People who have lost/are shedding hair due to health issues

[TealDolphin]

Okay, since I'm losing hair because of a trauma surgery a few months ago, I decided to start a thread for people who are/have lost hair due to health issues... Any tips, or suggestions, or just to vent; feel free to post in this thread. Oh and if there's already a thread on this (I couldn't find one) please post the link

[dulce]

General anesthetic can cause temporary hair loss but it should grow back.1 have had several major surgeries with general anesthetic and it always grew back after.

[CurlyCap]

Me!

I have lots of food allergies and now eczema, and for the first time in my life I'm shedding hair. It spooked me out the first few weeks, but now I realize what's going on, and am just dealing with it.

Hair grows back! That's why it's awesome. For me, the priority right now is getting healthy again. My efforts will be reflected in my hair. :D

[Katbo]

Oh, yes. My medication makes me lose a lot of hair. I'm always pulling bales of it out of the shower drain. Ew.

[Cowgirl16]

I had a huge shed back in May-July :( it was awful. I kept my hair in double braids all the time and only combed my hair everyother day due to the "dreads" my shed hair were making on my head! It was a very emotional time for me, but; my shed is over now and my daily lost hair count is down to normal. I also have a TON of fuzz from all the new hair growth :cheese:

[Asahinasan]

I'm hypothyroid due to Hashimoto's and I take Coumadin for compound clotting factors, so even though my Thyroid is in check with my medication, my blood thinners are still causing me to lose hair... its a constant cycle, but I know if I suddenly start to loose MORE hair my thyroid is out of whack, and I need to get it checked asap... so I do have a normal shed, it just happens to be far higher than normal people... :(

[TealDolphin]

How do/did you all get through it? I know it grows back but it will take a long time to reach the length I had.

[FireKat]

Alopecia Aureata stands up and says HI! I'm currently working through my 3rd bout of Alopecia. First and second ones due to major stress, third one from anti-depressant med. Aaaand I have short short hair. Lovely. Needless to say, I'm off the meds, and Monistat-ing my bald spot like crazy. The first two I used Rogaine and a shampoo to get it to grow. It took around 6 months for me to see new growth. This time a different Doctor gave me an injection of something (I forgot the name) under the scalp in the bald area. Hurt like a you know what, but I'm seeing new growth already. Yay!
It sucks to lose your hair, but if it's due to trauma surgery, then YAY for being alive and OK. Hair will grow back. There is so much you can do to help it along, but in the grand scheme of things it's just hair. Your health and whole-ness are more important. : )

[TealDolphin]

Yup :) I'm glad I'm okay.

[raishalini11]

Me too lost lot due to PCOS and regular washing with sls shampoo and no care at all :(

Now on the track, left shampoo and use amla, reetha and shikakai, no chemical dye just henna and everyday oil massage..seems I'm not shedding now horribly just 40-60 which I think comes in normal shedding :)

[kdaniels8811]

I lost ALL my waist length hair to chemo to treat breast cancer. I hate having short hair but am very thankful to have beat the cancer and have a life to live. My hair is growing and even if it takes years to get back to where it was, at least I have those years. Friends of mine have not been so fortunate. So I guess it is all about your attitude in dealing with it. I am doing everything I can to help the growth - eating right, exercising, and just relaxing about it since patience is truly the only thing that works. But I cannot help state - grow, dammit! Good luck. Good thread, knowing we are not alone in this journey. I just graduated from super shortie to the shoulder length to APL forum!

[raishalini11]

I lost ALL my waist length hair to chemo to treat breast cancer. I hate having short hair but am very thankful to have beat the cancer and have a life to live. My hair is growing and even if it takes years to get back to where it was, at least I have those years. Friends of mine have not been so fortunate. So I guess it is all about your attitude in dealing with it. I am doing everything I can to help the growth - eating right, exercising, and just relaxing about it since patience is truly the only thing that works. But I cannot help state - grow, dammit! Good luck. Good thread, knowing we are not alone in this journey. I just graduated from super shortie to the shoulder length to APL forum!

kdaniels I'm so sorry to know that and also impressed by your outlook towards life and courage:)

Oh yes ..PATIENCE..the big mantra required for growing hair.. but to be honest sometimes I wish to wake up in morning and see my hair touching tail bone :D..no harm in daydreaming I guess :cool:

[BlazingHeart]

I recently went through a fairly big shed - I'm not sure if it was my probably-RA (which first showed up in March and got bad in April, shed was in August, so 5-6 months later) or if it was a medication that I started right before the shed, but I lost 1/2" of circumference on my ponytail. The shed seems to have stopped, but losing that much hair is disheartening.

It's not my first shed - I've shed before because of thyroid way out of whack and getting so low on iron I was borderline anemic, but it's the worst one so far. I just hope it starts growing back quickly! I'm trying to remind myself that there is a plus side - it'll mean I'll hit a length where I can bun my hair sooner. My hair is so thick that at waist I still can't do the most basic of buns, even with the shed, but soon hopefully....

~Blaze

[MandyBeth]

I had a MAJOR shed post spay and it's not all coming back, nor will it all come back. But I'd rather be a i/ii without the problem parts than a iii with the problem parts.

I've got the shoulder length part, then this fuzzy halo of 3" hairs. It's funny looking, but oh well.

[MsBubbles]

:grouphug: for everybody.

My current shedding episode is due to my own stupidity. I lost my mind earlier this year and gave up on taking all my thyroid meds and vitamins. I won't be doing that again. No matter how depressed I get, it's worth the extra effort to take the meds. If only for vanity's sake (my hair!).

I have not lost any ponytail circumference, but my braid end is much thinner.

[Kapri]

I was losing hair o the scalp and having poor growth and pointy thin ends from 2000 onwards. Hairdressers asked what I was doing to my hair. Turned out that heavy periods meant I had low stored ferritin. I went to Philip Kingsley in London and they sent me off for blood tests and I started taking iron, zinc and B12. They also sent me to a London hospital who discovered I had mild PCOs. I now also use Phlip Kingsley's prescription hair drops which include Minoxidil. I think they prevent loss and grow new hair where there is still that potential. There is a bit of hair loss at the top of my temple area on both sides where Minoxidil has made no difference.

I know too that once you start Minoxidil you have to keep going otherwise you lose the hair you gained. It ain't cheap to get these drops so I use them more sparingly than they are prescribed to make them last and I don't go for treatments at PK either.

[LittleOrca]

I did go through a big shed after I had surgery back in 2009. It took about 6 months for the shed to show it's ugly face, and another 3-5 for it to finally subside. My U turned back into a V by then and I did cut some inches off for my own sake, since the tips were bugging me and nasty. I have a pic (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=2521&pictureid=83786)here of what I did.

What I did to deal with this is I washed with a shampoo and conditioner that was made for hair that falls out (a Sally offbrand of Nioxin that works just as well) and I made sure to cut down on washes and keep my hair up. This did, at times, make it feel like I was shedding more and more and I felt almost as though all my hair would fall out. However, after time time the shed went back to normal and my hair started to behave.

Patience is key here, at least it was for me. :grouphug: Hugs for anyone that has to go through this. It can be hard, especially when growing out your hair.

[arcane]

I'm currently shedding massively because of the stress of a manic break in May and dealing with being forced off work and school (and just general mental health issues). I'm still stressed, though it has lessened a lot. I hope that in a month or two the shedding will slow down.

I had a huge shed when I had a mental breakdown years ago, I think it lasted 5 months or so. But my hair came back. I have very thick hair naturally (even with this shed and a lot of breakage happening right now my hair thickness is a iii). I find I need to stop worrying about the hair shed because that just adds to my stress levels, causing more hair loss. When I learned to just kinda ignore it (hard I know) I seem to stop a lot sooner.

[Brianna]

I suspect my recent shedding issues are due to scalp problems. I had a very heavy and prolonged shed starting last year that left my hair a lot thinner, and this summer it started up again. Last week I got an anti-fungal shampoo from the pharmacy just on a hunch, and my daily shedding has decreased a lot. I'm crossing my fingers that this'll be the solution. :)

[aimison]

I've been in a HUGE shed since early August (I had my thyroid removed due to thyroid cancer at the end of July). I'm on 250mcg of Synthroid but I'm still losing hair by the handful. It also has the texture of straw and is frizzy and generally awful looking since then no matter what I've done to it. :(

I've been agonizing for the last week or so, of whether to chop my hip-length hair back to BSL. I'll still be losing hair (probably) but maybe it won't look so terrible...

[FrozenBritannia]

I covered this in my introductory post, but due to health issues I lost all my hair last year between october and december. It was horrible. I went from thick bsl hair to scraggly thin uneven pixie cut (due to regrowth I was never completely bald, but of my hair from last year nothing is remaining, it's all new, and "baby hair" to boot). It's gradually (after a lot of toque wearing) at flip length, but that's just the longest bits.
How did everyone else make their hair presentable through the awkward stages??

[irishlady]

Me, from stress.

I absolutely despise my hair, I cut it in July to above shoulder length and it's already touching collarbone again. It just hangs there like a hideous thin curtain.

As soon as I can afford it I'm chopping it to chin, I just can't be bothered much right now with it.

[Airmide]

I just wanted to mention for anyone on Synthroid (levoxyl etc., any T4 only med) that not only are they known to more often then not fail to adequately treat thyroid symptoms, but they have a side effect of hair loss! When I first went on Levoxyl it was right after I found LHC and was keeping track of my sheds. I went from 30-50 hairs a day to more than I could count, probably over 200, and it seemed like it happened overnight! I switched to Armour, and then to Cytomel when I found out I had reverse T3 issues. My shedding has never gone back down to pre-thyroid meds (which is odd since hypo is supposed to cause shedding!), but at least it's mostly recovered from the Synthroid shed.

I have a bunch of other health issues too, but I never really thought about which is still causing the shedding. Asahinasan made me nervous...is shedding a side effect of most blood thinners? I may be going on Lovenox soon.

I've also had a receding hairline. Not sure if that's from thyroid and health, or from the weight of my hair, or both. I've been using monistat for the last couple months just at my temples and forehead, and I'm starting to get some baby-fine peach fuzz new hairs!

[IanB]

I lost most of mine due to intense radiotherapy and 6 months chemotherapy about four years ago, but, as has been said, hair does grow back - Thank God :)

[FrozenBritannia]

I just wanted to mention for anyone on Synthroid (levoxyl etc., any T4 only med) that not only are they known to more often then not fail to adequately treat thyroid symptoms, but they have a side effect of hair loss! When I first went on Levoxyl it was right after I found LHC and was keeping track of my sheds. I went from 30-50 hairs a day to more than I could count, probably over 200, and it seemed like it happened overnight! I switched to Armour, and then to Cytomel when I found out I had reverse T3 issues. My shedding has never gone back down to pre-thyroid meds (which is odd since hypo is supposed to cause shedding!), but at least it's mostly recovered from the Synthroid shed.

I have a bunch of other health issues too, but I never really thought about which is still causing the shedding. Asahinasan made me nervous...is shedding a side effect of most blood thinners? I may be going on Lovenox soon.

I've also had a receding hairline. Not sure if that's from thyroid and health, or from the weight of my hair, or both. I've been using monistat for the last couple months just at my temples and forehead, and I'm starting to get some baby-fine peach fuzz new hairs!

I looked into that when mine started falling out, but the doctor said unless it was a combination of the synthroid and other meds I was on, he didn't think it was the problem.. But that is probably because I have been on synthroid for years and never had a problem prior?

[gthlvrmx]

Me! Im losing it right now but it grows back :D

It's at 2.5 inch circumference so it's not so bad but i went down from the Zoloft i took. My medications right now are causing a minor shed, but i guess it'll be ok. Eventually it'll grow back.

[FrozenBritannia]

Me! Im losing it right now but it grows back :D

It's at 2.5 inch circumference so it's not so bad but i went down from the Zoloft i took. My medications right now are causing a minor shed, but i guess it'll be ok. Eventually it'll grow back.

Yes it will. :)

[gthlvrmx]

Yes it will. :)
I got more hope :D thank god for this website and good people :D

[FrozenBritannia]

I got more hope :D thank god for this website and good people :D

I had barely any hair this time last year, and I tell you I am so relieved that it did grow back. Now I just have to see if it will grow longer than it was before...

[Bethmc]

I have really noticed my growth slowing down and a lot of shedding in the last few years and I know it is due to my health and taking several medications. I am sorry for everyone's issues, but it's nice to know I'm not alone!

[MandyBeth]

Mine is being stubborn and not coming back. Between the good riddance to my ovaries, the Hashi's, RA and SLE plus the drugs to make them behave, I am a ii now. But, I feel better, so I do not care if I go bald.

[UP Lisa]

When I started here, my ponytail was 3". Now it is 2.5". Not happy. I have had thyroid issues, and have also lost hair on other areas of my body. Recently switched to the natural thyroid, so am hoping for improvement. Also take medications which can cause hair loss. And of course it could just be aging.

[CashmereHair]

I lost much hair for 1.5 years ago. Now it's mostly grown out again like little hairs between 2in and 5in .. I look forward to the new hair grows longer and gives more fullness in my ponytail

I lost hair due to an imbalance in my hormones which have been controlled with medication.

[MungoMania]

I have MS and EDS and take anti inflammatories almost daily which isn't good for hair; it's made my hair dry and brittle. I had alopecia on the back of my head in the summer of '10. It took 6 months for the hair to even begin to grow back, but now I have about 4-5 inches of hair in the area that was bald. Yoga, meditation, and eating right helped me a lot: lots of raw greens, :) and getting exercise in the fresh air every day. ;)

[Phalaenopsis]

I have hair loss (again) due to health issues. Thankfully taking zinc fixed it last time and probably will help again, but I can't take a high dosage because of my stomach problems :s It's kind of frustrating, I just regained some thickness in my ponytail, I was back to 4 inches, and now it's down to 3.5 inches :( In the beginning of my hair journey it was 4.3 inches I think, that was a long time ago *sigh*

Anyway, taking the zinc now and I can't wait for the hair loss to stop. The problem also is doctors didn't take me seriously because I still have a lot of hair.

[gthlvrmx]

I had barely any hair this time last year, and I tell you I am so relieved that it did grow back. Now I just have to see if it will grow longer than it was before...

Oh you poor thing! Good thing it grew back! Im so happy for you! :) Im sure it will grow longer if it grew back already.

[FrozenBritannia]

Oh you poor thing! Good thing it grew back! Im so happy for you! :) Im sure it will grow longer if it grew back already.

Thank you I am pretty happy about it too! i do worry that because it all grew in around the same time it might shed out about the same time too. :( I hope it doesn't!

[Anywhere]

Ugh. I typed up a post.. and then i hit refresh. :doh:

So excuse me for crossposting from my blog:

So my hair is usually a solid ii. When I joined here I had about a 3" circumference exactly.

Then, silly me decided that since my doctor said my blood was now 'normal' it meant I didn't need to take iron pills anymore.

7+ months later (early 2010) and I was so weak and fatigued I could hardly stay awake, yet alone drive anywhere. The fatigue increased slowly over time, and I attributed it to winter just making me tired. I didn't have much of an appetite and I lost too much weight for my body.
My mom decided to buy me more iron pills after I expressed my extreme fatigue and just all around spacey-ness.

By then I was about a 2.5" circumference. And still shedding.


But now that my iron intake is good, and I oil my chronically dry scalp, and it's been a while, I am at a 3.5" circumference! It tapers very quickly after a few inches (by that I mean like, an inch or two after the ponytail holder it is getting exponentially thinner) of ponytail, but it is growing back.

[jackie75]

I just got a bunch of blood work done yesterday to pin point hair thinning (all over, including pubic) and all over body pain/hip pain.

I had my thyroid tested thoroughly so many darn times over the years...I doubt it is that. I can see my scalp through my hair on my forehead and above my temples. Even putting my hair up, it's difficult to smooth it out so you don't see any scalp underneath on the sides.

When I got my hair trimmed last week, I got the same ol' comment..."Your hair is so thick!" I showed her my thinning areas (on my head only, haha) and she mentioned anemia. So we'll see what the blood tests say.

My doc mentioned possible RA. Does RA cause hair thinning?

I was in tears last night as I brushed my bangs....watching hairs, by the root fall into the sink.

[Mesmerise]

I have had two major sheds over the past two years, which is pretty depressing. No idea what's caused it. My hair does seem to grow back (I have baby hairs growing in) BUT I've noticed thinning around the hairline (cut bangs to hide it :rolleyes:) and around the hairline the patchy bits do NOT seem to be growing new hairs, so I'm pretty stressed about that!

For those who have had thyroid tested and nothing's been diagnosed, it's possibly an adrenal problem! Adrenal issues often present before thyroid issues, and also cause hair loss!!

I should probably take my own advice and get checked out, but I avoid doctors like the plague :rolleyes:. Instead I try and treat myself by eating a healthy diet etc. I have a fear of getting some sort of diagnosis that needs to be recorded in a medical file or reported or something :p.

(As soon as I found out my diabetic sister had to report her condition to the licensing authority in our state, I vowed never to have anything diagnosed!! It freaked me out that you'd have to do something like that). Yeah... I have some weird phobias :rolleyes:.

[Bagginslover]

My hair has dramatically thinned over the past 4 years since I first developed PCOS. The hair on the rest of my body has increased (I could have a full goatee if I wished! and I have a very hairy belly!) but my head had lost about 1/3 of its old thickness. I am currently undergoing testing for a potentially far more serious condition, so I'm not able to persue doing anything about it at the moment, and my shedding does seem to have slowed recently, but thought I'd share.

I feel rather guilty worrying about it having read about all of you who have lost it all :( ((hugs)) to you all.