Hello Post & Randomly Thinning Hair

[lovinmylife]

Hello Everyone! This is my first real post. Expect to see me around here a lot! lol. :)

My name is Mary, and I have basically always had long, wavy/curly thick hair. I don't know what its circumference was originally, but everyone ALWAYS commented on my hair. Well fast forward to now. 12/2008 I started Seasonique (for really bad endometriosis), I didn't notice any hair loss at first, until 07/2009 when I had 2 people make comments about my "hair thinning" I still didn't notice a difference and chalked it up to my really bad cowlick on my crown. (although looking back I should have thought different). I am still on seasonique as I spoke with my gyno and she assured me it was not that. But my derm isn't sure... (do you guys know anything about that medicine?). Well, my hair is now currently thin enough that I CAN DEFINTIELY tell!! :(:( I went to a derm today and he is running Iron, Zinc, Thyroid tests, and a CBC? (or maybe CDC?) on my blood. Don't know what the last one is for.

So after this long introductory post.. I guess my question is.. what do you very knowledgeable ladies know? Im trying to up my protein, and limit stress (HELLO... LOSING HAIR IS STRESSFUL!! hahaha), and am taking a multivitamin. Im trying to wait for my blood work to come back before I change too much. But in the mean time.. PLEASE PLEASE.. the best advice you can give to someone who is stressed, and sad, and scared about losing her hair :(

Thank you all for the advice in advance!
Mary

[luxepiggy]

You may want to check out this thread:

Seasonique is making my hair fall out (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=57506&highlight=birth+control)

Hope that helps a little, and welcome to LHC (^(oo)^)

[lovinmylife]

Thank you for the help to the link :) I will definitely check it out :):)

[Madora]

Have you been tested for anemia? It sure can do a number on your hair (as I found out, the hard way!) I was way deficient in iron (due to the anemia, which i didn't know I had). I lost a lot of thickness on the right hand side of my hair, and some on the left. My hair is still moderately thick, but nothing like it was 12 years ago.

Sending good thoughts your way!

[Capybara]

I'm no physician, so I can't offer any speculation as to what's happening, but I wanted to say welcome and good luck to you in correcting this problem :flower:

[pixistixx]

unfortunately, a lot of the birth control pills out there are androgenic. I wish that doctors would mention this before prescribing! they can convert into excess testosterone, which can turn into DHT and make hair fall out. They can also cause facial body hair as well! Birth control with estradiol (estrogen) or a combo of that and progesterone will normally have the opposite effect, and is often given to those with PCOS. This has stopped my hair from falling out, and reduced unwanted hairs elsewhere. Could you perhaps ask to be switched to a different pill?

[lovinmylife]

Have you been tested for anemia? It sure can do a number on your hair (as I found out, the hard way!) I was way deficient in iron (due to the anemia, which i didn't know I had). I lost a lot of thickness on the right hand side of my hair, and some on the left. My hair is still moderately thick, but nothing like it was 12 years ago.

Sending good thoughts your way!



My Dr. just tested me for this the other day. But I won't get results back for @ a week (b/c of thanksgiving). I am hoping HOPING this is it. My mom had some anemia when she was younger, but this would be such a WONDERFUL solution for me since my b/c does control my endo so well, I hate to switch.. but ya know.. I won't be needing the b/c if I don't have any hair! lololol. FINGERS CROSSED! B/c this would just make my life soooo much better. Thanks for the insight. I will defintiely keep everyone updated :)


I'm no physician, so I can't offer any speculation as to what's happening, but I wanted to say welcome and good luck to you in correcting this problem :flower:
:):) Thank you. I hope I get it figured out too.. of all things to worry about.. I never thought I would have to worry about my hair. But alas.. I guess im just lucky I pay enough attention to it that I noticed early. :)


unfortunately, a lot of the birth control pills out there are androgenic. I wish that doctors would mention this before prescribing! they can convert into excess testosterone, which can turn into DHT and make hair fall out. They can also cause facial body hair as well! Birth control with estradiol (estrogen) or a combo of that and progesterone will normally have the opposite effect, and is often given to those with PCOS. This has stopped my hair from falling out, and reduced unwanted hairs elsewhere. Could you perhaps ask to be switched to a different pill?

Im going to be speaking to my gyno this upcoming week about switching my b/c once I have the results of my blood work. Does anyone actually know the levels that Iron needs to be to be "good" "bad" etc.? I wanna be informed and im getting VERY different results looking online.

Thank you all for the warm welcome :love: I really appreciate it, and look forward to becoming an active member :)

[pixistixx]

yes.... it can be in the "normal" range according to the test, but it has to be at least 30 to 50 to keep hair from falling out, and at least 70 to regrow. Some doctors will tell you the level is normal, becuase the numbers are in range, but the range goes from single digits to over 100, so if you are on the lower end, it is still not good. make sure you see the actual lab results! Vitamin D also plays a large part in hormone production balance. Most of the western world is very deficient, and despite what you hear, no you can't get enough by being out in the sun for 15 minutes a day.