Circumference question/shedding issue

[curlytiff27]

So for the last tow weeks or more I have been shedding about 100/day. I stupidly quit my msm about 3 weeks ago or more because i was not sure if it would react with my thyroid issues. Well, I started shedding like mad! However, I've been taking the msm again for about a week and a half now.

What is confusing me though....I measured my pony tail twice today and yesterday...I've actually gained at least .25 in the last month - month and a half! Does that make any sense? Who knows.....maybe now that I am on my meds and feeling good, my hair is starting to grow more. I think it was really stalled out when I was not medicated. I also was dx'd with low ferritin and low vit. d. I take supplements for all of them and rx thyroid meds.

So, could it also be that my hair is growing and shedding more now because everything is getting back to "normal".

I've always been a heavy shedder too. I've also noticed that my temple area that was thinning is filling back in great.

[lapushka]

It takes a while for something to affect your growth to the extent it shows up in your ponytail (that's about a years' worth of growth before a hair ends up in your ponytail). So, what I'm saying is, it generally takes a long time for something to be able to affect your circumference.

[Annalouise]

I have to politely disagree.:) If your longer hairs stop shedding/falling out, and the shorter hairs also stop falling out, and gain in length, then your ponytail circumference can grow quite quickly.
It has to do with shedding and stopping your hair from falling out. Lets say I have x amount of hair right now. And I completely stop shedding as of this moment. (or more realistically lets say I shed 10 hairs a day instead of 200). Then you are going to experience a gain as the shorter hairs catch up to your ponytail elastic and the longer hairs stay on your head.

I experienced a noticable improvement in my ponytail circumference in about 6 months. Lets say you have 5,000 hair that are 1" away from your ponytail elastic. In two months they could arrive and add to your circumference.

It depends on how many shorter hairs you have, as well as the shed rate of your longer hairs. You could notice a difference in a couple months if you STOP losing hair.

But you must stop shedding. And so figure out why you are shedding more hairs than normal. Normal is up to 40 a day. I think 100 is a bit excessive, and over 100 is not good.

It could be a reaction to something you are putting on your head. Or it could be clogged pores. It could be poor health (internal issues) or it could be stress.

I believe a person can stop the shedding and it will stop once they get their health sorted and stop putting anything on their scalp that may contribute to hair loss.

Good luck! Think positive.

Also, the rate at which your hair grows can change. You might be going through a fast growing phase where you gained 1" or close to that in a month. It is possible.

[heidi w.]

When hair sheds in response to a thyroid problem, once the medication is figured out for the condition, hair does eventually grow back.

Shedding 100 hairs a day is considered normal. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just keep an eye on it, since you have a medical condition that's overriding this.

By the way, there are 2 thyroid conditions and one more directly affects the hair, and adversely so. Hyperthyroid. There's also a second kind of thyroid condition: Hypothyroid.

In Hyperthyroidism hair can fall out in clumps or patches, and a LOT of it. It is usually alarming. I have seen women who are fairly bald in patches and it's clear to me that they do not know that they do not have to live that way (women do experience baldness because of an increase in Testosterone levels. It's a DHT problem.) Hypothyroid has fine or thin or brittle nails and hair, as in hair can break off.

Stuff people just don't know overly well.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001393/

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

It takes a while for something to affect your growth to the extent it shows up in your ponytail (that's about a years' worth of growth before a hair ends up in your ponytail). So, what I'm saying is, it generally takes a long time for something to be able to affect your circumference.

This is correct. A change made a mere week ago will not show for possibly as long as 3 months later. That's how slow it can be for things to show in the hair. So if you're on the mend, it'll probably never be a problem for you. The relationship between a cause and effect, in hair, isn't necessarily obvious and clear.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

So for the last tow weeks or more I have been shedding about 100/day. I stupidly quit my msm about 3 weeks ago or more because i was not sure if it would react with my thyroid issues. Well, I started shedding like mad! However, I've been taking the msm again for about a week and a half now.

What is confusing me though....I measured my pony tail twice today and yesterday...I've actually gained at least .25 in the last month - month and a half! Does that make any sense? Who knows.....maybe now that I am on my meds and feeling good, my hair is starting to grow more. I think it was really stalled out when I was not medicated. I also was dx'd with low ferritin and low vit. d. I take supplements for all of them and rx thyroid meds.

So, could it also be that my hair is growing and shedding more now because everything is getting back to "normal".

I've always been a heavy shedder too. I've also noticed that my temple area that was thinning is filling back in great.

We can have somewhat large sheds in advance of a growth spurt, too.

Watch that anemia as low iron in the blood can mean an uptick in the shedding rate. Most people with anemia don't really notice it because it's a chronic condition. As long as one is anemic, or borderline anemic (as can happen to women that are vegetarians since they may not be eating enough protein). Also, know that some fat in the diet is necessary for the absorption of a few vitamins and minerals. Some of these nutrients are not absorbed by the body IF there is no fat. An entirely fat-free diet is not the wisest idea.

heidi w.

[curlytiff27]

Thank you for all of the info ladies.

Heidi, my diet is generally good. Here is an example: Every morning I have two eggs and either two strips of bacon ot turkey sausage. Lunch is usually non fat plain greek yogurt, cup of fresh frozen fruit, packet or stevia and tablespoon of natural peanut butter. Dinner is usually meat and steamed veggies. I generally try not to eat breads, pasta (maybe once a week) or refined sugar. With my thyroid issues, which are hypo, I try to eat well. I do allow a cheat once a week or so. I try to drink plenty of filtered water each day. I've taken MSM for about 2 years. I stopped taking it for about 3 weeks because I thought it may have been effecting my thyroid meds. Turned out I needed an increase. Since increasing, all of those symptoms have subsided. I do feel that the pick up in my shedding if from stopping the msm. Which I have started back up and have been on it for a little over a week now. I will be going back for more blood work in about 4-5 weeks, which will also include reteating my iron levels and ferritin stores. I was was I believe 24 for my ferritin and 23 for my vitamin D. None have been retested since November 11, 2011.

Again, thank you for the replies. I truly appreciate it!

[curlytiff27]

I have to politely disagree.:) If your longer hairs stop shedding/falling out, and the shorter hairs also stop falling out, and gain in length, then your ponytail circumference can grow quite quickly.
It has to do with shedding and stopping your hair from falling out. Lets say I have x amount of hair right now. And I completely stop shedding as of this moment. (or more realistically lets say I shed 10 hairs a day instead of 200). Then you are going to experience a gain as the shorter hairs catch up to your ponytail elastic and the longer hairs stay on your head.

I experienced a noticable improvement in my ponytail circumference in about 6 months. Lets say you have 5,000 hair that are 1" away from your ponytail elastic. In two months they could arrive and add to your circumference.

It depends on how many shorter hairs you have, as well as the shed rate of your longer hairs. You could notice a difference in a couple months if you STOP losing hair.

But you must stop shedding. And so figure out why you are shedding more hairs than normal. Normal is up to 40 a day. I think 100 is a bit excessive, and over 100 is not good.

It could be a reaction to something you are putting on your head. Or it could be clogged pores. It could be poor health (internal issues) or it could be stress.

I believe a person can stop the shedding and it will stop once they get their health sorted and stop putting anything on their scalp that may contribute to hair loss.

Good luck! Think positive.

Also, the rate at which your hair grows can change. You might be going through a fast growing phase where you gained 1" or close to that in a month. It is possible.

Interestingly enough, I measured my hair today for growth (length), and I have gained easily an inch in the last month. I have highlighted hair, so I can easily tell by the roots that have grown out. I know when I got my hair highlighted in November, a few weeks before my diagnosis, I had only grown 1.5 inches (stretching it) in 3 months, normal, but slower for me. Last time I got it highlighted, which was a month ago I grew about 2 inches in 3 months. So, I am definately growing quicker now.

And thanks for the good luck wish...I think I will need it! My worse fear was getting hypothyroid...and it came true. My sister is getting married in Sept,....and I am hoping that I will still have enough hair left to look decent in her wedding! :(

[Silverbrumby]

[QUOTE=heidi w.;2036099]When hair sheds in response to a thyroid problem, once the medication is figured out for the condition, hair does eventually grow back.

Shedding 100 hairs a day is considered normal. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just keep an eye on it, since you have a medical condition that's overriding this.

Heidi, I've found for myself and a few others that sometimes the hair texture and density is permanently changed with medication. I've been on it for 7 years and my hair is completely different. Not bad and definitely getting better now thanks for LHC. I'd love to check out the other threads to see if this bares out with the majority of thyroid suffers on here.

[Silverbrumby]

When hair sheds in response to a thyroid problem, once the medication is figured out for the condition, hair does eventually grow back.

Shedding 100 hairs a day is considered normal. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just keep an eye on it, since you have a medical condition that's overriding this.

By the way, there are 2 thyroid conditions and one more directly affects the hair, and adversely so. Hyperthyroid. There's also a second kind of thyroid condition: Hypothyroid.

In Hyperthyroidism hair can fall out in clumps or patches, and a LOT of it. It is usually alarming. I have seen women who are fairly bald in patches and it's clear to me that they do not know that they do not have to live that way (women do experience baldness because of an increase in Testosterone levels. It's a DHT problem.) Hypothyroid has fine or thin or brittle nails and hair, as in hair can break off.

Stuff people just don't know overly well.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001393/

heidi w.


Interestingly enough, I measured my hair today for growth (length), and I have gained easily an inch in the last month. I have highlighted hair, so I can easily tell by the roots that have grown out. I know when I got my hair highlighted in November, a few weeks before my diagnosis, I had only grown 1.5 inches (stretching it) in 3 months, normal, but slower for me. Last time I got it highlighted, which was a month ago I grew about 2 inches in 3 months. So, I am definately growing quicker now.

And thanks for the good luck wish...I think I will need it! My worse fear was getting hypothyroid...and it came true. My sister is getting married in Sept,....and I am hoping that I will still have enough hair left to look decent in her wedding! :(

I'm thinking of trying MSM again after reading this. What I do with supplements is take them about 8 to 12 hours after my thyroid meds which usually are taken around 7 in the morning.

[Silverbrumby]

Oh, I noticed an improvement in my hair after starting thyroid in just 3 months.

[curlytiff27]

Oh, I noticed an improvement in my hair after starting thyroid in just 3 months.

My hair loss was improving actually...but I had stopped the MSM. And I really think that is what did it for me. I guess we will see here in a few weeks....hoping that the shed will go back down soon.

What medication are you on? I am taking NDT (Natural Desicated Thyroid) NP thyroid by Acella Pharm. It has T4 and T3 in it. I feel great on it! Just dealing with this hair loss. I'm even able to exercise again and I haave lost some weight too.

[NormaJean]

I lost quite a bit of hair twice in my life.... once when taking depakote and the other when I got Grave's disease (hyperthyroidism). It's never quite been as thick as it was before the depakote loss, but the thyroid loss grew back pretty quickly. Not a month and a half quickly, but pretty quickly nonetheless.

[Silverbrumby]

Naturthyoid 1.5. I feel good on it, its pig thyroi wih t3 and t4.

[curlytiff27]

I lost quite a bit of hair twice in my life.... once when taking depakote and the other when I got Grave's disease (hyperthyroidism). It's never quite been as thick as it was before the depakote loss, but the thyroid loss grew back pretty quickly. Not a month and a half quickly, but pretty quickly nonetheless.

Thank you for this! It gives me hope that I will be normal again some day! :)

[curlytiff27]

Naturthyoid 1.5. I feel good on it, its pig thyroi wih t3 and t4.

Ok, we are on the same type of meds then, same dosage too!