Illness & thin hair :((( Advice please x

[pixiedoo]

I put this post in the newbie section but ChloeDharma kindly suggested if I put it here more people might see it!!!


Hello

First of all I want to say how glad I am that I found this forum. It is a wealth of useful info and friendly people :)

I would love some advice as to what is best to help my rather poorly hair :(

I used to have really long hair. It has always been quite fine but there was always plently of it. It has a slight wave also. In 2005 I had a very stressful time and my hair started to fall out big time. I went to the docs and was told it was stress related alopecia. By the time it had finished falling out it was really thin and limp :(

It did grow back, although not to it's former condition. Then in 2007 I fell really ill after a trip to Thailand and spent three weeks in hospital. I have been ill ever since and my hair suffered again. It was thin and limp and refused to grow.

I had loads cut off it as it was really straggly and some layers put in. It has recently picked up and is growing again and is now past my shoulders. It is still quite thin but there is a lot of fluffy new growth at the roots. I really want to try and keep it in good condition now and am going to try a more natural approach to hair care. I have been using coconut oil as a pre-wash treatment and am planning to go cone free. I no longer use a hairdryer etc and haven't for some time now. This seems to have helped with reducing the dryness.

I have also been looking into EO to rub into my scalp, thanks to info that I have found on here and am planning to order some asap.

I do colour my hair and have done since I was 22 (I am 32 now) as that's when I started to go grey :(. I only ever have the roots done and have it done by a hairdresser. My hair has been in excellent condition before with a colour and my hairdresser (who I have used for 10 years) is really careful with my hair as she knows how fragile it has been recently.

If anybody has any advice or tips for me I would be so greatfull as I am really worried that it'll start to fall out again.

I really would love to have back the long, healthy hair I had in my twenties (mid back length)!!

Thanks xxxxx :)

[Bunnyhare]

I am so sorry for all you have been through medically...i have a chronic disease so i am there with you...since this is all so individual my advice is as to myself...take the best care of YOU possible and the healthy hair will come out of that...i started to eat more fresh foods and taking hair vitamins too...but medications can cause it too so just be as good to you, body and spirit,as you can! and if you hang around here you'll get lots of love and info!

[ericthegreat]

I am also sorry about your medical condition. Right now your hair should be the last of your concerns, you need to focus all you energy on getting better. And sometimes you need to make sacrifices. Yes, maybe the medication has adverse side effects, but if it can allow you to live and experience other things in life you must forget about your hair(I know this is like blasphemy on this board!) and concentrate fully on getting better and just enjoying your life right now.

[pixiedoo]

Thanks very much for your kind words of support. I have recently been trying to manage my illness in a more holisitc, natural way and have a very healthy diet at the moment so maybe that's why my hair has started to pick up :)

I'm sure with all the tips and information I have found on this wonderful forum over the last few days I can continue to make my hair happier and healthier!!

[Elettaria]

You sound like you're well on the way already. There are other tricks you'kk find mentioned here, such as putting your hair up when you're out to avoid wind damage. Growing out the layers should make your hair appear thicker (in general: obviously some people look better with layers), along with cutting off the ends if they're thin and straggly. What colour do you dye your hair to, what colour is it originally with how much grey, and how attached are you to colouring it chemically? Chemical dyes won't be doing your hair any favours. Henna, if you like red tones, is actually good for your hair and will coat it so that it gets thicker. Cassia doesn't really colour hair (a golden tinge if your hair is very pale), but for many people it produces similar conditioning and thickening effects to henna (not for me, alas!).

Best of luck with your recuperation, and I hope your hair improves nicely.

[Elettaria]

ETA: Sorry, I posted in the wrong thread somehow.

[ericthegreat]

I should also add that eating a healthy diet(fish, veggies, fruits, plenty of water), getting enough rest, and exercising(if this is possible for you) basically, keeping your WHOLE BODY healthy will of course allow you to grow healthier hair. There are no magic pills, vitamins, hair conditioners that will make your hair grow faster, no matter what those haircare companies claim. The key is to keep yourself healthy so that you will grow healthy hair.
Now, with your medical condition it would appear that either it or the medication you are taking is causing you to lose your hair. If is the medication, you can tell you doctor about this and ask if there are other alternatives that won't cause you to lose your hair. If there aren't any alternatives or your medical condition is too serious, then your hair is simply too minor an issue for you to concern yourself with. The most important thing is that you do what is right for your primary health.

[pixiedoo]

Thanks again guys xx

Ericthegreat thank you for your advice. I have stopped taking some of the medication I was on (obviously with the agreement of my doctor) as the side effects were outweighing the benefits. This has made a massive difference and maybe has contributed to my hair beginning to make a come back!! I will check with my doctor to see if there are any alternatives to my remaining medication.

Elettaria, my hair is a rich dark brown colour (like dark chocolate) with about 1/3rd of it grey. I'm not at all attatched to dying it chemically but thought that was the only way to get the right colour.........however after reading your post I looked at the henna section on here and it looks like I can replicate my natural hair colour with a mix of henna and indigo. If this is the case and it's ok to apply it on chemically dyed hair I would love to move away from chemical dyes and use henna. I guess I had not considered it an option until now as I thought it was only possible to obtain shades of red with henna :)

[KateMcC]

Chiming in with a lot of empathy...

I lost most of my hair due to some serious illnesses over the past three years. I ended up cutting it back from one-length waist-long to layered shoulder-length. I decided to layer it since the bits that were growing back were a different texture and wavy, and stuck out like a sore thumb from the rest of my length. My thought was that it would all blend better. The good news is that it is finally growing back, and starting to look healthy. I too am coloring my hair now, as I went from "grey highlights" to over 50% grey during my ordeal.

I understand how frustrating and depressing it is to not feel well, and then to believe your hair looks sickly also. It is like insult on top of the injury. But, to repeat what the others have said, your first priority must be to get healthy. You can give the illusion of healthier hair by putting it up with hairtoys, headbands, barrettes, etc. I wear hats a lot when I am outside. And, I don't believe it is heresy to cut it off to the point where you are happy with it and it feels healthier and easier to manage. It was a really hard decision for me to cut mine, but I found I was happier watching the healthy hair grow back than watching the long hair thin. Do not allow your hair to add to your stress; your hair is supposed to be your glory and a source of joy.

I wish you health and peace during this difficult time. :grouphug:

[rags]

Chiming in with a lot of empathy...

I lost most of my hair due to some serious illnesses over the past three years. I ended up cutting it back from one-length waist-long to layered shoulder-length. I decided to layer it since the bits that were growing back were a different texture and wavy, and stuck out like a sore thumb from the rest of my length. My thought was that it would all blend better. The good news is that it is finally growing back, and starting to look healthy. I too am coloring my hair now, as I went from "grey highlights" to over 50% grey during my ordeal.

I understand how frustrating and depressing it is to not feel well, and then to believe your hair looks sickly also. It is like insult on top of the injury. But, to repeat what the others have said, your first priority must be to get healthy. You can give the illusion of healthier hair by putting it up with hairtoys, headbands, barrettes, etc. I wear hats a lot when I am outside. And, I don't believe it is heresy to cut it off to the point where you are happy with it and it feels healthier and easier to manage. It was a really hard decision for me to cut mine, but I found I was happier watching the healthy hair grow back than watching the long hair thin. Do not allow your hair to add to your stress; your hair is supposed to be your glory and a source of joy.

I wish you health and peace during this difficult time. :grouphug:

This is the exact post I would have written (three years for me too and everything!) except that mine isn't really growing back much, and I chose to grow out my color.
You know what? You will find ways to wear it, you can disguise it, and hopefully eventually you will get regrowth and it will thicken again. I hope you get to feeling better!

[Elettaria]

Henna does mean you're starting with a red base, but if you're going for dark brown then it's entirely possible you may be able to get pretty much the same colour using henna and indigo. Read up on it carefully, get some good quality henna and indigo, and then strand test to see what it does for you. You can henna over chemically dyed hair as long as it's pure henna without any additives, and I believe it's wise to give it at least a few weeks or so after chemically dyeing. This site (http://www.hennaforhair.com/) has lots of information about henna and will show you what colours can be achieved, although be aware that it has the odd quirk (despite what they tell you over there, lemon juice is not essential when making up henna). Good luck with all of this!

[chotee]

Looks like you are back on track :smile:..I too had a massive hair fall just before joining LHC and then i started taking care of my diet by including proteins. I used to have a veggie diet before with nuts for proteins but that wasn't enuf for me. I had to eat some fish and meat for my body to start responding. My hair started growing really well afterwards. I also included a good multivitamin and some kelp/spirulina and other herbs. Yogurt, fenugreek, vitamin C, brewers yeast, eggs are all very good..please ask your doctor though. plus, i tried to cut or trim more those days so my hair would look more thicker. Nowadays i donot cut so much but i still have thick hair only half way through. Take care of yourself, educate more and more on various herbs, vitamins etc and do all you can like exercise, drinking water, meditation or yoga pose like shoulder stand (which is great for hair)...take care and all the best...

[pixiedoo]

Again thanks so very much for your kind words and support. It is comforting to know that there are people out there who have experienced the same thing as me and your advice is valuable :)
There is so much information on this forum and I am so pleased to have found it. I had never heard of a 'sock bun' before and after some hunting on youtube for a instructional video, I managed to create one!!! I will post a picture if I can but for the first time in ages my hair was in an updo and it looked like there was loads of it, thick and healthy!! Wow!! I think the sock bun will be my new best friend lol!!
I am going to seriously consider the henna/indigo route for colour and totally do away with chemicals. My hair colour is the only thing I do use any chemicals for, as my diet and skin care rountine is completely natural. I really disliked the fact that I couldn't find an alternative and wasn't quite ready to embrace my greyness at 32!! Thanks to LHC there now seems to be a way I can keep my drak brown hair and get rid of the nasty chemicals :)
I really am touched by how friendly and supportive this forum is and by the fact that people have taken the time to respond to my post. Thank you xx

[Elettaria]

I'm dealing with chronic illness myself, so I know what it's like. I'm glad you're having fun and finding lovely hairstyles and useful solutions here.

What you probably want to do now is to post to the henna and herbs forum, preferably with a picture of your hair, and a description of its exact colour, percentage of grey, how it absorbs dye, and any other concerns (e.g. you want to be extra-careful not to cause too much shedding when applying and washing out large quantities of mud, so you'll need to find the ways of doing it that stress the hair the least). The nice thing about henna is that it forms a translucent coating, so that you'll get a different colour on your greys to the colour you'll get on your dark brown hair. That said, while good grey coverage is entirely possible, it's a little trickier to get right. You may end up doing mostly root applications. Do keep reading up on henna, there are so many things to learn! For instance, indigo isn't always as permanent as henna and can be trickier to apply. When washing off the henna, do a "mermaid soak" in the bath first, and then use lots of conditioner. (I really wish I'd known that one when I was using 500g of henna on my tailbone-length hair at twenty!) Some people use katam instead of indigo for a slightly different brown, and if you run a search there's a horribly long thread about it. You may not find henna works for you after all, but you sound a reasonably good candidate.

[pixiedoo]

I'm dealing with chronic illness myself, so I know what it's like. I'm glad you're having fun and finding lovely hairstyles and useful solutions here.

What you probably want to do now is to post to the henna and herbs forum, preferably with a picture of your hair, and a description of its exact colour, percentage of grey, how it absorbs dye, and any other concerns (e.g. you want to be extra-careful not to cause too much shedding when applying and washing out large quantities of mud, so you'll need to find the ways of doing it that stress the hair the least). The nice thing about henna is that it forms a translucent coating, so that you'll get a different colour on your greys to the colour you'll get on your dark brown hair. That said, while good grey coverage is entirely possible, it's a little trickier to get right. You may end up doing mostly root applications. Do keep reading up on henna, there are so many things to learn! For instance, indigo isn't always as permanent as henna and can be trickier to apply. When washing off the henna, do a "mermaid soak" in the bath first, and then use lots of conditioner. (I really wish I'd known that one when I was using 500g of henna on my tailbone-length hair at twenty!) Some people use katam instead of indigo for a slightly different brown, and if you run a search there's a horribly long thread about it. You may not find henna works for you after all, but you sound a reasonably good candidate.

I'm sorry to hear that you are dealing with chronic illness as well xx
I have taken your advice and placed a post on the henna and herbs forum as there is so much info on henna and indigo on here, it's hard to know where to start. I am really quite excited about the prospect of being able to dye my hair naturally though. I'm going to post a picture as well but first I need to grab someone to take one from the back as I just tried myself and it's a bit tricky lol. My hair just seem to absorb dye quite well (the grey is a little more resilient), so I am opimistic that it will work. What is a 'mermaid soak'.........???
Thank you so much for your reply and valuable advice :)

[Elettaria]

A mermaid soak is when you run a nice deep bath, lie down in it and swish your hair about under the water.

I'd start with the Henna for Hair site that I recommended. Look at the general FAQ and instructions, look through the Mixes pages to see what colours other people have achieved, and in particular there's a set of instructions for brunette hair and also for covering grey.

To take a photo of your hair from the back, stand by a mirror! I'd forgotten this and was trying to hold the camera behind my own head the other day, which totally failed to work of course. You may want to clean the mirror first...

[Konstifik]

Sorry to hear about your sickness. :(
I think you should focus your energy towards inner health instead of finding new hair-products and treatments.
Since the stress and sickness came from inside your body, and not directly on your hair, that's where you should focus the repairment.
Vitamins, healthy food and minerals are a must for healthy hair (and overall body of course). But one thing that's just as important is moving yourself :)
Excercise almost daily with something you like. It can be anything! Dance, football/soccer, hockey, running/jogging, yoga... You name it.

Eat as "pure" food as possible, with no artificial flavoring, sweetening, and other chemicals like that. Don't relay on vitamin/mineral-pills to get your daily dose; only use it as a complement to a nice healthy diet.
Hoprefully, this will not only keep your hair from further damage, but also your body. :)

[pixiedoo]

A mermaid soak is when you run a nice deep bath, lie down in it and swish your hair about under the water.

I'd start with the Henna for Hair site that I recommended. Look at the general FAQ and instructions, look through the Mixes pages to see what colours other people have achieved, and in particular there's a set of instructions for brunette hair and also for covering grey.

To take a photo of your hair from the back, stand by a mirror! I'd forgotten this and was trying to hold the camera behind my own head the other day, which totally failed to work of course. You may want to clean the mirror first...

Elettaria thanks so much for the mirror photograph tip.........don't know why I didn't think of that lol. Much easier than holding the camera behind my head.

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu53/pixiedoo/hair%20pics/DSCN3438.jpg

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu53/pixiedoo/hair%20pics/DSCN3446.jpg

When I uploaded the pictures I can see that my oiling and no cone regime is making a difference to my hair (I have been doing this about 2 weeks now). It looks shinier and healthier than it has done for about 2 years which is really very encouraging :) I will put these pics on my post in the Henna and herbs forum.

Konstifik, thanks for your kind words. I am a complete health freak and my diet has been completely fresh and natural for some time now. My diet consists of fresh fruit, vegetables, lean protien and wholegrains. I never eat any thing processed or with any artificial additives. Unfortunately I have a long term chronic illness that is exacerbated by exercise but I do meditate regulary which helps to calm the mind. I would love nothing better than to return to the gym (I used to be a gym addict!!), but have a way to go yet before that can happen. I am remaining optimistic though and am determined to get back to the gym one day :)

[Konstifik]

Konstifik, thanks for your kind words. I am a complete health freak and my diet has been completely fresh and natural for some time now. My diet consists of fresh fruit, vegetables, lean protien and wholegrains. I never eat any thing processed or with any artificial additives. Unfortunately I have a long term chronic illness that is exacerbated by exercise but I do meditate regulary which helps to calm the mind. I would love nothing better than to return to the gym (I used to be a gym addict!!), but have a way to go yet before that can happen. I am remaining optimistic though and am determined to get back to the gym one day :)

That's great! Living healthy is a big part of healthy hair. :)
I don't think you can do much more than waiting for new, fresh hair to grow out. It's impossible to go from thin to instantly thick (natural) hair. All you can do is hoping that the new growing hair is thicker, and let the thin die in peace. ;)
So, in conclusion, I think your hair will be just fine in time, and I hope you will too, fellow gym-addict! :D

[Elettaria]

You don't have ME (CFIDS to Americans) by any chance, do you? That's what I've got.

You have lovely hair, and while I appreciate that it's thinner than usual for you, it's actually a fairly respectable thickness.

I seem to be going on about this in every other post, but since you're in the UK too, I just thought I'd mention that I find House of Mistry hair products to be fantastic. Greenlife Direct is a good place to get them from (I think a few shops stock them but not many), and personally I prefer the ginseng herbal range.

[pixiedoo]

You don't have ME (CFIDS to Americans) by any chance, do you? That's what I've got.

You have lovely hair, and while I appreciate that it's thinner than usual for you, it's actually a fairly respectable thickness.

I seem to be going on about this in every other post, but since you're in the UK too, I just thought I'd mention that I find House of Mistry hair products to be fantastic. Greenlife Direct is a good place to get them from (I think a few shops stock them but not many), and personally I prefer the ginseng herbal range.

Elettaria, yes I do have ME!! I have had it now for about 2 years and it was caused by Dengue Fever that I contracted whilst I was in Thailand. I spent 3 weeks in hospital on an IV drip upon my return and has been ill ever since :( I have it quite badly and have a large range of neurological problems associated with it. I had to give up work in September last year. ME has turned my life upside down. I used to have my own building company and spend all my spare time in the gym (I was a bodybuilder), so being so inactive has been a hard adjustment for me to make. It is very hard illness to come to terms with as I am sure you know but I am trying my hardest to remain positive :)

Thanks for the tips on House of Mistry hair products. I'll look them up on line. Thanks again for your kindness......it is nice to know that there is someone who understands where I'm coming from :)

Konstifik, thanks again for your kind words :)