Lost too much hair

[ilovelonghair]

My hair is thinner than it was before, I can see it at the scalp under bright light :confused: I started using Daktarin, I wonder if that helps with growing my hair back. Lucky I didn't loose anything in the length and it is not visible in the thickness of my hair overall. I just wear my hair in a ponytail, that hides the thinner bit. Or down with my hair being very flat, which helps too.

Any tips?

[MonaLisa]

Did you have seasonal shedding or what?
I can tell you i had some terrible shedding this winter. It was seasonal + stress + dye i think. My hair got significantly thinner and was first time i could see my scalp under bright light.
What I did was - started using nettle tea, as to drink it, every day, got nettle and panthenol shampoo..also used nettle drops on my scalp, mixed with castor oil, 50-50.
Vitamin B complex, Vitamin E.

Shedding has stopped, from handsful falling out when i wash it to like only 1-3 hairs! ...and i have soo many new ones growing! especially at the place i could see my scalp, there in the front. Creating kind of bangs for me now lol.

Think its Nettle stuff that stopped the shedding, and castor oil and vitamins helped growth :)

[DoubleCrowned]

Did you have seasonal shedding or what?
I can tell you i had some terrible shedding this winter. It was seasonal + stress + dye i think. My hair got significantly thinner and was first time i could see my scalp under bright light.
What I did was - started using nettle tea, as to drink it, every day, got nettle and panthenol shampoo..also used nettle drops on my scalp, mixed with castor oil, 50-50.
Vitamin B complex, Vitamin E.

Shedding has stopped, from handsful falling out when i wash it to like only 1-3 hairs! ...and i have soo many new ones growing! especially at the place i could see my scalp, there in the front. Creating kind of bangs for me now lol.

Think its Nettle stuff that stopped the shedding, and castor oil and vitamins helped growth :)

How interesting that you drank nettle tea. Have you tried the castor oil without nettle drops in it?

[MonaLisa]

I have only for a moment, it was way tooo thick to easyly apply it. But since i tried nettle drops first, and they seemed to give results, i've only considered adding castor to it :o I wont mind using only castor oil, when i find a good way to apply it.

And I hope it's not too silly to drink nettle tea, it's actually very healthy, and i guess it can't harm.
Also doesn't taste all too bad once you get used to it :poot:

[Allychan]

I have only for a moment, it was way tooo thick to easyly apply it. But since i tried nettle drops first, and they seemed to give results, i've only considered adding castor to it :o I wont mind using only castor oil, when i find a good way to apply it.

And I hope it's not too silly to drink nettle tea, it's actually very healthy, and i guess it can't harm.
Also doesn't taste all too bad once you get used to it :poot:

Adding grapeseed oil to the castor oil will really help with applying it. Castor oil is really thick and I found I was pulling hairs out when trying to smear it through my roots. I now ratio castor oil to grapeseed oil 50:50. My hair no longer sheds (I average around 3 hairs per shower) compared to thick chunks

[ilovelonghair]

I am going to try that nettle tea, I love herbal tea :)

[DoubleCrowned]

I have only for a moment, it was way tooo thick to easyly apply it. But since i tried nettle drops first, and they seemed to give results, i've only considered adding castor to it :o I wont mind using only castor oil, when i find a good way to apply it.

And I hope it's not too silly to drink nettle tea, it's actually very healthy, and i guess it can't harm.
Also doesn't taste all too bad once you get used to it :poot:

I'm pretty sure that nettle tea was used internally to grow healthy hair decades and decades ago. Of course, the hair probably improved because the health improved. Good idea you had, to drink it. I think I will try it, too.

What does it taste like? Or is it the one I tasted that was a little like dirt? If it makes beautiful hair, though, I will drink it!

[MonaLisa]

You are right I think. I heard about it from my grandmother, who uses nettle teas and shampoos and has amazing thick long hair!

As for the taste, at first it was...different, not nasty or something just not as yummiee as teas we're used to. So you gotta add some honey or sugar. Later on tho I started to like it. And other teas began to taste too weak :D

I also know doctors advice to people to drink this tea to improve their blood or something.

[sorraia]

I am right there with you regarding hair loss.

I have written in my calender to pick fresh spring nettles next month of which I plan to drink and use on my hair. I think I'll add a little burdock root and dandelion from my yard
along with some saw palmetto ( from Mountain Rose Herbs).
Let me know about the Dakatarin. I am considering using the US version Monostat???
The verdict is still out on that one.
Some other things I plan to incorporate into my new healthy hair regime includes
CO and rinse in cold water, and to cleanse with Egg, Amla and Aloe vera or Mellies Soap nut, Lemon, and water recipe.
Oiling with various oils such as coconut, castor oil and EVOO, and PEO's as often as I can manage.
Use Indian herbs, amla, Bhringraj, Brahmi, methi, hibiscus,shikakai
Take some vitamins geared towards healthy hair ( Biotin),
Massage Scalp 1 x day
Snowymoons conditioning treatment using, 1 part Honey, 1 part Aloe Vera gel and 4 part favorite conditioner.
Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition being a popular one which made my hair very soft.
Drink more water, and beef up my diet, meaning add animal protein back in.

[terpentyna]

I always shed more in the second part of my monthly cycle.

Horsetail and nettle products with panthenol. horsetail has silica.

Also - how is your scalp? dry? oily? flaky?

[sorraia]

My scalp seems healthy, not dry, oily or flaky.
Good shape there thank goodness.

[Kymmee]

I've been doing the shedding thing, too...and I too can see my scalp, especially in the front, in bright light. Mostly people can't tell and like you, overall thickness LOOKS the same to people who don't know. But I can feel it and see it.
I just started the castor oil, and I think I will try the nettle tea now, too. Like you said, can't hurt! thanks!

[Beesweet]

How is your thyroid, and are you on any meds?

[ilovelonghair]

Drink more water, and beef up my diet, meaning add animal protein back in.

No animal proteins for me, I'm vegan :) I get plenty of protein, sometimes too much (I love tofu, other products and protein rich veggies, mushrooms etc.) and that isn't too healthy either if overdoing it.

Do people put nettle tea in hair as well?

My thyroid is ok, but I am on meds, although they have been the same ones for years.
My partner now says he can see the baldish-ness too now in sunlight :(

[MonaLisa]

Yes you can rinse with nettle tea.
I've chosen to put nettle drops on my scalp tho, think it has more effect, and im still a newbie to hair care so haven't get to try tea rinses yet. I'm trying to do 1-2 new things at a time.

[sorraia]

Everyone has to listen to their own body to decide what is best for them.
I've been 98% vegetarian for the past 12 years and I think this may be
a part of my problem. Just recently started incorporating animal products back into my diet
because I think the soy products were effecting my hormone balance and I wasn't getting enough protein. I ate lots of soy products, tofu, seitan, vegetables, sea veggies, miso soy milk, nuts, fruits ect.
If you had to label my diet over the years it was a cross between macrobiotic, vegan and raw foodist and my hair has steadily gone done hill in a bad way.
I have no idea as to why other than my diet, and some very stressful aspects that was going on in my life and since has been rectified. Stress is a big problem with not only our hair but over all health. Getting back to the food thing
I have two sisters, one that eats animal foods has thick healthy hair the one that eats more like me is loosing hers too. My cousins who are around my age that eat animal products have no hair issues. So I am not sure about what is the best diet to be on anymore. Right now I have decided to eat the foods that are known for supporting healthy hair and I started supplementing. I plan to take some pictures this week so I can measure my progress.


Getting back to Ilovemyhair, I thought you may want to know this just in case it is a nutrition issue.
Also I wonder if your doctor could assist you in slowly getting off the medications and bring your body back into balance . In my opinion the prescription drug(s) is
probably a major contributing factor to your hair loss. Even though you've been on them for years may not mean they have to be a part of your life forever.

[sorraia]

I've been using castor/coconut oil the past 3 weeks and my hair
is starting to look better already.
From my understanding the problem w using Daktarin and Monostat besides being a chemical with side effects, once you stop applying it your hair falls out again and in large amounts.
This is not a good option for me.

[ilovelonghair]

So far I haven't heard of people having their hair fall out when quitting Monistat or Daktarin. I used it in the past and had no issues at all :)

Most vegans I know have amazing hair, my hair grew thicker after I went vegan. I am careful with soy (I love it though), it is hard to digest for me (I have to avoid beans and lentils), but there are so many other options, lucky people don't need as many proteins as is recommended by regular food pyramids. I still get too much protein I think, not healthy. Animal products are very unhealthy; diabetics, osteoporosis, cholesterol are just a few of the problems they cause, since I quit I have very healthy blood test results. My parents both have osteoporosis and their specialist has advised them to go off the dairy as it leaches calcium from bones (not a very widely known issue) and I want to prevent it for myself.
But yes medicines can be the culprit. Shame I can't live without them.

Ah well, if I ever go bald I just get 7 awesome wigs, one for each day of the week :D

[Kymmee]

Ah well, if I ever go bald I just get 7 awesome wigs, one for each day of the week :D

Sister! :)
I told people already that if my horrid shed tendency doesn't stop before I am bald or spotty, I was going to get some incredible wigs- and I would not be staying to my color/style for all of them. I would take advantage, and be a blonde, a redhead...maybe even a cool funky purple. ;)

[sorraia]

Ilovelonghair

I know and agree with everything you said and i have lived the life of a full fledged vegetarian but for some reason my hair is not reflecting the epitome of great health. On the other side of the coin I am very healthy over all. I have a lot to be thankful for.

As you have gathered from my post I've been wondering if meat eaters have healthier hair compared to vegans? So thanks for sharing.

[ilovelonghair]

So far I have seen no difference in vegetarians/vegans and people who eat meat. Most people I know (are vegan) have incredibly healthy hair and I am seriously jealous!

[smara]

I was a vegetarian for several years till I started losing fistfuls of hair a few months back. I underwent a complete medical examination and found out that my ferritin (iron) level was 16 (normal is above 75). I have been put on a iron-rich diet - dates and spinach every day and liver/lean goat meat every other day.

Strangely enough, I have been asked to stay away from all soy products - apparently soy interferes with the body's capacity to absorb iron from diet.

I became a vegetarian because I love animals... but when my body needed animal protein (the iron found in meat is more easily digested for ferritin by our body, than from vegetables) I had to alter my diet and relax my principles.

I agree with another poster - you have to listen to your body and decide what it wants to be.

[ilovelonghair]

Apparently soy is hard to process for some people, I am extremely sensitive to edamame (cooked soy beans) but also to any types of beans and lentils, so I have decided not to eat those anymore. I am glad there is heaps else I can eat. I have most of the time a too high iron level, got to watch out for that. I love food, that is more of a problem then getting all my blood levels right :p