HELP! Huge shed :o(

[Cowgirl16]

I am hoping to get some answers and maybe some help for this HUGE shed I am going through.
First after reading other members post concerning sheds I have pinpointed the cause. I was in the Hospital for 14 days the end of March, the 1st of April (perforated colon). I didn't eat for 10 days and then pretty much a full liquid/bland diet for about a month after. I also fell into a slight depression during this time and suffered from stress, which I am still dealing with. I understand that the effects of these things usually appear (hair wise) in about 3 months.
Ahhh here I am 3 months later and my hair is falling out by the handfulls! I hate to brush or comb because of all the hair that comes out :(. I have lost a solid 1/4 to 1/3 of my hair. I have started putting an EVOO/castor oil mix on my scalp about every 3 days along with daily applications of a Tea Tree oil blend I had found at the store. I have always taken a Complex B vitamin daily as well.
What I would like to know from those who have been in my situation is; how long does a shed usually last? I there anything else I can do?
I am at my wits end:(

[gthlvrmx]

I can't help much but relax and know that hair grows back no matter what you do, you shed, you grow more back in it's place :) More stress isn't going to do the scalp well. :) I know it'll be alright

[MoonlightShadow]

i think what you're doing is good so far, but it could take a few months to actually notice a change :)

[Mesmerise]

For me, it took about three months for my bad shedding to stop. At the end of that time my hair was noticeably thinner...well very thin looking really. But I never had thick hair to start off with.

Hopefully, because your hair is reasonably thick, by the time your shed ends your hair still has a good amount of volume!

As to what you can do... try to relax as much as possible. Shedding is incredibly stressful and worrying about it won't make it better. I know that's easy enough to say...when I was shedding I was stressing ALL the time. And I STILL stress when I lose more than the average amount of hair in a day, because I know if I had another major shed, I'd have to cut my hair which I am loath to do.

[whitestiletto]

Hey, stick through it and it will be ok.

I experienced a major shed a couple months after a stressful life event and read that your hair has two stages of life (http://www.hairlosslibrary.com/stress_hair_loss.html). First it grows for a while, then it sits dormant, then a new hair starts growing underneath and pushes it out. What likely happened to you is that while you were sick, the majority of your hair went dormant so your body could use resources for other things. The dormant stage lasts 2-3 months, then the hairs all fall out. If you are healthier now, your hair should start growing back from all the follicles it fell out of. Watch in the next several months for lots of short fly-aways visible around your part - all the hair growing back.

I'm so sorry this happened, hair loss is so frustrating! I think yours will grow back, though.

[GALISH]

It might take 3 to 5 months. My last huge shed started mid-December 2010 and stopped in late April.
I'm very sorry for you, but the only thing you can do is wait, relax and forget about it. Sooner or later everything will be back to normal :)

[Madora]

I'm sorry to hear about your illness!

To be on the safe side, I'd recommend having a complete blood panel done to rule out anemia.

Believe me, in 2005 I was having a LOT of shed hair - and suffering from depression too. I thought it was just the ageing process.

It was NOT. It was a very severe case of anemia which required immediate hospitalization and several transfusions. My condition was due to very poor nutrition. I lost about a fourth of the thickness on my right hand side, and never got it back. Fortunately, I had very thick hair, so the loss wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Hope your shedding problem resolves itself very soon! Sending good thoughts your way! Good luck!

[Cowgirl16]

Thank you gthlvrms and MoonllightShadow for your kind words :)

[Cowgirl16]

Thank you Whitestiletto and Galish for your input. YES this is so STRESSFUL! I try to stay positive but the wads of hair that keep falling out are so huge. I don't know how anyone can have hair left if this lasts 3 months:scared: . I have up'ed my protein intake along with all the other stuff.

Madora, Thank you I need all the positive energy I can get. Since being in the hospital I have had my blood drawn 2 times and the blood count is normal.
I know I am being silly and people say its only hair but....it is part of me; it makes up part of who I am. I am just so sad and frustrated. :mad

[Red_Wednesday]

I can't help much but relax and know that hair grows back no matter what you do, you shed, you grow more back in it's place :) More stress isn't going to do the scalp well. :) I know it'll be alright


I agree 100%.

I know how you feel, most people will say it's just hair, but for those of us who really care about our hair - it's a major blow.

I remember losing A LOT of hair after my 5 yr old was born, it can be very frightening. But even though it seemed like it would never end, it did, and it grew back. I agree with gthlvrmx, "...it'll be alright".

[In2wishin]

I went through this same thing a year ago although mine was caused by a fever of 104 for a couple of days. I would say my shedding went on for about 2 months and I went from 2-3/4" to 2" in my pony.

Fast forward to now. My hair is coming back in and with the humidity I have the fuzziest halo I can ever remember (the photo doesn't do it justice because the hair kind of blends with the door behind):

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk315/eclctcmnd/fuzzies-2.jpg

It will come back. Just make sure you are healthy and eat well. The biggest is being patient while you are getting regrowth.

[Cowgirl16]

Thank you Red Wednesday I need all the positive words I can get :)

[Darkhorse1]

Hey cowgirl---I lost hair like this too---I was majorly stressed and was losing handfuls of hair. I would cry when I would clean up the shed hairs from the floor.

My doctor assured me this: hair lost by stress WILL grow back, so that's the good news. And, you have so much hair, you won't really notice it to the naked eye (you will, but others won't)

the stress of being sick and being in hospital, along with depression probably is what caused it. My shed was due to serious dandruff as well--it was painful, crusty and bled when scratched at. My doc gave me drops to help alleviate the itching, and when the scalp issue cleared up, the shedding slowed way down and eventually went back to normal.

Hugs to you!!!

[wantlonghair]

I had the same problem years ago when i got very sick with chrones disease, my long hair started to shed and there was not much i could do, it did stop on its own and then i had to be patient for it to grow back, which it did. i know this is very hard to go through, illness or traumatic events can unfortunately trigger hair shedding, it will grow back though. my prayers are with you.

[Marja]

I had the same problem last autumn. I had a fewer for two weeks last summer, and about three days of those the fewer was very high (over 39 celsius). Then a couple of months after that my hair began to shed terribly. I was desperate, and feared I would lose all my hair. Thankfully after a month or two it stopped completely in a very short time. Surely my hair is a little thinner now but I'm probably the only one who notices. Hang in there, I'm sure the shedding will stop soon!:)

[Cowgirl16]

Thank you wantlonghair and marja for your support. I am still waiting for the shedding to stop...hopefully soon.

[ikke1978]

I know what you are going through. It is horrible. My shed started 2 months ago. Hoping it will stop soon.

[Locksmith]

Ugh, you have my total sympathies. I spent a fortnight in hospital about a month ago (badly botched appendectomy), didn't eat for a week, refused a transfusion and I'm still fighting the consequent anaemia. Allllll the iron pills. I've also now started shedding tonnes of hair. :( :( Really unhappy about it, especially as my ends were thin to start with and it'll take years for the replacement hair to grow down to TB. I guess there's nothing to do but eat supplements, baby what's left and wait. :(

[lesbia]

Don't worry! Even if your hair will fall down until "i" it will grow again! You have only to be patient and relaxed :)