Shedding baby hairs

[amantha]

Hi all! So as some of you may know, I've been dealing with iron deficiency for quite a while and just getting out a major hair shed due to that. As of early January, my latest blood work suggested that my iron is increasing, although it's still below normal.

Since I started taking iron supplements in September, I started getting a big halo of baby hairs all over my head. They're between 1" and 3" long now. However, for the past few weeks, I've noticed that I've been shedding a fair amount of these baby hairs and it has me really worried. Some of the bulbs at the end of them look all crinkled too. I know they're baby hairs and not breakage because they all have a bulb at one end and a taper at the other. I'm not shedding A TON of them, and I wouldn't say I'm going through a shed right now, but the fact that they're shedding at all really worries me because isn't the growing phase of a hair follicle supposed to be several years?

The only change in my hair routine that I can think of is that I started using Toadstool's shampoo in mid January. But given that hair goes through a 2-3 month resting phasing before shedding, I don't think that would account for these baby hairs shedding.

I have been having some scalp problems for a while (mildly itchy, can scratch a bunch of greyish white stuff off with my nail within a day of washing it). Could that be causing this?

It's just so disheartening to see them fall out....especially after JUST coming out of a huge shed. I was all excited because I thought I could finally start gaining some thickness back. :(

So yeah, I was wondering if any of you have any advice/wisdom on this subject. Is it normal to shed some baby hairs? I know my iron is still below normal, but the fact they grew in at all during a period of deficiency suggests to me that the supplements are doing their job enough for my hair to start regrowing...but maybe I'm wrong. :confused:

[Amber_Maiden]

Are you sure the "baby hairs" are regrowth hairs? I have, as I'm sure others have, small hairs that grow to a certain length and fall out at the beginning of my scalp, close to my ears, and on my neck. Could it possibly be those hairs that you are finding?

[amantha]

I know what you're talking about...the hair at my temples is like that...won't get longer than 6". But these are definitely regrowth hairs..they're really thick, not super fine like the hair at my temples. My entire head is covered with the baby regrowth hairs. But when I've been scratching various parts of my head, they'll come out attached to my fingernail along with that gunk I was describing earlier. I'll also find them on the couch and in the shower drain/hair catcher thing. :(

ETA: and some of the hairs I've been finding are only 1 inch long! :( :( :(

[amantha]

bump bump.

[Madora]

As others have said, many times those very short baby hairs never grow much and sort of come and go.

Do you use a silk pillowcase cover? Many here find that they protect your delicate ends.

I'm assuming that you do not use any blow fryers, hot curlers/straighteners/curling irons.

The hairs around the hairline are more delicate than other hair on the head so you should be careful not to pull them back too tightly.

You might want to consider daily hair massage to help with regrowth.

It's normal to lose from 80 to 100 hairs a day.

[amantha]

As others have said, many times those very short baby hairs never grow much and sort of come and go.

Do you use a silk pillowcase cover? Many here find that they protect your delicate ends.

I'm assuming that you do not use any blow fryers, hot curlers/straighteners/curling irons.

The hairs around the hairline are more delicate than other hair on the head so you should be careful not to pull them back too tightly.

You might want to consider daily hair massage to help with regrowth.

It's normal to lose from 80 to 100 hairs a day.

Thanks Madora! They're not really the typical baby hairs that are around one's hairline...they're regrowth of hairs that I had lost during my shedding period. They're coming out from all over my scalp, since I lost about 25-30% of my hair and it's currently growing back in. So the fact that they're falling out again so fast has me really worried. I've never lost baby/regrowth hairs before.

I recently purchased a silk pillowcase and I can't stand to sleep on it. I feel like it is actually scratchier than my regular cotton pillow cases. I put it on the pillow I keep on the couch in living room and can only tolerate napping on it.

And of course I don't use blow fryers or other heating tools. :)

[Madora]

Thanks Madora! They're not really the typical baby hairs that are around one's hairline...they're regrowth of hairs that I had lost during my shedding period. They're coming out from all over my scalp, since I lost about 25-30% of my hair and it's currently growing back in. So the fact that they're falling out again so fast has me really worried. I've never lost baby/regrowth hairs before.

I recently purchased a silk pillowcase and I can't stand to sleep on it. I feel like it is actually scratchier than my regular cotton pillow cases. I put it on the pillow I keep on the couch in living room and can only tolerate napping on it.

And of course I don't use blow fryers or other heating tools. :)

You're welcome.

Be sure to keep on top of your iron problem! I lost one-fourth of my hair volume due to severe anemia (required several transfusions at the emergency room) and never have regained it. Luckily, I still have enough hair to cover the thinning spots but I'd rather have all my hair back. Not going to happen but that's the way it is.

Good luck to you!