Help My Hair

[preshus251]

So this is my story, when I was younger I had long thick hair, down to my butt...after a liberating break up with my daughter's donor to spite him I cut it all off and the %^&$#@ loved it...now 10 years later my hair has never grown back and is falling out way faster than it can grow back. I have been going to the Dr. for 4 years trying to find the answer..I am done with that there has got to be a simpler way. I have been doing some research and am just finding out about sls, als, I have discontinued use of the 50 dollar a bottle shampoos that swear to help my hair. So not only am I going bald my head is so flaky I can't even begin to discribe it. I hate it then start to stress out about it then realize that will just make me balder lol... I saw recipes for shampoo and conditioner and all kinds of neat stuff. This is the first time I have ever been to a community website so please forgive me for being the boring one out of the bunch I am not even sure I will be able to figure out how to check replies..lol. The climate where I live definately is not to my advantage I live in the desert need I say more. I am sure that makes the water more than horrible also. I need some serious help anyone with any suggestions please lets hear them. I don't know all of the abreviations used I have read some posts and went what the ^&*5 does that mean...forgive me for being slow but if someone wants to put me up on a few I will join right in..lol Also since I live in the middle of hell there are not many options as far as stores there are no health food or holistic type, organic, vegan anything here so if I can find products, on line that would be a big plus for me

[spidermom]

Welcome! It sounds like you may have some health issues to sort out. Best of luck with that; I hope the shedding will stop and you see some growth soon. For most people, what you put into your body and other health habits are a lot more important than what you use to wash or condition your hair.

[Kirin]

One thing that can get overlooked at the Dr's is to check for a vit B deficiency.

[preshus251]

I agree with you about what you put into your body..thats why I drive 200 miles to grocery shop while I don't eat nearly as bad as the average person by no means am I perfect. I do although watch what I put in me there are a huge list of stuff I don't eat. The theory to what I eat is pretty much if an Indian couldn't find it then I won't eat it, and if I am trying to use a box or something quick on time if my 5 year old can't read and pronounce the ingredients I won't use it. And the dr says I am fine no health issues.

[Catladyintown]

Hi Preshus251 welcome. It would help to tell us what country your in. So we know what web links you need to buy online. Also I have had a lot of success with Ayurvedic herbs and oils. Here is the link to the LHC article for herb care.HTH
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=3

[Gumball]

Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=10) is the list of abbreviations that are commonly used around here and their definitions. I really hope you can find something that is useful for your situation!

[Renbirde]

Huh! Well, we should be able to help a bit at least. :)

Did your Dr. check your iron levels? Excess iron can cause hair loss. Looks like you know about SLS's issues...

You might think about checking out catnip (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=476). A fair number of the ladies around here use it as a conditioner, but it is also really good or the skin. It might help with your scalp issues, especially if you're reacting to an ingredient in your conditioner.

[Fethenwen]

I wonder if you have overgrowth of candida perhaps?

I also have a few questions that may help us figuring out the problem (or some of it):
Besides shedding and flakyness, does your scalp itch very much often and does it feel irritated? Do you have dry or oily scalp?
It might be reaction from something in your food, or hairproducts. Do you use styling products?
Washing with conditioner only might help, if it would be that you are sensitive to shampoo.
Hmm, what else... herbal rinses may help to stimulate scalp and relief it + condition the hair. Like catnip. Apple cider vinegar rinces may help also (make sure to dilute it well first). And also scalp massages may stimulate hair growth.

[Fractalsofhair]

If your scalp is dry and flaky, I suggest using olive oil on it. You can find it at ANY grocery store. (Or even crisco or veggie oil. Not as good, but still easily found.) Coconut oil is the best, but it's not needed. Cones can make hair fall out, and you may want to try CO washing with a cheap conditioner like v05. However, a nutritional deficiency can cause issues like this. Take a daily multivitamin and try to eat as healthy as you can and make sure you're getting enough fats in your diet. (healthy ones) 200 miles from a grocery store is a LOT!!! Yikes! Take a multivitamin, and that should help a bit.

[Fractalsofhair]

Oh, if your water seems to bug you, a whole house water filter may be a good option. They're pretty cheap(ish.) and easy to get installed. They do cost more than a shower one, which is one I would strongly suggest at least. Also, if you're eating just fruits/veggies, that could be a problem. Eat whole grains, beans, and if you eat meat, fish and meat. Get those fruits/veggies in as well, but grains and beans are good! (For nearly all people, brown rice is good. For a very small percentage of people, they have issues digesting grains, including rice. However, this percentage of people is EXTREMELY small compared to the greater issue of people using too much white flour, as at most 1% of people are gluten intolerant to a small degree, and a smaller percentage to a more noticeable degree.)

[preshus251]

I am in california, usa....200 miles to a health food store maybe a better way to say it, we have a vons and a food for less. But i meant like whole foods, trader joes, sprouts stores like that, yes i eat meat and fish, i only cook with olive oil, and eat whole grains white flour is not something i use in my house..i use alternates such as wheat, soy, potato etc. and i only use brown rice i eat as well as i can but unfortunately am not perfect, and i don't eat junk often like maybe once every 6 months or longer. I am definately looking into at least a shower filter and i will start oiling my scalp i will look into catnip, but i read it makes your hair lighter not something i am going for. I do have alot of new growth...I just want to make sure it comes back healthy and strong and what i do have left doesnt fall out thanks for the help everyone.

[spidermom]

Catnip doesn't make your hair lighter, but if your hair is a light color already, catnip tea can stain it a yellow-y color. White blondes and those of us going silvery don't much like that.

[Fractalsofhair]

Make sure you're getting enough calories. Losing weight/caloric restriction is pretty bad for the hair if done too quickly. (and skin, though the long term benefits are often worth the weight loss if one is obese.)

In regards to the catnip, it's easy to find at a reg grocery store in the cat section. It's the same stuff. Cat grass is wheat grass, or wheat seeds.

Anyways, if you have a regular grocer in town(Not a 7/11 type store, but a full supermarket), you should be able to get olive and coconut oil, and possibly other treatments. We here at LHC seem to mostly use easily found at home products, honey, cheap conditioner, oils that are easy to find, eggs, monostat even! etc.

[dawnss]

Get a complete checkup and make sure that you have no health problems, is premature balding common in your family? Also what type of hair practices do you have?

[preshus251]

I wash about every 3rd day was just using shampoo and conditioner. Because of my job i have to pull my hair back and have it off my collar so it usually means buns, i have stopped brushing and only use a comb now but that doesn't make nice pony tails so now i wear a hat. but i was balding before all that. i don't think it is in the family my mom is 51 still good hair, grandma has hair to her thighs at 75, even my dad @ 51 has no thinning or signs of baldness my bro @ 30 is fine and both my sisters all good. I have started oiling my scalp a great deal lately, and tried a loreal scalp therapy but i don't think the loreal works to good