice I can give you, even though I know it's hard, is to stop comparing yourself. Just stop. Stop measuring your ponytail circumference, stop scrutinizing old pictures, and stop examining other people's hair to see if it is thicker than yours. Some people are genetically predisposed to have hair density below average. That is okay. Focus on other aspects of life. This will help your mental health immeasurably.

Secondly, you have curly hair, so you DO have the potential for volume. It might help you to learn some ways to enhance your natural curly texture so that even though your hair is thin, people looking at you would never know it. You may think that curl definition and volume are mutually exclusive- I thought so for a long time- but after research and experimentation, I found that idea is not necessarily true. Read up on concepts like plopping, styling products, diffusing, and fluffing. Through trial and error, you may find a technique that gives you more confidence.

I speak from experience as I have just recently gone through this process, first mentally and then through hair styling experiments. If you have any questions, ask away.

[Freyja_Fernwood]

You got some good positives for me to think about, thank you. I do save a lot of money because of how thin it is, barely need any product at all, everything lasts me for a bout a year or longer. Especially since I may cut down on washing. Go to once a week instead of two. Although, I do wash twice only because my hair seems to go flat and limp after 3 or 4 days from my last wash, so I only really wash just to get some of the volume back a bit.
You're welcome! I'm glad I helped in some way. ^-^ -I've also found that if I use a light enough conditioner I can CO wash and get some good volume with the conditioner -not unlike washing with shampoo. For me, CO washing is a great way to stretch out washes while keeping my hair from getting all sebum-y.


Would those thicking shampoos work? I know a brand at my vitamin store that's natural, or, with no harsh chemicals.
From my memories of looking at different thickening shampoos, I think a lot of them work by thickening the individual strands by coating them with protein, or other strand thickening ingredients + something that might stimulate the scalp and help with hair growth. It might help it might not- but everything's worth a shot, right?

Something else I found out about that you might find interesting is caffiene. It's usually talked about on websites for balding men (ugh) but the studies sound like they would apply to anyone not just men or people with baldness. It suppresses DHT and helps stimulate the scalp, just look at this article! (https://www.hairlossrevolution.com/caffeine/)
I'm gonna start smearing it all over my scalp, anyway. ヾ(≧∇≦*)ゝ And I can report back to you if I see any difference in my hair growth/thickness.

[Cg]

Please stop believing others when they imply that naturally thin hair is somehow unfortunate. There is nothing intrinsically superior in being related to Cousin Itt.

I'm certain many people consider your hair beautiful. I'm certain because so many people have complimented mine, and mine couldn't be more starkly thin.

The tired cliche that "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," is absolutely true. For every hair type, there are those who consider it ideal. You won't hear that from Madison Avenue, nor even from a great many folks here, but neither this forum nor a bunch of hawkers represent real life.

So try thickening products if you choose, but please don't think your hair is inadequate right now. Well cared for hair is beautiful. Yours is beautiful.

[lapushka]

Please stop believing others when they imply that naturally thin hair is somehow unfortunate. There is nothing intrinsically superior in being related to Cousin Itt.

I'm certain many people consider your hair beautiful. I'm certain because so many people have complimented mine, and mine couldn't be more starkly thin.

The tired cliche that "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," is absolutely true. For every hair type, there are those who consider it ideal. You won't hear that from Madison Avenue, nor even from a great many folks here, but neither this forum nor a bunch of hawkers represent real life.

So try thickening products if you choose, but please don't think your hair is inadequate right now. Well cared for hair is beautiful. Yours is beautiful.

Cg, it is a bit different though when your hair used to be thicker and when you have lost a chunk of it. :( I went through it with my mom and it is really sad to see someone go through that process.

[Cg]

Cg, it is a bit different though when your hair used to be thicker and when you have lost a chunk of it. :( I went through it with my mom and it is really sad to see someone go through that process.

Mine used to be quite thick, too. I got sick several years ago and lost big hunks at a time so that I had to wear wigs and hats for nearly a year. I have no bald patches now but my hair is much thinner than it was, and it's not going to change back. That's ok. I enjoy what I have.

[Arciela]

My sister is a i thickness and she uses the olaplex shampoo/conditioner and says it makes her hair feel much thicker. It didn't make her grow more hair but the strands themselves do feel and look thicker, so you could give that a try maybe.

my MIL is a i also but she has waves/curls and honestly her hair only looks thin if she braids it or something, but when she lets her hair curl/wave it looks like she has a lot of hair. :)

[elfynity]

My hair isn't as thin as yours, I am just in the medium range, but it is still thin. It was even thinner before I started looking after it. Were you doing bad stuff to your hair recently that needs to grow out? Perhaps you need to give your hair at least a year or so to thicken up again? How long have you been using sulphate free shampoo? Sulphates literally stopped my hair from growing at the roots.

I agree that thin hair is beautiful, all fairies have thin hair with ears that stick out! (i think). And you are very lucky to have curly hair too. Do you have a photo to show?

[lapushka]

Mine used to be quite thick, too. I got sick several years ago and lost big hunks at a time so that I had to wear wigs and hats for nearly a year. I have no bald patches now but my hair is much thinner than it was, and it's not going to change back. That's ok. I enjoy what I have.

That is such a good attitude to have! :flower:

[lithostoic]

It could still be hormonal. Hormone levels fluctuate and often don't show on blood tests.

[Dee94]

Thanks everyone!:flower::flower:



My hair isn't as thin as yours, I am just in the medium range, but it is still thin. It was even thinner before I started looking after it. Were you doing bad stuff to your hair recently that needs to grow out? Perhaps you need to give your hair at least a year or so to thicken up again? How long have you been using sulphate free shampoo? Sulphates literally stopped my hair from growing at the roots.

I agree that thin hair is beautiful, all fairies have thin hair with ears that stick out! (i think). And you are very lucky to have curly hair too. Do you have a photo to show?

I'm not sure how long its been, if I had to guess, maybe almost a year?
Ya, I can show a picture. But, how do I do that? :p


It could still be hormonal. Hormone levels fluctuate and often don't show on blood tests.
How do I get that checked out?

[Dee94]

It could still be hormonal. Hormone levels fluctuate and often don't show on blood tests.

I looked up how to check hormone levels and it says, Doctors check through blood tests, are you sure it doesn't show?

[Obsidian]

They have to specifically check for hormones, its not something that is done in routine blood tests. Periodically when I have my thyroid checked, I have them check vitamins and hormones just to see where things are.

[lapushka]

They have to specifically check for hormones, its not something that is done in routine blood tests. Periodically when I have my thyroid checked, I have them check vitamins and hormones just to see where things are.

I was just about to comment that. Back when my doctor checked my hormone levels for signs of menopause he also did it through blood testing, but marked a few non-standard items on there to test for. It does not show up in a standard blood test, but they *can* test for it, if it's all still "balanced".

[Dee94]

They have to specifically check for hormones, its not something that is done in routine blood tests. Periodically when I have my thyroid checked, I have them check vitamins and hormones just to see where things are.

Oh, I see. So, the hormones won't show up in a thyroid test is what you're saying?
Maybe, I'll make an appointment with my doc to get the hormones checked.

[Dee94]

Does anyone know who I'd go to, to help with my thin hair? Is there a specialist or something that could help?
I'm thinking of getting someone to check it to see if its truely like this forever or if theres something I can or they do about it.

[akurah]

Does anyone know who I'd go to, to help with my thin hair? Is there a specialist or something that could help?
I'm thinking of getting someone to check it to see if its truely like this forever or if theres something I can or they do about it.

Dermatologist is the type of doctor you're looking for. That's the type of doctor my GP referred me to for my hair loss.

Print this out and take this with you to the doctor so that you know what tests to ask for:
https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/hair-loss-diagnosis-women
This doctor's blog also describes tests to ask for: https://donovanmedical.com/hair-blog/bloodtests

If you either are adverse to pain, don't like stitches, and/or don't like scars, save the scalp biopsy for last (in case the other tests find out what it is and thus you no longer need a scalp biopsy to find out what's wrong). They had to biopsy my scalp when other tests were inconclusive, and thankfully, the scalp biopsy found the culprit.

[leayellena]

my hair seems thinner in winter. my ponytail circ. ranges between 3.15" and 3.35" (8-8.50 cm). my pony circ in winter is 8 cm while my hair feels too smooth and silky for my liking ( I like the grip my hair has in summer). yes, there's a huge difference between summer and winter.

[Reyesuela]

You are looking for a trichologist, not a dermatologist.

Thinning hair IS pattern balding in women. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. If you have significant hair loss, you can try Nizoral, and if that’s not enough, minoxidil. Minoxidil (not safe in pregnancy btw) has not only reversed my pattern hair loss but my hair is by far the thickest it’s been in my life.

[ravenheather]

You are looking for a trichologist, not a dermatologist.

Thinning hair IS pattern balding in women. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. If you have significant hair loss, you can try Nizoral, and if that’s not enough, minoxidil. Minoxidil (not safe in pregnancy btw) has not only reversed my pattern hair loss but my hair is by far the thickest it’s been in my life.

I have had good luck with Minoxidil and nizoral to reduce shedding. There is a measurable increase in my hair thickness. I am still waiting for the thickness to travel down to the ends though. Vitamin d was also helpful to lower shedding for me. I had always been a heavy shedder though, even as a teen.

[Kattt]

You are not alone. The best advice I can give you, even though I know it's hard, is to stop comparing yourself. Just stop. Stop measuring your ponytail circumference, stop scrutinizing old pictures, and stop examining other people's hair to see if it is thicker than yours. Some people are genetically predisposed to have hair density below average. That is okay. Focus on other aspects of life. This will help your mental health immeasurably.

I'm guilty of the whole comparison game too. I'm happier when I focus less on what I don't have, and more on what I have. My hair is on the thinner side of it, at 2.25 inch circumference. I'll never have a thick braid. What I do have is very soft hair, because it's so fine. I love the color (henna red). When I get to longer lengths, it's not going to be excessively heavy on my head.

If you have curly hair, it's gotta have a lot more volume than straighter types of hair. Some people would love to have your type of hair. :) And I second finding hair toys and buns that will make your styles look bigger.

[Dee94]

You are looking for a trichologist, not a dermatologist.

Thinning hair IS pattern balding in women. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. If you have significant hair loss, you can try Nizoral, and if that’s not enough, minoxidil. Minoxidil (not safe in pregnancy btw) has not only reversed my pattern hair loss but my hair is by far the thickest it’s been in my life.

Ok, that's good to know. Thank you. I may even go to both and see if they come up with the same reason or different. I'd even like to try Nirzoral or Minoxidil, although I can't try Minoxidil right now because I am pregnant, so, thank you for mentioning that. I'm only annoyed because I know my hair has never been this thin before, when I was a kid I had long (still thin) hair but it was definitely thicker than the way it's sitting now... quite annoying and that's why I want to go and see a professional so I can know if it's like this for good and I can stop being so hard on my hair or figure out if there's something they can do and make it a bit thicker or back to maybe the way it was when I was younger. I don't expect it to be crazy thick, but, would like it to be a bit thicker than it is now. My hair looks like garbage, I can't do anything with it, buns, braids, or even wearing it down, it looks ridiculous. My hair seems to be healthy though... So, I don't know though and that's why I want to go and have a professional tell me. So I can either start learning to love my hair the way it is or I can get it back to normal. It's been like this for probably the past couple years or so.

[Dee94]

I can't seem to find any Trichologist where I'm at... But when you use Nizoral or Minoxidil, is it one of those things you have to keep using (which I wouldn't care, getting desperate) that if you stop using, all that regrowth hair, falls out? Just curious.

[ravenheather]

I can't seem to find any Trichologist where I'm at... But when you use Nizoral or Minoxidil, is it one of those things you have to keep using (which I wouldn't care, getting desperate) that if you stop using, all that regrowth hair, falls out? Just curious.


I believe so. I have however taken a week or two off with no problems.

[akurah]

I can't seem to find any Trichologist where I'm at... But when you use Nizoral or Minoxidil, is it one of those things you have to keep using (which I wouldn't care, getting desperate) that if you stop using, all that regrowth hair, falls out? Just curious.

Minoxidil is. Nizoral is not. If you can't find a Trichologist I'd still do a dermatologist or your PCP to at least rule out anything else with blood tests, as some conditions can cause hair loss (thyroid, etc) and those doctors should be able to help with that. I would rule out everything else before trying Minoxidil for that reason.

If you've already done that though, Reyesuela is probably right, especially if it's diffuse thinning all over the head instead of patchy.

If you haven't, though, after ruling out everything else, minoxidil is really the only choice of treatment if nizoral doesn't work.

[Dee94]

Minoxidil is. Nizoral is not. If you can't find a Trichologist I'd still do a dermatologist or your PCP to at least rule out anything else with blood tests, as some conditions can cause hair loss (thyroid, etc) and those doctors should be able to help with that. I would rule out everything else before trying Minoxidil for that reason.

If you've already done that though, Reyesuela is probably right, especially if it's diffuse thinning all over the head instead of patchy.

If you haven't, though, after ruling out everything else, minoxidil is really the only choice of treatment if nizoral doesn't work.

I already got my hormone and thyroid tests done a couple months ago, they all came back fine. I'll definitely check a dermatologist out then cause we have that here. So, nizoral doesnt have that effect like minoxidil? Also, is nizoral safe for pregnant women? The hair on my scalp seems to look a bit thicker than the hair from my ears down.. but, my hair from ears down isnt damaged, unhealthy, or anything so I feel that's why I want to take the step of getting it all checked out so I can finally know instead of wondering all the time.



I believe so. I have however taken a week or two off with no problems.

That's good to know. Thanks!

[Dee94]

I looked it up, advised not to use if pregnant. So, maybe I'll just try and rule everything else out that I can and if not, once baby is here and a few months later, maybe I'll try one of the two if I haven't figured anything else out. Thanks, everyone.

[chrissy-b]

I had thinning hair too and thought it was from damage (I have trichotillomania but stopped pulling and hair never grew back). I had blood work that showed my CBC was fine but my ferritin was low and I have celiac disease. On a gluten-free diet, and iron supplements my hair has been growing back for the first time in years.

Check your lab results and see where your ferritin is. Some doctors don't even check that on the standard CBC. Just some other things to look into. HTH!

[Dee94]

I had thinning hair too and thought it was from damage (I have trichotillomania but stopped pulling and hair never grew back). I had blood work that showed my CBC was fine but my ferritin was low and I have celiac disease. On a gluten-free diet, and iron supplements my hair has been growing back for the first time in years.

Check your lab results and see where your ferritin is. Some doctors don't even check that on the standard CBC. Just some other things to look into. HTH!

Good idea, I'll actually check that now. Thanks!

[MusicalSpoons]

I had thinning hair too and thought it was from damage (I have trichotillomania but stopped pulling and hair never grew back). I had blood work that showed my CBC was fine but my ferritin was low and I have celiac disease. On a gluten-free diet, and iron supplements my hair has been growing back for the first time in years.

Check your lab results and see where your ferritin is. Some doctors don't even check that on the standard CBC. Just some other things to look into. HTH!

Just curious, when you say your ferritin was low, do you mean low but still within the "normal" range, or below the range? I had some blood tests last yr and all the RBC hb and ferritin are either in the low ens of the range or right on the borderline; I also was tested for coeliac disease but wasn't told I had to be eating gluten - I'm not gluten-free, but incidentally eating low gluten due to virtually cutting out wheat because it flared up eczema around my eyes (weirdly specific).

Sorry, don't wish to derail the thread, but am curious :flower:

[chrissy-b]

Just curious, when you say your ferritin was low, do you mean low but still within the "normal" range, or below the range? I had some blood tests last yr and all the RBC hb and ferritin are either in the low ens of the range or right on the borderline; I also was tested for coeliac disease but wasn't told I had to be eating gluten - I'm not gluten-free, but incidentally eating low gluten due to virtually cutting out wheat because it flared up eczema around my eyes (weirdly specific).

Sorry, don't wish to derail the thread, but am curious :flower:

Yes, it was 21 and the range for women is 20 to 200 nanograms per milliliter. I was having heavy periods, dizzy spells, and fatigue so even though it was still "in range" my doctor advised me to start taking iron. I've been on iron since *I think* the end of May 2018 and my periods are just now lightening up, but the hair growth started about 8 weeks in (if I'm remembering correctly), and the fatigue and dizziness went away around that time too, except during my period.

Per the celiac testing, your labs can come back negative unless you're eating something like the equivalent of 2 pieces of bread a day for at least a month so it wouldn't surprise me if your labs came back negative for celiac if you're not eating much gluten. I didn't even know I was having symptoms until I went off gluten and then reintroduced it. I only found out I should be tested because my brother was diagnosed and it's genetic.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions!

[Reyesuela]

I can't seem to find any Trichologist where I'm at... But when you use Nizoral or Minoxidil, is it one of those things you have to keep using (which I wouldn't care, getting desperate) that if you stop using, all that regrowth hair, falls out? Just curious.

It falls out at the pace it would have fallen out at if you didn’t use anything. So you don’t go suddenly bald or anything. :). It just picks up where it is in terms of wherever your hormones have taken you.

For people who don’t want to fall into the “comparison trap,” that’s fine, but my grandmother was virtually bald by 60. I’d rather have hair. Lol. Comparing or not, I would also be bald at 60 at the rate I was going.

[Reyesuela]

I looked it up, advised not to use if pregnant. So, maybe I'll just try and rule everything else out that I can and if not, once baby is here and a few months later, maybe I'll try one of the two if I haven't figured anything else out. Thanks, everyone.

Being pregnant classically causes hair to be thicker, but that’s not the case in everyone. That could also be making things worse.

Minoxidil is absolutely NOT a good idea in pregnancy, but since it’s not commonly used among ladies of that age, it’s not well studied. It might just make babies hairier (this much is actually certain!!!! Really!) but other repercussions aren’t known and since it definitely reaches the baby, it’s not worth the risk. I know you’re not going to try it. I just thought that was funny in an awful sort of way.

[MusicalSpoons]

Thanks chrissy-b! :)

[ravenheather]

I also think pregnancy might be a culprit here. Hormones do crazy things. If out my hair up and forget about worrying about it for a couple years.

[Dee94]

I also think pregnancy might be a culprit here. Hormones do crazy things. If out my hair up and forget about worrying about it for a couple years.

Ya, I know pregnancy will play a role. Baby #2 on the way, but my hair has been like this for the past couple years... it just doesnt seem to be improving but seems thinner than it ever has before, recently (before pregnancy). My first pregnancy didn't really do much to my hair. It just kind of stayed the same. I think its frustrating to because all my hormones, thyroid, iron levels, anything... is in check, well I mean that may change a bit now because my pregnancy but like I mentioned, before my pregnancy everything was great and in check. Oh, well... maybe my hair will just recover? If that's even the word for it. It doesnt look or feel damaged. Lord help me. :justy::-(:brickwall