Help Help Help!

[Dash]

OMG I need help, my hair recently has started thinning, everyone tells me not to worry and that I am crazy because it's "so thick", but you know when you know your own hair. For example before I couldn't even get it into a pony tail and now I can! I have been neglecting my hair, so I need some pointers from my online family. Like, I have stopped using a silk pillow case, so that's a must that I have to bring back, but what else!!!!
HElp please!

-Thanks!:confused:

[Roscata]

Do you think this is caused by damage (breakage) or shedding?
Are you shedding more?
Do your shed hairs have bulbs at one of the ends?

[Johanna]

Have you noticed if you've had a shed lately? But that I mean loosing more than your daily norm of individual strands. Some people do go through sheds only to regain a lot of the bulk a few months later.

A few things that some women around here have been noted to help with their hair is biotin supplements. It helps strengthen the hair.

Do you heat style at all? If so, consider cutting out heat styling as it can cause the hair to break and thin out a lot.

Do you chemically dye/treat your hair? I dyed my hair for a while and stopped, after that I regain at least a quarter of my bulk!

[skaempfer]

I would recommend a check-up.
I lost wads of hair about a year ago, and I'm still not sure what caused it, but I was severely anemic. Make sure your health is good and that's at least a factor you can rule out. There are really only so many factors:

Physical health, nutrition, age, etc.
Emotional health, stress.
Outside influence- reaction to a shampoo or other product...

Get a check up to rule out nutrition problems, scalp infections or hormone problems, and then have a look at what you've been doing/not doing.

Good luck!

[Madora]

Yes, see your physician immediately for a check up..and be sure to get a complete blood panel workup plus a thyroid check.

I had very thick hair too..and it started falling out in large amounts. The culprit was anemia due iron loss and I needed several transfusions to get back on track.

Good luck!

[seethruugirl]

I don't know if this is your case or not but, have you had a baby recently? I go through a HUGE shed about 5 months after I give birth...then I get the lovely new hair growth crown all around my face!! :( Good luck I hope its an easy fix for you!

[Dash]

I never used to heat style and in the recent months started, so I guess I have to cut that out of my routine.
I have never dyed my hair.

[Dash]

thanks for all the help ladies!

[Anje]

I agree -- starting to lose hair is often a sign that something's not right in your body and a reason to get a checkup. It seems like just about every possible deficiency affects hair, but really common ones are anemia, low ferritin levels, and hypothyroidism.

Good luck!

[tinywife]

Have you started a diet or any new medication?

[spidermom]

Very possibly, it's a normal shed. Every few years in the fall, I will lose a frightening amount of hair, but I never noticed before LHC, so sometimes more awareness of what is going on isn't such a good thing. Anyway, a major shed is always followed by a major re-growth, with little baby hair sticking out all over the place, a.k.a. the dandelion fluff look. So attractive! haha

Good luck! Definitely get checked out for physical health if you have the means.

[heidi w.]

Usually hair loss or thinning is related to age, genetic or a medical condition. So I advice you rule them out in a kind of order to identify the problem.

First and foremost, get your iron and your thyroid checked. Anemia (iron deficiency) creates an uptick in the hair sloughing/loss and over time it can lead to thinning. Do not on your own, however, give yourself iron pills. Iron can be toxic and build in the system and cause other problems. Have a doctor prescribe them.
Thyroid is vital to get diagnosed if you have an issue because this problem affects all the body systems down the line. It may take a bit of trial and error to find the right prescription AND the right dosage. But once found, you'll be fine. Hair will grow again just fine.

PCOS can cause thinning. Diabetes can cause hair thinning. Heavy mensus can cause some thinning. Heart problems can cause thinning. Lots of things can affect hair. Pay attention because the earlier warning signs can be found in hair thinning. Women also do experience rises in testosterone levels, DHT balance problems and they actually can experience balding much as men can. I have seen full-blown baldness.

Also, what age are you? Hair throughout our lifetime does not remain the same in volume. As we age, some hair thinning is considered normal because once our mensus ceases we can have a little rise in testosterone and progesterone. Maybe if you're in this age group it would benefit you to look in to hormones, which remain controversial.

Hair thinning happens around age 25-29, around 40-45 and again in the 60s. This information is fairly well known.

Seeing a doctor and ruling out some things isn't a bad idea, such as thyroid condition or anemia. Understanding the mensus can help and help you identify if that's the issue, or we can determine if it's merely age related.

If it is balding stuff related you can look into Nioxin as a product. They have a part of the program that is vitamins, and I've heard several women claim the vitamins alone solved their hair thinning problem used by themselves. The Nioxin program is a bit expensive.

But I'd start with the doctor.

Good luck,
heidi w.

[catamonica]

I have used seasoned chopped onion in my shampoo. It makes your hair thicker. Just a
capful or two.