Reasons for Hair Shedding?

[marimara]

My hair is shedding for some unknown reason. It started about 2 weeks ago and it's still shedding. I have not started or stopped any medications. Nothing seriously different in my life. I have changed my diet a *little*. I noticed, last year, when I started green smoothies, I had a little shedding. Then it went away. Now I'm eating *less* green smoothies and more meat products and the shedding seemed to coincide. I cannot think of anything else at all that would cause this. I was under a small amount of stress last month but nothing major. It did just get really hot here, though it's been warm for a while. It's driving me nuts, with all the hair everywhere. I'm aware of my "normal" shedding and this is surely more than normal, hence my concern. What can I do to stop it? I'm not getting any bald spots or anything, though my hair does feel noticeably thinner all over. I'm worried about it! :(

[christine1989]

I have never had any sudden massive shedding however I started taking biotin a few months ago and my hair hardly sheds at all! It didn't take long to see results either :)

[lastnite]

stress is a big trigger for shedding for me ;) sometimes hard to avoid with my job, but vitamins (biotin, msm, multi) and vatika oil and the Indian herbs seem to help keep it under control.

[missjessiecakes]

I feel your pain, I stopped birth control I had a shed, I got an IUD I had a shed, I also shed in spring instead of fall like most people do. Biotin does help me cut down though and as long as you aren't getting huge bald spots I would just ignore it. I know its worrisome but the stress you are feeling wont help anything.

[Gumball]

Illness, stress, diet, and overall health can all be contributing factors in how much a person may shed. If your scalp doesn't get enough nutrition it may not be able to do its job as effectively, and same for it you're not properly hydrated. If you're ill then your body has more important things to do. Bodies compensate for varying levels of stress in various ways, one of which may be shedding after the fact. Those are some initial things to ponder.

[little_cherry]

I've heard that taking long hot showers may contribute to shedding.

Other things that may contribute to increased shedding is a fungal growth on the scalp, not drinking enough water and just the seasons. I have a huge shed after winter.

[GoddesJourney]

SLS shampoos, hot water in the shower, silicones, excessive handling, those are the ones that get me. Stress does also factor in and so does poor nutrition. However, even if nothing at all is wrong, I still get the occassional seasonal shed. Oh well...

[hemolymph]

Do humans shed in the summer?

[marimara]

So update. I'm still shedding. I *think* it's slowing down a little. I started taking biotin in addition to my multi. I think I've discovered the reason for shedding. You see, last year when I started a lot of green smoothies I had a small amount of hair shed, like 2 weeks only. I believe that the greens added to the smoothies affect my thyroid and that whenever I have a thyroid change there is hair loss. So I'm picking back up the green smoothies and not eating as high-protein and we'll see if that changes anything. I believe that my body prefers a more veggies based diet vs meat-based. I do eat meat but the last couple of months I've been eating more meat than usual. So we'll see.

[little_cherry]

Do you take long hot showers? That can contribute to shedding.

[marimara]

Sometimes, but I always have. That wouldn't be a new thing.