Thinning/Balding

[auntdaisy]

I posted this on another thread so disregard if it is a repeat. I am experiencing MASSIVE hair loss. I have thyroid problems but levels are good. My loss is mostly at crown and skin is tender and sometimes red. I am afraid to wash/touch my hair because I don't want to see more of it in my hand :( I started losing it a couple of years ago but then it slowed/stopped. It has returned with a vengeance. If I roll up the amount of hair I lose in a day, it is the size of a big mouse. I don't know what to do. I am trying different styles so it doesn't pull so much but even if I wear it down it seems to be pulling. Any ideas/remedies??? I have lost at LEAST half my volume. I am scared. HELP!!! Oh, btw, I am 44 and not menopausal according to blood tests.

[Kumiko033]

I've had the same thing what worked for me was a gentle dandruff shampoo with no SL, no cones, no crazy ingredients just once a week, nothing more nothing less.
and conditioning with Inecto everyday as a CO wash.
Other then that, if you're still experiencing loads of loss with washing I'd say do ACV rinses once a week instead of shampoo.
and if that doesn't work I'd already go to your doctor to explain it all, I once got a special shampoo for this problem after suffering from several thing's and some special vitamins.
I wish you the best of luck !

[Madora]

Make an appointment with a hair trichologist (hair doctor) pronto and be sure and have a blood panel done too..just to make sure you're not having problems with anemia. Don't wait!

I speak from experience. I was having large amounts of hair come out when brushing..every day.

Long story short, a blood panel was taken and I was put in hospital right away for several blood transfusions. I was low in everything and it was serious.

I'm back to normal now and eating correctly. However, I lost at least one fourth of the thickness on the right side of my head..thickness that has never returned.

I also have 2 very small areas on my crown where the hair has refused to grow back (had these years before the anemia). Luckily, I have enough hair to drape over these spots.

Please, don't wait, get that appointment as soon as possible! Good luck!

[OneCurlyMan]

Can you be a bit more specific with regards to how long you have been treated for hypothyroidism as well as whether your use only levothyroxine or other preparations such as combinations with liothyronine or dessicated thyroid extracts?

In the case of only using levothyroxine (T4), anecdotal reports point to small amounts of liothyronine (T3) helping with hair loss. Likewise, it could be a matter of your follicles still being in the resting phase and having to produce a new growing shaft, this should be considered if you have commenced treatment within the last 12 months.

Lastly, could you post your thyroid lab results? Many times doctors only test for TSH and go with that to monitor treatment. Ideally, you want TSH, free and total T4, free and total T3, reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies tested. You could, for example, have TSH levels within the therapeutical range yet have low T3 levels which would certainly cause hair loss.

If you prefer to discuss this in private, feel free to send me a PM.

All the best.

[jojo]

I second Madora's suggestion, please make an appointment and get this sorted out. Aloe vera gel will help with the soreness in the meantime. hope you get this sorted out ((big hugs)) xx

[auntdaisy]

Hmm, hadn't given the anemia a thought. I am also anemic but not drastically though. I have been on prescription iron in past but currently just taking multi. Maybe I'll get doc to check. Last time I gave blood my hemoglobin was fine. Sometimes I can't donate because it is too low.

[DoubleCrowned]

(sorry for the double post)

[DoubleCrowned]

I posted this on another thread so disregard if it is a repeat. I am experiencing MASSIVE hair loss. I have thyroid problems but levels are good. My loss is mostly at crown and skin is tender and sometimes red. I am afraid to wash/touch my hair because I don't want to see more of it in my hand :( I started losing it a couple of years ago but then it slowed/stopped. It has returned with a vengeance. If I roll up the amount of hair I lose in a day, it is the size of a big mouse. I don't know what to do. I am trying different styles so it doesn't pull so much but even if I wear it down it seems to be pulling. Any ideas/remedies??? I have lost at LEAST half my volume. I am scared. HELP!!! Oh, btw, I am 44 and not menopausal according to blood tests.

My gosh, this is what happened to me! The trash can was full of hair--I was afraid to brush or comb it. My problem turned out to be chemical fumes--air fresheners, perfume, auto exhaust, and so on. I could almost feel it falling out when I was suffering form a chemical exposure!

While exposed to chemicals, the thyroid can malfunction, in sensitized individuals, at least

For me, an air cleaner designed specifically for volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde has helped a lot. There is a thread here on hair care and chemical sensitivity. If you want to google, use "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity"

[MonaLisa]

I'm with those that suggest blood test. Anemia is not to mess with, and can definitely effect your hair.

Meanwhile, i'd suggest nettle tea. It's so good for blood (and iron i think) and it had part in saving my hair. tastes nice too.

But do visit a doctor as soon as possible.

[auntdaisy]

I have noticed that I seem to be more sensitive to smells, a lot of times I will have to hold my breath in a store or other times when I am in close proximity to others because their perfume/cologne is too strong. My family says they don't even smell it. Maybe that is an issue I'll have to consider. Thanks for the info.

[DoubleCrowned]

I have noticed that I seem to be more sensitive to smells, a lot of times I will have to hold my breath in a store or other times when I am in close proximity to others because their perfume/cologne is too strong. My family says they don't even smell it. Maybe that is an issue I'll have to consider. Thanks for the info.

Heightened sense of smell comes along with chemical sensitivity, as a survival mechanism, I guess. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity becomes a serious disability literally overnight, when that one last whiff of a chemical puts you over your limit. Holding your breath will help, but as the disorder progresses, more than just the respiratory system reacts to the toxins (skin, eyes, nerves, intestines, ears...) Mainstream medicine says there is no cure. I urge you to look into MCS immediately so that you are able to protect yourself. PM me if you wish.