Newby, lost about half my hair in five years

[Shouldalistened]

Please help,

Briefly, five years ago My hair was dark brown and I wanted to go blonde so the hairdresser basically back-combed my whole head so that I had just some strands poking out and then bleached the those ends to make it look as natural as possible (considering I didn't want a block colour as my hair is naturally dark brown and so block blonde against dark roots is not a good look for me) anyway my hair ended up a lovely soft blonde colour but had never been so thin in all my life (possibly from brushing all that back-colmbing out).

So I though my hair would just slowly get back to it's normal thickness and I fell pregnant literally that month and my hair started to get some way back to where it was and I didn't lose too much after giving birth to my daughter but then I fell pregnant again and since giving birth to my son my hair is disgusting!! One braid is about the thickness that two or three separate braids would have been before. My hair actually used to be rather lovely and I used to get some nice compliments but now it's like cotton wool (unblowfried) and even when I do dry it, there is no shine, it's dull, I can't get rid if the frizz at the end, it's just completely changed.

I've tried oils, I take vitamin supplements, I use shamoops and conditioners with keratin, I massage my head and brush nightly with a BBB but nothing seems to be helping the condition and it's certainly not getting and thickness back which is may main problem.

I guess my main concern is will I ever get my hair back to it's original state or should I really have listened to my mother when she said don't touch your hair??

Any advice or similar stories would be so greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance.

[MissAlida]

I can't really give you any advice, since I've been struggling with major shed for 2 years and still hasn't found a cure. You should go to the doctor, and get you blood and thyroid checked. For the shine, you could try a vinegar rinse. use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, about 1 tbs to a cup of water. It will make your hair shiny, and is good for the scalp aswell. Good luck, it's hard sometimes.:)

[Wildcat Diva]

Well, since you are new here, I would just start by reading threads and gaining information, and taking care of your hair as well as you can. You are definitely going to find some ideas here to improve the quality of your hair. I know that hormones can affect hair, so much of your problem could be that. It will take a long time for thickness to return, years, as new growth comes in. But don't be discouraged. Find a way to enjoy the hair you are cultivating right now, and notice every month the ways your hair is improving as you fine tune what works for your hair.

[Chanie]

What about some protein treatments ? :)

[Shouldalistened]

I can't really give you any advice, since I've been struggling with major shed for 2 years and still hasn't found a cure. You should go to the doctor, and get you blood and thyroid checked. For the shine, you could try a vinegar rinse. use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, about 1 tbs to a cup of water. It will make your hair shiny, and is good for the scalp aswell. Good luck, it's hard sometimes.:)

It's devastating, especially when my hair was really rather nice in the first place and really and truly it's my fault, I guess patience, hard work and good care will pay off (hopefully) in the end.

[Rufflebutt]

You may have to cut off all of the damage and start new. Otherwise, have you gotten checked by your doctor for anything? Normally bleaching doesn't cause permanent hair loss.

[Shouldalistened]

I can't really give you any advice, since I've been struggling with major shed for 2 years and still hasn't found a cure. You should go to the doctor, and get you blood and thyroid checked. For the shine, you could try a vinegar rinse. use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, about 1 tbs to a cup of water. It will make your hair shiny, and is good for the scalp aswell. Good luck, it's hard sometimes.:)


You may have to cut off all of the damage and start new. Otherwise, have you gotten checked by your doctor for anything? Normally bleaching doesn't cause permanent hair loss.

I haven't been to the doctors, I guess I thought I'd try here first, my problem seems to be thatno matter how much I cut off, it still seems to get worse. I guess that just shows the extent of the damage. I couldn't bring myself to cut it up to my shoulders ( my hair has been at least BSL for at least 16 years). Docs will be my next port of call if I don't see much improvement with some extreme tlc and headed advice.

[curlyhair]

I haven't been to the doctors, I guess I thought I'd try here first, my problem seems to be thatno matter how much I cut off, it still seems to get worse. I guess that just shows the extent of the damage. I couldn't bring myself to cut it up to my shoulders ( my hair has been at least BSL for at least 16 years). Docs will be my next port of call if I don't see much improvement with some extreme tlc and headed advice.
Do you notice any symptoms other than frizzy dry hair ?

[DinaAG]

you made a blood test? thyroid gland test? its very important to check specially after pregnancy

[Tigermama]

Hugs! Sounds like this is very stressful. Same thing happened to my hair after bleach and two kids. If everything checks out with the doctor's reports, the best remedy for this type of thing is "tincture of time." Also I agree that protein and moisture treatments can help you keep hairs from breaking off too quickly. For at least a year I wore my hair up every day while it grew out a bit, then chopped off about four inches. I trim either all or half my growth every other month now. It helped me to choose a length I could tolerate, maintain there for a while trimming all growth, then moving on. I now have about 4 inches left to get rid of, so next year I am taking off 1/2 inch every other month. Some advocate less trimming, but between the shed and bleach my hair was 1/3 its regular thickness. Some things I tried that helped with the shed were castor oil and especially neelibrigandi oil (organic only, check out the threads for info). It has been three years, and I am pregnant again, and the shedding is gone. Best wishes and luck...

[Shouldalistened]

Hugs! Sounds like this is very stressful. Same thing happened to my hair after bleach and two kids. If everything checks out with the doctor's reports, the best remedy for this type of thing is "tincture of time." Also I agree that protein and moisture treatments can help you keep hairs from breaking off too quickly. For at least a year I wore my hair up every day while it grew out a bit, then chopped off about four inches. I trim either all or half my growth every other month now. It helped me to choose a length I could tolerate, maintain there for a while trimming all growth, then moving on. I now have about 4 inches left to get rid of, so next year I am taking off 1/2 inch every other month. Some advocate less trimming, but between the shed and bleach my hair was 1/3 its regular thickness. Some things I tried that helped with the shed were castor oil and especially neelibrigandi oil (organic only, check out the threads for info). It has been three years, and I am pregnant again, and the shedding is gone. Best wishes and luck...

Your hair looks fab. I'm trying to upload one of mine but can't at the mo.
I think you were right to just put it up for about a year. I am going to do just that and try to look after it as much as time allows when you have two demanding kids.

Good luck with your hair and pregnancy, keep us posted on you pregnancy hair .progress.

[Shouldalistened]

Do you notice any symptoms other than frizzy dry hair ?

What kind of symptoms?? It's a lot thinner. And th condition is awful compared to how it used to be.

[IubireaDraga]

Do you have any pictures to share?

[Theobroma]

I don't think you said (if you did, I missed it) how long ago you gave birth to your son. I know there's been discussion of postpartum shedding on this board; if you search for that, you might find people with whom you can compare notes about how long their hair took to recover afterwards.

Aside from that, and if you're eating a balanced diet in general, the other thing I'd look for is anything -- anything at all -- that could be causing mechanical damage. I second those who suggested you wear it up. Doing that consistently (with non-damaging pins, sticks, forks, or whatever) will keep your hair out of harm's way and prevent any more damage (bag straps, seat belts, chair backs, being underneath your coat in winter, will all tend to abrade your hair, which you don't want). Assess your pillowcase and consider getting a satin or silk one (or just draping a silk scarf over your pillow, which is what I do) to make sure nothing's scuffing your length while you sleep.

Also, perhaps you should reconsider that BBB? I know some people swear by it, but depending on your hair type (and the quality of the brush, I might add), it might be too rough for you. I'd try gently combing with a wide-toothed, seam-free comb to minimise both friction and the possibility of inadvertently pulling out more hair.

[kitcatsmeow]

How's your stress level? It sounds to me like you are very stressed. I know it sounds like bs but stress can be as harmful and toxic to our bodies as poor diet. Try to find things that will help you relax and remove the stress and negative energy from your life. Yoga, jogging, gardening, whatever!
You say you that you take vitamins and they do not seem to help but it seems you may have some sort of imbalance or deficiency. I would def get some blood tests done and check your diet. A poor diet can lead to some nasty stuff and even disease! Perhaps you have an allergy or intolerance you are not aware of.

And last and most likely is hormones....they are sneaky, tricky lil sob's! They cause me a great deal of grief including severe migraines, and nutrient imbalances and possibly triggered my immune disease. Stay off birth control whatever you do!! Maybe consider seeing a nutritionist to help with your hormones if you suspect they could be the culprit.

[Lauram]

I just want to say I Understand about hairloss. I lost a lot from 3 months postpartum tot 6 or 7... And now that I weaned and am getting my cycles again I'm losing hair again! Ugh...at least I will have pretty hair for a little while if I get pregnant soon.

I hope your find a solution. Protien treatments might help, and start babying your hair so it has a chance to recover what it can. :)

[justgreen]

Having babies is quite a bit of stress, but to me your hair sounds starved for moisture. Have you tried any SMT treatments? Honey is a natural humectant and literally saved my dried out hair. I originally used 1/4 cup conditioner 1/4 cup of honey (the honey will blend right into the conditioner) and about 1/4 teaspoon of clear aloe vera gel. Now I just use the honey and conditioner. I apply it to freshly washed wet hair, plastic cap and leave on from 30 minutes to overnight if possible. Then apply lots of warm water (never hot) and gently rinse out. * If you see any white flecks, that is just condtioner and it will melt into your hair as your hair air dries. *

To this day I still use a bit of regular conditioner on my length and ends as a leave-in.

ETA: I forgot to mention, oils are not moisture. Honey, a tiny bit of glycerine, water. All good moisture to put on your hair. Distilled water in a spritzer with a drop of conditioner makes a great hydration tool to apply to hair on a daily basis without hurting it.

[Aqua Gal]

I'm so sorry to hear about your hair loss. I had a very traumatic shed, but for different reasons. I know how upsetting it is and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Listen to justgreen. She really knows her stuff when it comes to going blonde AND growing long. It seems to be kind of an art form unto itself.

Hang in there!