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MaraJSkywalker
May 1st, 2011, 12:37 PM
I used to have short hair - it came a little past my shoulders - and it was thick (it was hard to get a ponytail holder around it twice.) I then decided to start growing it out, and in a year, it had grown 11 inches, with a few trimmings occasionally. But I noticed that it was also getting thinner, and it is now half of its former thickness. :( (Partly due to an iron deficiency, I believe)
My questions are:
Could the length of my hair have helped cause it to thin? (I have heard that the longer your hair is, the more it pulls on the roots, causing it to fall out. :confused: )
And,
if so, would cutting my hair back to its former length cause it to grow thicker?

I'm new here, so I beg forgiveness if this question has already been asked.

krissykins
May 1st, 2011, 12:41 PM
Welcome to LHC! :flower:

Your hair is probably thinning from an internal issue (health problem or nutrition issue maybe) rather than an external issue (hair being too heavy). Have you started taking care of this iron deficiency? Has it helped?

As far as thickening it up, cutting will get rid of the length that is already thin, but the mere act of cutting will not thicken the hair up by itself.

spidermom
May 1st, 2011, 12:48 PM
I agree with krissykins.

Cutting it might make it appear thicker, especially if the ends are thinner than the shorter lengths.

MaraJSkywalker
May 1st, 2011, 01:51 PM
krissykins said:

Welcome to LHC!Thank you! :D

krissykins said:

Have you started taking care of this iron deficiency? Has it helped?Yes, I started taking 65 mg of iron daily, and it does seem to lessen the shedding. Is there something else I should be taking?

Firefox7275
May 1st, 2011, 02:04 PM
Yes, I started taking 65 mg of iron daily, and it does seem to lessen the shedding. Is there something else I should be taking?

Another welcome from me: 11 inches is some amazing growth in one year! :) Do you meet or exceed your government's guidelines for healthy eating and physical activity? What advice did your doctor give you when you started taking the iron? Supplements don't replace a balanced diet, in fact and you can do more harm than good by randomly adding in nutrients as your body is evolved to absorb and utilise nutrients in pairs or groups.

DoubleCrowned
May 1st, 2011, 02:13 PM
An additional possibility is that you are still using the washing, drying, combing and brushing techniques and tools you used when your hair was short. Maybe you are breaking a lot of your hair, making the length thin.

Search for the threads on combs, wrapping, antique lace, brushing... There are also threads on nutrition, oiling, hair-strengthening rinses....

Madora
May 1st, 2011, 02:39 PM
@ MaraJSkywalker...

The longer the hair, the stronger the root is..per famed "Czar of Long hair", Dr. George Michael.

If you haven't done so already, schedule an appointment with your doctor and have blood work done to check for anemia and for any possible thyroid condition. Both of those can severely impact the overall health of your hair.

Your hair will not increase it's thickness. The only way you can achieve a "thicker" look is to blunt cut it. Hair of one length usually looks thicker and healthy.

How you care for your hair has a lot of bearing on its overall condition too. Blow drying/straightening/hotcurlers are not your hair's friend. Bleaching and back combing/teasing are murder too.

Eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, taking vitamin supplements (in moderation) and exercise all help in good hair growth.

Using a proper brush...i. e. a 100% pure boar bristle brush (with a FLAT) bottom, will help condition your hair in more ways than one! Using a wide tooth comb, and detangling before brushing, aids in good hair maintenance.

Wearing your hair UP is a great way to protect those fragile ends!

Good luck!

Mesmerise
May 1st, 2011, 03:44 PM
Actually growing long hair won't cause it to become thinner, although it can appear thinner, as your hairs won't all grow at the same rate, and there will always be some shedding meaning that the ends of long hair usually taper a lot more than the ends of short hair. However, the hair at the roots should remain as thick as always.

If your hair has thinned markedly at the roots, then it seems as if you've lost more hair than normal.

I don't disagree with taking an iron supplement, but 65mg is a huge amount of iron to supplement with, and too much iron can be a bad thing in the body!! I really doubt you need to take such a large amount daily. There are also other important vitamins and minerals for hair, so it's probably a better idea to take a balanced multi vitamin and mineral supplement that contains all the necessary elements for good health (including healthy hair!).

I would also second what others have said - once you've got long hair, you need to change your hair care routine a bit. Short hair takes more punishment as it's replaced faster, but long hair needs a bit more TLC. If your ends are looking straggly, it's probably also time for a trim.

Many people have had success with small, regular trims to thicken up their ends, but it does take time (as the new hairs grow in and get to the length of the rest of the hair).

Also keep track of your ponytail's circumference over time and see how it changes. It can be hard when you don't have a proper baseline in order to see what it used to be before your hair started thinning, but you should be able to see it increase in time as your hair regains its usual thickness.

MaraJSkywalker
May 3rd, 2011, 06:51 AM
Thanks everyone ever so much for the help! :D

jojo
May 3rd, 2011, 06:57 AM
did the GP also check your ferritin levels sometimes if the ferritin level is low, you can not store iron effectively. I would also ask for thyroid function tests to be done.

In the mean time make sure you are getting a balanced diet and are trying not to get too stressed. But agreed with the others cutting doesn't thicken hair, it just makes it shorter.

MaraJSkywalker
May 3rd, 2011, 07:26 AM
jojo said:

did the GP also check your ferritin levels sometimes if the ferritin level is low, you can not store iron effectively.Well, after taking the iron for a little bit, I do notice improvement (my face is not as pale, I'm not as tired, and I no longer have an intense desire to chew ice), so I don't think that would be a problem.