View Full Version : VENT of hair that is mean
tiny_teesha
November 2nd, 2010, 03:41 AM
/start vent
Just wanted to share.
Everyone hopefully knows i have the usual background. Had beautiful hip length virgin hair, turned it into a gnarled mess from heat, dye, bleach etc...
so i went on a natural kinder routine, as we all do here.
this is what happened. I luckily took photos.
Sept 07 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=456&pictureid=4757)
I had been following LHC rules for about 4 months. BSL. MORE Baby hairs at roots!
Sept 08 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=456&pictureid=20456)
Got to waist and maintained for ages! Hair was starting to thicken and look nice
Sept 09 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=456&pictureid=49746)
Hair thinned, was completely virgin and i chopped it to bsl after a shed.
Nov 10 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=456&pictureid=87188)(close enough)
Chopped hair to APL! Shedding got that bad, regrew to BSL (benign neglect). I got MAD at my hair and started to blow dry and straighten. The only thing that would make it lie down and not look thin. DESPITE this, it still has very few splits (could be the short length though)
I will purchase extensions until my doctor tells me why my hair is thin. It might be 100% natural process and I'm just not gifted with thick hair, but i'm sure you can see it started to thin gradually?
Despite looking after it (and i mean really being gentle and natural), my hair suffered a lot. It shed and shed. Cats were envious of my shedding.
I just want to show you that you can be nice to your hair, but it won't be nice back.
Does my hair look naturally thin? Or thin due to some health issue to you?
/end vent
Dyefree
November 2nd, 2010, 03:58 AM
I wish I could see pictures, but I don't think I have enough posts... Just one little tiny thing..... Just as a previous extension wearer, I'd be very wary of using them on hair that may already have been thinning out. I know it's rich coming from me when i wore them for 5 years, but please I urge you to reconsider as they really will pull some of your hair out from their weight.
I hope you get ti the bottom of it all, sounds highly frustrating!!
ilovelonghair
November 2nd, 2010, 04:01 AM
Not naturally thin, it was thick before! Do you know why it started to shed? That is something to look into, I am sure you can grow it back! Never get mad at hair, hair can sometimes behave badly but if you treat is badly: it gets back at you....
Unofficial_Rose
November 2nd, 2010, 06:22 AM
May I second Dyefree's comment re the extensions?
I had some a while back and they seriously thinned my hair. It took about a year to recover - if it ever did, fully. I swear it's still a little thinner than before, but that may be ageing, hormones etc.
Maybe use clip-in extensions as I understand they are not as bad?
Addy
November 2nd, 2010, 06:33 AM
Maybe use clip-in extensions as I understand they are not as bad?
They will still break hair IMHO. <They did mine> :(
tiny_teesha
November 2nd, 2010, 07:41 AM
dyefree- these will be clip in ones.
Not as damaging just until my own grow out a bit. To stop me from shaving my head and feeling feminine. Or else should i try a wig?
ilovelonghair - I have no idea why it shed no. Doc is thinking...testosterone? We're having that looked at as well as a few other things.
luxepiggy
November 2nd, 2010, 07:49 AM
Aw, don't give up yet! I've had long hair for my whole life, and mine seems to go in phases - sometimes it's thick, then it grows very thin, and then gets thicker again. Maybe yours is like that as well?
joyxo
November 2nd, 2010, 07:53 AM
that sounds horrible :(
You could try the clip on ponytails, or adding maybe one weft of hair and then braiding your hair, so the overall look is thicker but you don't have to worry about 6+ bulky clips in your hair.
melikai
November 2nd, 2010, 07:57 AM
Going by what my instinct tells me, your hair doesn't look naturally thin, but looks to be some health or nutrition issue. I hope you are able to sort it out, and can grow your hair again!
tiny_teesha
November 2nd, 2010, 07:59 AM
Maybe i need to post what my braid looks like now...it's pretty sad, i don't braid anymore.
My hair is still healthy, its just very fine and very thin. I don't want to give up but i think i might have to, if the doc finds nothing i don't know what else to do!
LaurelSpring
November 2nd, 2010, 08:10 AM
How frustrating!!! I am so sorry that you are going through this. I hope that you can find out what is going on. You might have already tried this but I did find that castor oil stopped my sheds a couple of times but those sheds were mostly due to products that I had a reaction to and discontinued.
Maybe you can do some hair thickening things like Cassia, amla or henna. These help my fine hair seem thicker. Another trick I use sometimes is that I have a sort of fake ponytail hair thing (real hair though in it) and I tie it into my ponytail band and I can make some really awesome giant buns so it gives the illusion of thick hair when I have an updo. This helps me pull off some buns that I cant quite achieve with my fine hair.
luxepiggy
November 2nd, 2010, 08:10 AM
Maybe i need to post what my braid looks like now...it's pretty sad, i don't braid anymore.
My hair is still healthy, its just very fine and very thin. I don't want to give up but i think i might have to, if the doc finds nothing i don't know what else to do!
Give it some time! As I mentioned, my hair goes through phases - at times my ends get quite sparse and I start to show a FTE, tapered hemline. In contrast, when my hair gets thicker again, there's very little taper and a blunt hemline, but I really don't change what I do to my hair. I really think that your hair will probably thicken up again if you're patient!
Alternatively, have you tried biotin? I think there's a thread on that somewhere around the forums (^(oo)^)v
Madora
November 2nd, 2010, 08:12 AM
Are you seeing a qualified hair doctor...not a general practitioner? Have you had your thyroid checked to make sure it's ok?
What about your hair regimen? What kind of tools do you use? Do you use chemicals? Blow dry? How about your diet?
Some people have very fine, thin hair and have to be extra vigilant and careful how they maintain it because it is more vulnerable. But you can still have beautiful, healthy hair. Just be patient.
One other thing: your genes play a crucial role in the type of hair you have.
Good luck!
kittensoupnrice
November 2nd, 2010, 08:15 AM
:(
Any life-changing events that have happened?
Any huge stressors in your life?
I know that my hair was falling out in gobs my senior year in high school. The pressure of getting good grades, finding a good college, and the stress of trying to remain polite while putting up with my Mom who was getting more and more oppressive as she realized her baby was leaving her really took it's toll on my hair.
I didn't even find out how bad it was until about 3 months into college. To my surprise, all sorts of baby fuzz started growing out all over my head!
I'm positive it had nothing to do with nutrition or health. Mom always made sure that I ate super healthy at home, and as soon as I got to college was I started eating crap food and drinking tons of soda which actually made me sick (bad enough to go to the hospital believe it or not). :o
Anything you can do to try and remove stress from your life?
Unofficial_Rose
November 2nd, 2010, 08:22 AM
It could also be low iron levels - I shed like mad if I don't take lots of iron. I need more than you get in a quality multivitamin. But your doctor will be able to tell you that.
UltraBella
November 2nd, 2010, 08:27 AM
Whatever the reason is, naturally thin or a medical condition, your hair may end up damaged from clip in extensions. Thin hair is usually pretty fragile and even clip ins can pull and the extra weight may cause breakage. Be really careful !
I hope you get this figured out soon, I am sorry you are dealing with it and wish you the best.
princessp
November 2nd, 2010, 12:15 PM
So sorry you are going through this. I'm glad you are going to rule out any medical concerns first. Has anyone mentioned diet and water intake? If not, I'd take a look at that too and make sure you haven't made any major changes. I find that it is very important to pay heed of what we do to the outside, but equally important to pay attention to what we're potentially putting in. I hope you find some answers soon.
Anje
November 2nd, 2010, 01:03 PM
As others have said, it seems like it's a lot thinner than it used to be, so I suspect there's something medical happening.
The problems that I've heard about for thinning hair most are thyroid (hypo- and hyper-), anemia (check your B12 levels while you're at it, since a few people don't absorb it from food, which in turn leads to anemia), zinc deficiency, and vitamin D deficiency (I think). PCOS also causes lots of thinning -- it tends to go with weight gain, but it's worth ruling out. Vegetarians sometimes have trouble with thinning if their diets are low in anything they need (protein, iron, B12 are all classic).
Hope you get to the bottom of this!
Angelica
November 2nd, 2010, 01:23 PM
I have lived with this sort of hair all my life and yes it is a pain. It is hereditary with me. My poor mother is now losing hers and I wonder if I shall follow suit.
Well I have used clip-in ponytails and it is great to have the added thickness and length I desire and will never naturally achieve.
Do be careful though, they can cause headaches.
I couldn't get to grips with clip in hair pieces, but they would be better than the salon type ones.
Perhaps the doctor could refer you to a trichologist. Since this is not your natural type hair.
Also remember that fine thin hair is the most delicate of hair.
I hope somebody can help you regain the thickness.
spidermom
November 2nd, 2010, 01:38 PM
If this is a medical issue, I hope you get it sorted out soon so that you can put it behind you.
It may not be medical. Going through your pictures, I got the impression that most of your hairs have a short growing cycle. Then they shed out, leaving your length thin. It looks like you always have normal thickness down to about shoulder length.
LouLaLa
November 2nd, 2010, 02:24 PM
Poor you :( *Hug*
I hope you get the help you need!
I think clip in extensons with the little claws could be damaging as your hair looks pretty fragile atm. How about a clip on pony tail? They are brilliant! Even though I have long hair, sometimes I use them because theyre pre styled and I dont have to ruin my own hair with curling etc also on a night out it looks more "perfect" than my own hair would.
Revlon and Babylis do very reasonably priced decent looking ones. I have shot and long, curly and straight! Revlon also do "half wigs" which you just put over the bottom of you hair and more natural a you have your own hairline/roots [less fake looking]. Id suggest you look as the revlon range it really is wonderful :)
Roseate
November 2nd, 2010, 02:32 PM
Or else should i try a wig?
Oh, do try a wig! Instead of being bad for your hair, it will actually be good for it, as it will be all up and protected under a wig cap. There are lots of nice styles out there.
It's good that you're seeing a doctor, hope you can get some answers!
tiny_teesha
November 3rd, 2010, 02:15 AM
laurelSpring- If i put oils on my scalp or conditioner my hair falls out. Even if i don't wash my hair every day (which i wash 3 times a week) my hair will fall out when it gets naturally oily. I've tried cassia, i did henna back when but stopped because it made my hair too stiff and i don't like the red colour. Where do i get a fake ponytail? My hair doesn't look good up. I started the wear hair up for a month challenge and kept it up for a whole year. It was hard and i didn't feel pretty in that whole year.
luxepiggy- My hair has gradually thinned since highschool and is just getting worse with time-not better-despite me taking better care of it. I don't think it will randomly get better. I've been on LHC nearly 3 years now already, and i've been taking better care of it for 5.
Madora- if my GP can't figure it out i'll fork out the cash to go to a hair doctor specialist. Thyroid is fine. I use my hands and metal free elastics. I tie it in a loopy ponytail all day. Wash with whatever's in the shower (usually my sister gets this free shampoo that has no nasties in it so i use that), condition. Mask every week (hennawax coneless). My hair isn't damaged. It's 100% healthy and very soft, it just falls out too much. There are nearly no splits. I blow dry on a cool setting so i don't have damp hair all day and a headache. I straighten it quickly every few months for special occasions. (probably 5 times in the last 2 years). In my family i have the thinnest hair, including my dad who is in his 60s.
kittensoupnrice- Am i stressed? It's called a Tuesday! Yes, i get stressed easily. i was diagnosed with ibs, i cannot have dairy, gluten, or high levels of fructose. Which leaves meat and rice. So i take a calcium pill, half a multivitamin, a hair tablet and occasionally a vitamin E capsule, or iron, or something else in that cabinet. I'm not pedantic about my pills, somedays i miss, some i don't.
My mother is crazy (not literally but she drives me crazy) so i'm trying to move out, but that's causing a whole list of other issues of stress too, but i think if i manage financially- and that will be the tricky part, i'll be more happy being around my supportive boyfriend then my bored mother who likes to pick at me because i'm there.
unofficial_rose- i don't think it's iron. I eat a lot of meat and eggs and take iron pills if i feel dizzy or have my monthly.
princessp- water. I'm always thirsty. I drink 3 glassed in the morning, 2-3 at work, 2 for dinner. Maybe a cuppa of decafe before bed. So that's my 8 glasses there. I could do a bit better...but i don't think it's my downfall.
Anje- I think my B12 were right too, they tested me for all sorts of stuff when they were diagnosing my ibs. Zinc is in my multivitamin. I was told i had low levels of vit D - so they are added in my calcium tablets and i try to get outside more too.
I have always thought i had some hormonal condition since puberty. My periods are NEVER regular and it's the bane of my existance also! ARGH! I'm very moody and crazy all the time too. I do think it's hormonal, thats what they are testing this time. The pathology was closed today but it's open tomorrow so i'll have to try tomorrow. I'm definately not vegetarian. I was, but since meat and rice are pretty much the only things i can eat as much as i like- i tend to eat mostly meat and rice!
Angelica- i actually already own extensions, i did find if i didn't put them in right they hurt, but otherwise i find them no difference to a bobby pin to hold my hair out of the way. If i can't grow my own, so long as i can fake it all the time, then i'm willing to buy some good quality ones i can wear daily. OR a wig. "trichologist"! That's it! I will ask if he can't find out why, for him to referr me to one.
Thanks everyone else for your well wishes!
spidermom- i agree. BUT maybe they stop earlier than they should? They are only living for 3 years now. When i had hair at thigh as a kid!? I understand as i grew thigh on me now is TB but either way. TAIL BONE to SHOLDER? That seems not right?
I pinched my hair, as much hair that fits in a pinch, this wasn't a generous pinch, enough for one layer of hair to be between my fingertips. And i pulled. 2 hairs fell out. Is that normal? I tried 10 times. Each time a hair or 2 came out except twice.
Thanks for your help and recommendations guys!
tiny_teesha
November 3rd, 2010, 02:23 AM
loulala - i might consider the half wig...but i think a wig would be better. I'll even consider giving my heair a break from extensions and jsut using the ponytail extension. Well, i'll probably just buy them all? Why not?
Ha!
One thing i'm not scared to spend some money on...my hair.
Do you buy these revlon wigs just at Kmart or where?
Roseate- Ok i might get one. Are they insanely expensive??? I'm betting they are....
Hello ebay.
tarn
November 3rd, 2010, 03:23 AM
You may find that a tangle teezer helps with the extensions and your own hair. :shrug:
Sorry that your hair is being so mean:(
Katze
November 3rd, 2010, 03:57 AM
Dear Teesha,
nothing really useful to say here except I FEEL YOUR PAIN; my hair is doing a similar thing - growing in thick, but never seems to get longer than BSL. With my mixed waves and textures, see-through ends look terrible and ratty on me, so I have been trimming regularly and hoping (beyond hope?) that maybe the new growth will catch up...
In your case getting checked out by a doctor (and a second opinion if possible) is a good idea. In the meantime, biotin helped me a lot with my shed (it stopped!) and seems to help my eczema as well. Definitely pay attention to your vitamins!
I know all too well how frustrating it is to have hair that seems like it will never grow. Mine was approaching waist but thin, thin, thin and everyone was telling me I needed to do something about it. I am still considering a chop, or dyeing it black, or SOMETHING to take my mind off the fact that I have been growing it for 5 YEARS and can never get past BSL...
:flower:
Katze
amaiaisabella
November 3rd, 2010, 04:14 AM
I can sympathise, my hair was always like that until I hennaed. Now my hair is so darn thick (despite bleaching) that it's hard to stay moisturized sometimes! Maybe try cassia and herbal remedies first, but in all honesty, I'd cut to a shorter length (maybe shoulder?) until you can figure out what's going on. It seems even the image of your hair is stressing you out
Of course, if you don't want to cut, feel free to ignore my suggestions ;)
serious
November 3rd, 2010, 05:40 AM
Hi,Teesha :grouphug:
You say you're always thirsty. Have you checked your sugar blood level?
Right before he was diagnosed with diabetes ( and ibs, too ), my DH went through a major hair thinning period. He shed like crazy. Once he got his insulin therapy, things got way better.
tiny_teesha
November 3rd, 2010, 06:47 AM
Tarn- i have a pov imitation of a tangle teaser! :)
Katze - Hey you! I eat an egg a day and a multivitamin and a hair tablet! So i think i have enough biotin. I'm not religiously taking my pills though. I skip days.
I grew for 5 years too and got to hip before i realised it needed a trim and from there it got worse! I was used to the blunt ends and i kept going up up up! Thanks for the advise. It could be natural and i just have a short hair cycle :(. Your hair in your avatar looks so much thicker then i remember so let me tell you if you don't notice a difference, i most certainly can!
amai..- i did try henna but i grew it out because it was stiff, and in flash photos the red from the henna made my hair dissapear...so it looked like i had no hair. Plus i don't like the red colour for my skin tone. I did cut to above apl, but i told myself to forget it, and look, its BSL! wow...lol. I might keep it this way so the extensions blend in better.
serious- i'm thirsty in a natural way i think, just normal dehydration. I'm most thirsty in the morning, and sometimes at work because i work up a sweat mopping all the flour from the floor. I don't think we checked my sugar level...but i can't rememebr where i put the papers i got with results...
You're poor poor husband! I'm having a hard time dealing with ibs and the guilt that i refused to eat out and spend money on trying new foods because i can do that later when i'm rich- and now i'll never get to try so many foods! :(
Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
ilovelonghair
November 3rd, 2010, 07:46 PM
May I second Dyefree's comment re the extensions?
I had some a while back and they seriously thinned my hair. It took about a year to recover - if it ever did, fully. I swear it's still a little thinner than before, but that may be ageing, hormones etc.
Maybe use clip-in extensions as I understand they are not as bad?
Clip-in extensions are less bad because they are clipped in each day at a bit of a different spot, normal extensions are always pulling on the same spots.
You can see my post extensions hair in my 3-year LHC anniversary thread (and the extensions as well): a lot of damage.
christine1989
November 3rd, 2010, 07:58 PM
Oh dear, that is not natural at all. I can see that it has thinned WAY too fast for it to be anything but a health problem. That is sort of good news because it means that you can have thick hair again but I really hope you don't have anything serious.
tiny_teesha
November 4th, 2010, 01:13 AM
ilovelonghair - i didn't think your hair looked that damaged after extensions actually!
christine - I hope so, something is telling me though that my hair is not going to change. But i'll try to find a problem.
Currently tipping room upside down to see all my test results!
eta- i found my allergy results, which don't really help....
ilovelonghair
November 4th, 2010, 05:19 AM
It's hard to see, because I took such a bad picture.
tiny_teesha
November 7th, 2010, 04:19 AM
Ah ok, I'll get my results after work tomorrow, lets hope it is that or SOMETHING or else there is more searching and I'll ask for a specialist.
Catia
November 7th, 2010, 07:56 AM
I second getting your blood sugar checked if you haven't already. Also, if your GP suspects testosterone ie: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - I think that is a good hunch. Particularly since you have irregular menses.
My original "Aha!" came from your description of your diet though. My first major shed came about as a result of Atkins. This was pre-LHC, and my braid went from the thickness of my wrist to a pinky in 3 months. I was getting plenty of calories/iron but no antioxidants. I was carrying a huge toxic load that my body couldn't handle. The pathology is similar to chemo. If your body is in crises mode - the first thing that will go are the unnecessary functions: like hair.
While you aren't perhaps doing "low carb" with the rice in your diet, the deficiency is the same. My latter sheds were due to stress, but my first one was due 100% to diet. I know this because after I started taking MEGA doses of C (along with E, zinc, gingko) the shedding stopped exactly 2 weeks later. Stopped completely. The IBS is of course a HUGE complication ... and also another culprit to loss of nutrients, that no, cannot be replaced adequately with a once-a-day vit.
I don't know what therapies you have done for the IBS, but this needs to be addressed. I think your Docs aren't doing right by you in this. I would suggest doing lots of reading (I'm sorry if you already have - I'm just suggesting if you haven't) about healing IBS with natural remedies. In particular probiotics and prebiotics like inulin. The scipts for IBS don't work very well (if it did, no one would suffer anymore so...) but more importantly they only help symptoms - not the underlying cause. And the longer you let this go, the shorter and shorter your list of "non-aggrivating" foods will get. :blossom:
girlcat36
November 7th, 2010, 08:37 AM
Teesha--
I was also going to suggest PCOS. I have long suspected I may have it, but was never tested for it. Many women with PCOS tend to be overweight, so since you are a small girl, that diagnosis might fly under the radar of a doctor.
I'm not sure what tests they do to diagnose it, but I have so many of the symptoms of it, except weight gain.
My hair falls out in the way you describe--1-4 strands coming out each time I grasp a lock of hair.
Have you tried monistat on the scalp? If this is fungal, it could help.
ALWAYS get copies of lab reports, and make sure they are really normal when the doctors says they are.
My hair was shedding about 200 hairs a day last winter, but my doc said labs were fine. I trusted him, but the were not fine! I lost almost an inch of my ponytail by the time I got the proper treatment.
When you say your Thyroid is fine,did they test FreeT3?
That is the important thyroid test for me. When FreeT3 is low, my hair falls out like crazy, but not all doctors test FreeT3.
spidermom
November 7th, 2010, 10:06 AM
I hope you find answers soon and can correct whatever is causing the problem. It does seem that this came on rather suddenly to be natural. On the other hand, hair growth patterns can change with age and hormone levels. Do let us know.
twopoints
November 7th, 2010, 10:16 AM
It does look a bit thin to me. I would've thought that your hair was purposely thinned.
Demetrue
November 7th, 2010, 10:21 AM
I agree with whomever said to continue to look at thyroid, free T-3 levels - maybe you need to see a different endocrinologist? Also, having a big fringe in front will rob some of the thickness from the back. If you are allergic to gluten, maybe you shouldn't be the one to sweep up the flour - coming into contact with the allergen could still be causing you to have allergic reactions.
paigeturner
November 7th, 2010, 10:50 AM
I am so sorry you are going through something like this!
It doesn't look like "normal" thiness to me, as in I highly suspect that it is illness/hormone related. I'd glad your doctor is testing you for lots of things!
I second what a lot of people have said about the hair extensions, don't get them if you can help it! Instead, maybe consider wings or clip in pieces instead. I recently bought this from an ebay store - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260579496413&var=560004083811&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT (I hope I can link it, mods tell me if I can't and I'll remove it) to wear in updos and buns and things while I'll wait for my hair to grow.
tiny_teesha
November 11th, 2010, 12:59 AM
Update:
I just got back from the doctors. My hormones are perfect. So it's nothing there. He said everything seems normal but referred me to a specialist. He said they will take a BIOPSY for suspected androgen sensitivity. Or something. I don't think he knows what he is talking about though because i asked him other questions and he was all over the place. Not returning to him again.
I can never get a good free doctor around here! ARGH!
Catia - I wish i could find my results i'm not sure if they tested for blood sugar but i remember that everything they tested for was normal except my vitamin D was down.
IBS is incurable? You know that right? All i do is avoid foods that cause upsets and i digest things fine. Unfortunately sometimes i get flare ups for no reason (I'm thinking stress lately because i'm moving out of home), The only things i take are supplements and a probiotic. I cannot have diary, gluten, or fruits and vegetables high in fructose. I take peppermint tea which helps digestion also. I don't take any other drugs, or any drugs at all. Just supplements and avoiding triggers. I only took the pills to stop me going to the bathroom every 5 seconds when i had to go somewhere at the start and i didn't know what was causing it.
girlcat- it's nto PCOS :( I was kinda hoping it was!
I did go on that monistat band wagon for 2 months but it was too annoying to keep up.
I do have copies of my results but i lost them! I think my dad threw them out (he is famous for that in our family).
I didn't want to ask about T3 because he was getting irritated at me because i wasn't accepting his answers to anything. He seems to think it's my normal hair and kept complaining that i have heaps of hair for someone with "thinning hair".
It very well might be natural, and if it is it makes me very sad indeed.
demetrue- i'm not allergic i'm intorlant to gluten.
I'm getting all these skin rashes which he dismissed and won't even give me a treatment for. :(
I'm thinking of buying a weave and having my hair braided and them sewn in. That seems less traumatic to my hair, somewhat, and less hassle. I'll also probably get that pony tail for when i cannot be bothered putting in the clips. Maybe. We'll see. Moving out is EXPENSIVE!
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I just think i'm going to have to find a nice doctor out there who cares, looks like there are none here.
tiny_teesha
November 11th, 2010, 01:18 AM
double post
Chiara
November 11th, 2010, 02:26 AM
Do you ever get flour on your hair? Just a thought if you have a gluten allergy, and you mention sweeping up flour at work.
tiny_teesha
November 11th, 2010, 03:41 AM
it isn't a gluten allergy, its a dietary intolerance. I get flour all over me. I got tested for flour allergy- there was none.
blondecat
November 12th, 2010, 07:40 AM
OK, where to start.
First <<<major HUGS>>>
second Im on the same diet restrictions as you are, barr that I must eat at least 20 grams of protein at Every meal and 8 g at every snack
Oddly, I loose more hair when I eat sugar or anything even sugar related. I gain wight simply by just looking at wheat products and Milk or dairy gives me migrains and sinus troubles.
This is for Pre-diabetes every other test came up negative
I am on at least 3-4 litres of water a day to help my body deal woth the diet restrictions. Being that what I do eat is harder to digest. and very low GI
I take vit supplements plus Vit D at a higher level.
Since you [like me] avoid dairy, it is a must to do weight bearing exercise daily to keep bones strong.
Oddly, exersise helps my hair grow too.
I only Wash with condish
I will write more as I think of it.
<<HUGS>>> for a fellow Aussie
littlenvy
November 12th, 2010, 07:54 AM
OK, where to start.
>snip
Oddly, I loose more hair when I eat sugar or anything even sugar related.
Actually, that's not odd at all :) It takes a lot of vitamin B (including biotin) to metabolize/process sugar (be it regular sugar, complex or alcohol); which then leaves much less B for your hair to use.
blondecat
November 12th, 2010, 08:13 AM
Actually, that's not odd at all :) It takes a lot of vitamin B (including biotin) to metabolize/process sugar (be it regular sugar, complex or alcohol); which then leaves much less B for your hair to use.
Aha, Many Thanks for the info. I learn something new everyday :)
Debra83
November 12th, 2010, 09:00 AM
Have you thought about sending a clip of your hair to a hair analysis lab? In Canada, it costs about 35.00 dollars to do it, but it gives you allergies and deficiencies.
Looking at all your pictures, I think one thing that you are definitely missing is oil in your diet. You need to find a good oil, and take about 3 tablespoons a day. In addition I would supplement with 3x1000 gel caps of Omega 3-6-9. Your body needs it, and your hair needs it. This last picture was very telling.
As for vitamins, if you are getting too much of one of the vitamin B's and not enough of another, it accelerates deficiencies of the ones you are not getting. You need to find a B50, or in your case B100 complex, in addition to a multivitamin, and add about 5 mg of folic acid to it, as that is one of the B's but not correctly supported in the complexes.
I've been taking vit's for about 20 odd years, and I highly suggest you research it. I take about 20 pills (including add'l A and E, C, D, and Calcium/mag combo plus others) a day because I know I'm not getting the nutrition I need from food alone. You definitely aren't as you are on a restricted diet as well. Plus, the nutrients in our fruits and veggies are drastically reduced from even 20 years ago. Have you added acidophilus to your routine as well for your intestinal support, especially as you have IBS?
Please seriously consider these things. The condition of your hair is a red flag as to what is happening in your body.
tiny_teesha
November 18th, 2010, 05:11 AM
Update- i think i'm going to just leave it, the doc says im normal and healthy, and he might be right, so i'll just let it go...and wear extensions for forever...who cares anymore...
blondecat- thank you for letting me know I'm not alone! I think that i eat a heck of a lot of sugar, and i could definitely cut that down. I've been trying not to be a guts lately and trying to eat healthier but it's not without its mistakes and it makes me sick sometimes.
littlenvy - my boss told me that peopel who avoid wheat are very low in vitamin B. I think you might be onto something, i'll try take a vitamin B pill daily, or just keep on with my multivitamin.
Debra83- i don't think i lack a lot of oil. I eat a lot of nuts and eat fish in oil quite regularly. Probably backed down a bit of late because my mother hasn't bought tuna cans in a while (a few weeks not months). I'll up my oily fish intake. I love olive oil. i put it on my gluten free bread to soak it a bit, because it gets chokey and dry. I think we have omega lying around in my cupboard.
20 pills! This is insane! I actually have to work myself up to swallowing pills, i have a tiny throat or something because they always get stuck and i freak out. It's a slight phobia. My hands shake if they get stuck. I also read that you can't absorb one third... i mean who knows right? But after 30 minutes my pee turns fluro. So that means i think a lot is just going down the toilet. And that's on half a pill! Over doses are a problem too, so i don't want to do that. I researched the most potent healthy food, and cheap food. I'm moving out of home so i wanted to make sure that i had a good list, because i won't afford vitamins when i move.
I do take a dairy free probiotic.
tiny_teesha
June 9th, 2011, 12:39 AM
In case anyone is interested i'm going to see a herbalist/naturopath person. My sisters friends hair fell out and he put her on this type of berry. She eats them at each meal- they apparently tasted good, and her hair stopped falling out. So hopefully this will work with me. My hair has gotten thinner at the temples and where i part my fringe, like hairs have stopped growing, but also each hair is finer than it used to be. Hopefully he can help me too since the western doctors don't want to try.
serious
June 9th, 2011, 12:59 AM
I'll keep my fingers crossed. Good luck!
:grouphug:
Debra83
June 9th, 2011, 01:17 AM
Keep us posted as to what he recommends! Hoping all goes well for you. Big hug.
Eolan
June 9th, 2011, 01:19 AM
Teesha, I don't have any advice for you, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry you are suffering from this. I hope you get it sorted, that you get help with solving your medical issues and your hairloss. Lots of hugs and feel better soon! :grouphug::flowers:
Katze
June 9th, 2011, 01:49 AM
Teesha, you are NOT alone. And you are brave for posting pictures of your hair.
I think we are in a similar place witho out hair but I don't dare post pics of mine, because it looks so bad - worse than yours, in fact. I have never had hair longer than BSL, despite YEARS of good care - I think I first came in here in spring 2006? Five YEARS ago. And even though my hair is in good shape, it LOOKS unhealthy. It is poofy and full (think 80s hair metal band) at the crown, then tapers to pathetic at the ends. It's been like this for over a year, too.
You do need to figure out what is going on with your shedding. Have you had bloodwork done? Do you have some kind of deficiency? Mine happened because I had a baby, even though I was hoping it wouldn't.
Although I know very, very well how you feel, I would not get extensions - they will ruin your delicate new growth. I was in the Netherlands and got some fun colored clip-in ones - I am sure you can find an African hair store or the like in the UK (harder here in Germany) or get a friend to GENTLY braid in some fake hair - salons who do this do it too roughly for fine hair, IMO. I like my fake hair and have a lot of fun with color and texture etc.
Here is what I am doing that helps:
trim, trim, trim - my last was in February, but I may be trimming again very soon as I wait for the new growth.
gel. Lots of it. It is the only way I can get my hair to do what I want.
SMTs. They make my hair look and feel better, soothe my scalp, and seem to make my hair be its best.
CO as much as I can (non swim days) since they seem to help make my hair hang better.
'cones.
I know how frustrating it is to come here and see everyone else's progress, and just feel CURSED. Pretty much every day is a bad hair day for me, and I despair that my hair will ever LOOK good. I see people with fried, bleached, straightened or whatever hair (how do they get it to look smooth all the time?!?) and it looks HEALTHY and even SHINES. Mine does not. Ever.
Feel free to PM me further if you need to rant more. I know I have annoyed LHC for quite some time so perhaps we can have a private rant, or you can email me too (I think you had my email, PM me if you don't).
In the meantime make sure your doc is helping you and that there is no other serious problem going on!
chin up!
Katze
tiny_teesha
June 9th, 2011, 02:21 AM
Serious, Deborah, Eolan, thank you for your well wishes.
Katze- I did have sooo many blood tests to find out what was wrong and everything was normal except vitamin D. I am thinking i will RE-TEST it all and go to a more thorough, sensitive and helpful doctor.
I have done a CHOP and then another, and another, and another. I kinda realllly neglect it. So i chop it as soon as i realised it's grown, so probably every 6 months is all i have time for. I too, have found the gifts of gel. I only do that if my hair is clean and tied up, that's when the flyaway baby hairs at the end of the day look their worst.
My hair hates SMTs it actually makes it dry?? Weird!
i can't touch conditioner to my scalp, or else it sheds. Oil causes it to shed, so i need to use harsh shampoos to get rid of all that oil my scalp likes to produce!
I do recall many of your struggles, and i do see an ally in you, the fact that we both have unagreeable hair that we work with despite hours of toil on it daily.
Mesmerise
June 9th, 2011, 03:09 AM
Hey, I know how you feel and how frustrating hair is when it falls out and looks straggly and sheds for no known reason. I had massive shedding last year... and while I seem to have some regrowth, I also seem to have patches that definitely don't have enough hair... and the hair doesn't seem to be growing back!
I also have hair that looks boofy on top and straggly at the ends *sigh*. I mean... if you see my hair air dried it doesn't look thin because it's so poofy... but a braid on me is just soooo soooo sad... it's pathetic...especially the end!
I do hope that with time and patience and eating well etc. etc. my hair will grow nicely again and I'll eventually have long, healthy hair that - if not thick - is at least not straggly and stringy.
xoxophelia
June 9th, 2011, 07:33 AM
I think a telling sign would be how you feel in general and if your body is suffering in other ways. Are your nails becoming very thin and breaking constantly? And did the rashes happen again? What were they like? Both the location and the look of rashes can be very important for a diagnosis.
Based off of the pattern of the hair loss (general thinning over a long period of time and now becoming progressively thinner at the temples) I think it is possible it is related to genetics and female pattern hair loss. However, perhaps if you focus on the feeling of your body in other areas it will lead to a diagnosis of some sort. I think the details on the rashes may be important as well as your general energy levels and other symptoms.
I don't think you have "gobs" of hair in your most recent photo to show that you shouldn't be pursuing this matter. Considering your age and that you are still very young, it seems like a pretty good indicator that something could be wrong.
88Marisa
June 9th, 2011, 02:16 PM
After reading through this thread, I didn't see anyone mention increasing your vitamins and minerals naturally through diet. I have a real passion for this since changing my diet has helped me a lot, and too many people don't realize that their diet has a direct impact on their health. Reading that you have IBS makes me think this is a large culprit in your hair loss, because it can seriously interfere with your nutrient intake because your intestinal walls are inflamed.
I eat a large amount of fruit every day for the majority of my calories (ie, for breakfast and lunch, often in the form of banana smoothies) and relatively low fat meals otherwise. I also have struggled with IBS type issues myself for a few years and diet change has really helped where nothing else did. All the other apes on the planet (including our ancient ancestors) got a large amount of their calorie needs from fruit, and I think humans would be better off if we did too.
One of the (MANY!) benefits of fruit is that it contains a large amount of soluble fiber which helps to slow down the absorption of sugar into your blood stream. I know we hear a lot of talk about limiting your carbohydrate intake, but all the cells in our bodies are fueled by sugar, so being afraid of carb intake is pointless as your body has to make produce energy from either fat (lipolysis) or protein (deamination) if you don't eat enough carbohydrates, and those other methods produce more toxic products that your body has to eliminate. However, it's also important that the sugar is absorbed at the right pace, which is where fiber comes in. So drinking orange juice is not ideal because the fiber is removed and it will likely spike your blood sugar, but eating the same amount of calories from whole oranges will not. Eating a low fat diet is important too, as too much fat in the bloodstream can interfere with optimal sugar transport.
Fruit also contains lots of B vitamins which you need for good hair (and good digestion), and the soluble fiber will help your intestinal walls because it is much softer than the fiber in grains. Fruit also contains fructo-oligosaccharides which will help repopulate the good intestinal bacteria. Even if you take probiotics, they won't do you much good if the good bacteria don't stick around, which is where the FOS comes in. Ripe bananas are a great source.
I also recommend supplementing with B12 (get methylcobalamin not the more common cyanocobalamin), as even "normal" levels of B12 are considered low in some countries (Japan's cutoff is twice that in the US), and even with reduced standards, low levels are VERY common (up to 40% of people), especially among people with digestive issues like IBS. Even if you are one of the rare IBS sufferers that has enough B12, it certainly won't hurt you to supplement to be on the safe side since there is no risk of overdose, and the body can store extra. Since you are pill-phobic, B12 isn't swallowed, it comes in the forms of drops or a tablet you hold under your tongue.
Let me know if you want more information, like I said, I am very passionate about this subject and I could have gone on a lot longer, but I really tried not to do a huge information dump in this post (although I somewhat did anyway...)
Slinks
June 9th, 2011, 03:44 PM
Awwww :-( I do hope you sort out what-ever is wrong .. where in Oz do you live, it could be the environment ?? if you live in the tropics it could be the constant moisture, if you're further south it could be the dryness of the air .. lol .. now that would be hard to tell with the changes in the weather we're having, like snow again in Vic ??? I would look into that perhaps ..
girlcat36
June 9th, 2011, 05:21 PM
Good luck Teesha! I will be very interested to see how this goes for you!
spidermom
June 9th, 2011, 07:20 PM
You have my very best wishes!
tiny_teesha
June 27th, 2011, 03:24 AM
mesmerise - i actually have noticed a slightly thicker base to my ponytail so perhaps its started kicking back on its own.
xoxophelia- my nails are always bad! My whole life! The eczema is it's worst because i decided to not use the steroid cream, but i did and it's muuuuch better now! My hands had a quite simetrical patches, between the fingers, at the bendy parts, and a patch on the top side of the wrist and along the edges of the thumbs. it was flakey and (TMI) the skin would weep and tear open and bleed. Gross, sorry.
88Marisa- perhaps you missed were i mentioned the specialist told me to not eat fruit or veg in more than one serving a meal and to pick serves that were low fructose. I cannot digest it, it comes out the same way it comes in so i absorb very little of it. But if you have a list of low fructose high concentrated nutrition fruits, please, write me a list! I do CRAVE to be healthy!
Slinks- Victoria. It's been happening for 6 years, i don't think it's weather really…just a steady decrease in my hair thickness.
girlcat36- thanks!
to copy and paste from my other thread:
OK! Update! Read my blog if you are interested i go in more detail and ingredient lists...
He asked many many questions and gave me 4 treatments.
Neelibringadi hair oil 2-3 times a week.
Scalptone hair tablets (supplement?)
Sugar pills with, i think, silicon and selenium.
and
a list of foods to avoid or eat more of.
Active breathing exercises to calm down.
Salt bath for my eczema
Use organic products (Which i did once but stopped because of the price)
Drink 2 lts of water daily, 30 minutes apart from food.
Drink honey water
It's a dose of 15 tablets a day, and an oil treatment every second night, pretty much. He said after a month i should notice a difference and i'm going back to check in. And he also mentioned that the ibs may take half a year to see improvement. I'll be patient. I'm going to just forget about it and see what happens. And i may take a check up blood test for kicks because the other one may be outdated by now.
What do you guys reckon?
Mesmerise
June 27th, 2011, 05:15 AM
mesmerise - i actually have noticed a slightly thicker base to my ponytail so perhaps its started kicking back on its own.
Slinks- Victoria. It's been happening for 6 years, i don't think it's weather really…just a steady decrease in my hair thickness.
Well fingers crossed that your thickening circumference means you will have an improvement! When I did a high ponytail the other day and measured it, mine had gone up a bit since the start of the year, which gives me hope! When I do it down low it doesn't get enough new hair in it though... however mine feels a bit better, but I'm sure it's not normal yet.
I'm in Vic too...and while the weather has been cold, I don't think that's the problem either, especially if it's been going on so long.
I hope your new regime works for you and you start to see lots more baby hairs start to spring up! I still panic when I lose lots of hair. I did today in the shower... it freaks me out because my hair can't handle getting thinner at the ends!
tiny_teesha
June 27th, 2011, 06:13 AM
He said my hair is growing baby hairs to replace the ones that are shedding, and i believe him. But i also can tell that the hairs are stopping to grow much sooner and shifting into the shed many years too early than they usually do.
My hairs are kinda not growing much past my sholders, they simply fall out and start again, only some grow longer thats why my taper is insane, all the ends of my hair are tapered (from new growth not trimming) so i know it isn't breaking off or anything.
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