major hair shed - regrowth?

[hennared]

Hi all:

I've not been 'round the boards here much, lately, since I've had such a major shed in the past few months; I almost feel I don't
'belong' here, now. But I like it here!

I was hoping to perhaps get a bit of feedback from any of you who have experienced a major diffuse hair shed - and experienced a reasonable degree of recovery from it. I'm 42, never had hair loss before; it seems I'm mostly experiencing a major stress event hair shed. It's been ~4 months, now, and still not stopping (sigh). I do seem to be slightly hyPERthyoid, according to my doctor, but not by a large margin.

Anyway, I could use some hopeful stories. I've been spending time on a hairloss board; I think I need to hear from 'the other side'.

Thank you..

Hennared

[DMARTINEZ]

I too am experiencing a big shed. I think mine is stress=peri-menopause(which is stress
defined). Im feeling a bit of an urge to cut. I just cant handle thinning long hair. I see baby hairs
but doubt they will catch up to fill in. Im just sick of the gobs of hair everywhere.


Deb

[susiemw]

[quote=hennared;273652 I do seem to be slightly hyPERthyoid, according to my doctor, but not by a large margin.
[/quote]

welcome back!! you most certainly belong here...

now for the big question: what are they doing
to treat your hyperthyroidism?

Susan

[ChloeDharma]

Please don't think you don't belong here, there are lots of members suffering with hairloss and recovering from it so you very much are not alone.

I've talked quite a bit about mine, i went through a very stressfull relationship and break-up and my diabetes wasn't controlled well at all which combined caused alot of shedding. Then i got very ill and last april nearly died, leading up to that i had lost a huge amount of hair then afterwards i went through a massive shed from telogen effluvium.
For a long time i felt like my hair would never recover and although i'd talk it up like everything would be fine deep down i felt like it was just wishfull thinking. But, lots of TLC, scalp care, researching ways to enhance growth and it did start growing back. My thickness last time i measured has increased by 150% compared to when my hair was at possibly it's thinnest point.
It does take time, and for ages i didn't even realise that my hair was growing back.
The best advice i can give you is to just wear your hair up, don't keep looking at it, focus on sorting out your thyroid....and maybe look at some of the threads relating to hair growth here, like the essential oils thread or some of the others over on the recipes section. Scalp massage and brushing i also found very helpfull.

Good luck, i really do hope that your shedding slows down very soon

[hennared]

Deb - I know what you mean, about tempted to cut. But I have waited all my adult life to get my hair as long as it is now, (23" last I checked) and I am not willing to part with it, just yet! So. I am holding out for hope for some regrowth.

Susan, I'm going back tomorrow to see the doc for the second time and go over the latest round of bloodwork.. he said I was hyperT mainly by my TSH level alone, so it is not quite conclusive yet. I don't seem to 'fit the profile' either, of thyroid troubles.. but that could be a 'yet'.'

Chloe, I thought you might chime in here; as you have on my shedding threads. Thank you! I had no idea, though, that you had gotten so dreadfully sick before your big shed. I am so glad for what sounds like a full and healthy recovery? (I mean of course for more than just hair!) But, yes, your story is very encouraging. Thank you.

Anyone else with an encouraging story, feel free to encourage me

Off to do an essential oil scalp massage... (I am using cedarwood, basil, lavender, rosemary, and tea tree in a camellia oil base).

[cindy58]

Well, I had a big shed that lasted several months from divorce stress. I tried not to get worked up about all the hair dropping while it was happening, knowing that wouldn't help. I know that I was still shedding to some degree during last Sept., I can't remember exactly when it stopped.

For months now (maybe all this year?) I have noticed major regrowth, it was all quite obvious from all the shorter hairs that wouldn't be contained in updos. I'm still somewhat of a fuzzhead, but it's gradually getting longer and staying better in place. A lot of the new hair seems curlier too. I've been surprised by the amount of new hair, actually little tufts in some places -- if I had truly realized how much I was losing during the shed I know I would have been more upset.

So, there is hope -- the hair does come back, and then you have a new set of challenges!

[CurlyOne]

I had a massive shed about a year ago. I think I lost about half my thickness, it has slowed down but it hasn't totally stopped yet. I ordered Ovation Cello Therapy and used it for the first time today, I think it smells pretty good and it made my hair feel nice. I have heard good things, some people here used it and liked it. I am going to give a review in a month or so after I can see the full effects.

[EvaSimone]

Don't feel like you don't belong on this board lots of people go through sheds.

I went through a period of severe anemia and was shedding clumps of hair until I got it under control. My hair has gained back a lot of the thickness that it lost but it was a terrible and scary time.

Definitely make sure that you get your hyperthyroidism treated if you are having symptoms from it then it's not a "mild" case IMO.

Doctors love to minimize things in my experience. I had been "slightly" anemic for years and my doctor had never even told me because it wasn't a "big deal". Even though I kept telling him that I always felt tired. He only told me I was anemic when my levels bottomed out really low and I could hardly walk up the stairs, if I had been a few points lower I would have needed a transfusion of blood.

[eadwine]

now for the big question: what are they doing
to treat your hyperthyroidism?

It's been my experience that when a doc says "slight" the doc means: this is not bad enough to treat you for it.



I hope it slows down soon!

[DiyaC]

I had a MASSIVE shed two and a half years ago and my hair is almost back to normal now. I lost about 50% of my hair and I thought I would go completely bald. My hair didn't even cover my scalp fully whatever style I wore. However, protein treatments, vitamin supplements, a big change in my diet to include a lot of green leafy vegetables, adding more iron in my food and minimising stress has reduced the hair fall greatly. In fact, I do still lose hair, but not in clumps as i used to and I believe that if I continue to do all the healthy things I'm doing now, my hair fall will stop completely. I cover my head with a scarf when I travel to prevent tangling and to avoid dust and pollution affecting my scalp. I also wear it in updos most of the time. My hair is now much thicker than before and the texture has also definitely improved since I started taking good care of it.

So Hennared, persevere. Take care of your hair. Don't cut. Be patient. Whatever caused your hair fall, didn't happen over-night and stopping the shed is not going to happen overnight either. Do whatever you can to baby your hair and though you might not see instant results, you will definitely see them in the long run.