What could be done about this???

[AllthatGlory]

I have a friend who's hair falls out by the handfuls and she has a small bald spot.... any suggestions?

[Unzadi]

Has your friend seen a doctor to rule out any medical cause? That might be a good place to start.

[heidi w.]

GET HER TO HER OB-GYN ASAP and have a blood screen performed for THYROID.

There are two types, hypo and hyper thyroid. Look it up on the internet for basic info. Hair loss is on the one type in particular under symptoms.

Hair falling out in clumps or vast amounts is a sign of thyroid issues, usually.

It could be other issues from diabetes to heart, but this description of the volume and how it's falling out is in sync with thryoid health concerns.

She should, if the first screen produces negative results (no thyroid), get a second opinion with a specialist in thyroid disease because there are borderline cases that can be harder to identify, and if working only with a person not well-versed in thyroid, and the variances of the readings, then you could potentially get an answer of negative when in fact it's positive.

Good luck.
heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Thyroid disease is much more common among women age 40 and higher, but it's not that unknown in younger women! It's more common than people realize, and is one of the under-diagnosed women's issues.

heidi w.

[SimplyLonghair]

Sounds like some form of alopecia. I would first rule out thyroid issues and iron first with a checkup. Has she been under stress lately? Stress can cause major shedding. So can food allergies so all that needs to be ruled out before any suggestions could really target the problem.

[shwankie]

I second the doctor for testing. This was one of my biggest symptoms for adrenal failure (it took me three *@*^! doctors to get diagnosed, btw, so she may want to do some research on her own, too). It's also very indicative, as has already been said, of thyroid and/or alopecia.

[heidi w.]

Um, your friend isn't coming off of being pregnant or no longer breast feeding within the last 6-8 months, right?

Hair shedding in large volumes after birth, or after breast feeding is done is also common -- although not typically to forming a bald spot.

It could also be that her hormones are not re-settling properly after either of these events, so that remains a possibility.

I STRONGLY URGE A DOCTOR APPOINTMENT AND APPROPRIATE TESTS TO RULE OUT THYROID, IRON DEFICIENCY, and so on before assuming things such as, oh, it's stress.

Besides, stress this high should be addressed too! Health issues increase stress, by the way.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Another possibility, polycystic fibrosis.....

I'm guessing thyroid as my first thought, though.

heidi w.

[Anje]

It does sound like alopecia, but I agree with Heidi -- your friend should get things checked. Hair falling out can often be a symptom of a systemic problem.

[Sissy]

it does sound medical. I would also say see a doctor right way, as everyone else has suggested. I hope she is able to determine the issue and get some good treatment for it.

[heidi w.]

While alopecia can indeed create bald patches, so can a variety of other health concerns, including thyroid.

The good news about thyroid is that if this is caught early enough, and all, then the hair will grow back within a few years.

Some forms of alopecia, if treated promptly, will sometimes be able to grow hair, but usually alopecia that produces baldness means the hair follicle(s) die in that zonage -- which does not occur with a plethora of other health maladies, such as thyroid (the hair follicle doesn't die).

SEE A DOCTOR FIRST. Don't assume anything and do not rely on the replies in this thread as the whole answer. These are all good leads and suggestions, but these replies are not a substitute for appropriate screenings by a qualified doctor.

heidi w.