My hair is falling out.

[DuckyDot]

Today, in the shower I lost a massive handful of hair. :( I'm guessing it's because I've been extremely ill in hospital, but I'm sad. If It carries on I'll go to my doctor. And I wash my hair every other day and It's not because of the frequency of washing the hair looks like more shedding, my hair is thinning. I don't think I'm a ii/iii anymore. If it carries on then I'll cut my hair back to chin or just above shoulder. Sigh. I have baby hairs growing in which I hope to be a good sign, I have a halo around my head. But, every time I run my fingers through my hair, a BIG clump comes out. :mad: I'm feeling sad, because I have to go back into hospital for an operation but what if it makes it worse?!?! :( Oh well. I just hope it gets better....

[Tiina]

I dont have any advice to give but hang in there. The baby hairs are definitely a good sign and when your health improves again, so will your hair :flower:

[DuckyDot]

Thank you Tiina :)

[littlenvy]

I'm sorry. Huge hugs to you.

Things like this do happen; stress, health, medication - all are factors that trigger a major shed. I had mine 7 years ago. And I feel for you because I know how shocking it was to pull out huge amounts of hair at a time.
The good news is that you DO have baby hairs returning, which means your body is just getting rid of some hair but its generating new ones right back. Hope it stops soon and you won't have to cut your hair to compensate.

[cindy58]

Sorry to hear you're facing this! Concentrate on getting well first and a return of hair health will hopefully follow.

[In2wishin]

DuckyDot: :grouphug:

I am sorry you are going through this. As others have said, the baby hairs are a good sign. Just take care of yourself and the hair will follow. As far as cutting it, only do what you think will make you feel the best.

[KateMcC]

My first thought is make sure it's not just a seasonal shed. In the spring, we tend to loose more hair than usual. Also, if you've been sick, is it possible you haven't combed/brushed it as much as usual so that more of it is shedding at one time? However, if you have been ill and/or are on some medications, or have had a lot of radiation recently (x-rays, CT scans, MRI's, etc.) that will cause hair loss. I am so sorry you are having to go through this. Hair loss on top of illness is such a slap in the face. Make sure you mention hair loss to your doctor. It might be a side-effect of a medication and perhaps that medication can be changed.

I lost over half my hair due to a major illness, so I totally get what you are going through. My hair was past waist length when I got sick in 2006. After a mishap in the CT machine, my DH had to cut five inches off. Within the year, so much had fallen out that I had him cut another 17 inches off hoping it would look a bit fuller and healthier. A few months later, I layered it hoping to hide the really thin spots. It did look better, but it made me sad. In less than 18 months I went from lovely, healthy, virgin, all-one-length, waist-length, beautiful hair (sigh) to thin, spindly, lifeless, collar-bone-length layers.

The good news is that once my health improved, so did my hair. It's now past BSL, and most of the layers have grown out. I started coloring it because I went really grey while I was sick. It's not quite as thick as it once was, but it looks healthy again, and I am happy with it. And surprisingly, my once stick straight hair is now curly--I had always wanted curly hair.

Take care of yourself, get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, eat healthy, exercise appropriately for your situation, relax, and practice benign neglect where your hair is concerned. I hope you and your hair feel better soon.

[Purdy Bear]

I agree, definately mention this to your Dr, it could be any medication your taking, stress, or something really easy to put right. Dont suffer with any hairloss, get it sorted, infact the quicker the better as a lot of treaments only work before scaring occurs (ie Alopecia).

[jaquelines]

i am also very sad to hear that .stress and illness are definitely factors who might cause you that. usually it takes months until you recover, of course by paying attention to your health, stress, etc.. if you manage a balance between stress and nutrition, healthcare, your situation will improve, i am sure of that. i hope you get better !

[Firefox7275]

Definitely run this past your doctor, and maybe take a look at your diet? It's difficult to eat right when you are sick or recuperating, but just do as much as you can as that may help you heal faster from your operation as well as encouraging those new hairs to GROW!

[ChloeDharma]

Definitely run this past your doctor, and maybe take a look at your diet? It's difficult to eat right when you are sick or recuperating, but just do as much as you can as that may help you heal faster from your operation as well as encouraging those new hairs to GROW!

The diet suggestion is certainly an important one. As Firefox mentions, it can be difficult to eat as well when we are ill. Ironically often our needs for certain nutrients increase at that point too. Maybe look into some supplements to help you with this while you recover.

Physical stress like that experienced through being very ill can cause a form of hairlloss called telogen effluvium. It usually kicks in about 3 months after the event and can continue for about 6 months. If this is the case the good news is it does grow back.

Focusing on getting well really does need to be your priority, the hair can be tied back and mostly forgotten about in the mean time. Once the illness is dealt with your body will then be able to start growing hair again.

Good luck and try to keep your chin up xx

[DuckyDot]

I'll have a look at my diet definitely! It's lent right now so I've given up chocolate, sweets etc. And I'm a vegetarian so I do eat lots of greens and vegetables. I showed my Mum the hair I lost in the shower and she said not to worry, It does kinda make sense that I would loose hair. I've had a CT scan and 2 xrays along with about 7 ultrasounds (I'm not pregnant LOL) I've been washing it normally for about 4 weeks now and doing all the normal care, so it's not just trapped hair..

Thanks everyone for your replies! :)

[DuckyDot]

And ChloeDharma, yes you're right that the hair can be tied back. This is the perfect opportunity to look at new up-do's And the telogen effuvium that you mentioned could very well be what I have. Also I have been taking a liquid iron/vitamin supplement since I was discharged from hospital (which tastes nasty!)

Thanks again for all the replies!!

[Firefox7275]

I'll have a look at my diet definitely! It's lent right now so I've given up chocolate, sweets etc. And I'm a vegetarian so I do eat lots of greens and vegetables. I showed my Mum the hair I lost in the shower and she said not to worry, It does kinda make sense that I would loose hair. I've had a CT scan and 2 xrays along with about 7 ultrasounds (I'm not pregnant LOL) I've been washing it normally for about 4 weeks now and doing all the normal care, so it's not just trapped hair..

Thanks everyone for your replies! :)

Well done for giving up chocolate and sweets! :D Keep this up as long as you can because sugar contributes to inflammation in the body. Furthermore peaks and dips in blood sugar levels cause adrenaline to be produced - exactly as in stressful times. :( Do make sure that you are replacing the calories with something else tho - nuts, seeds and dried fruits require no preparation, are easy to eat and highly nutritious.

I know it's the obvious one to say to a vegetarian but check your protein intake, as healing uses more protein than usual. Most importantly look at how regularly you eat it - a small amount at every meal and snack is ideal as the body cannot store spare amino acids. This is one of the most common mistakes my female clients make. Dairy products, eggs, nuts and seeds are good choices as they are higher in protein and calories than pulses.

Last one is essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 which is needed for repair and maintenance of every cell in the body. Consider an algae-based supplement as these have the long-chain fats that the human body utilises best. Please run this by your specialist beforehand and it is written in your medical notes as it can affect medication or clotting. :eek:

[Othala]

Keep your spirits up, DuckyDot. I had 3 years of hairloss following a malaria-type illness and was diagnoses as having Telegen Effluvium alopecia. I was losing around 500 hairs a day at one stage and was so depressed about going bald in my late twenties.

Illness cannot be helped but you have to believe that this is a temporary thing and you will pull through.

Best wishes, hugs and good luck to you.

[BranwenWolf]

I'm losing hair from meds. :( I know the feeling of being afraid to start washing in the shower because some will come out.
Definitely talk with a doctor, look at your diet and general health. Also- are your fingernails chipped and brittle? You might need more vitamins/protein if that's happening.

[DuckyDot]

BranwenWolf: Oh Jeez! My Nails are brittle and chipping ..... BUT that might be from too much nail polish hehe. And I'm very sorry about your hair loss, I don't want to wash my hair because im afraid of the amount of hair I could loose. :(

When I go back to hospital, I'll get my parents to maybe ask my consultant whether hair loss is 'normal'

And I'll be extra careful about protein Firefox.

Othala: Thank you. :) I'm sorry that you had to go through that! At least now your hair looks great in your sig pic!