Has anyone had thin/bald spots appear from stretching washes/SO? TMI warning...

[Blackfire]

I could not find any information on this so, I figured I would start a new thread. Correct me if I am wrong.

For the last year I have been pretty neglectful of my hair. I have been washing my hair with Co method once every few weeks (I aim for once a week, but sometimes I forget), with long intervals of SO cleansing (around 1-3 months of manual cleaning and no water/shampoo/conditioner).

Every once in a while I clarify really good with Neutrigena clarifying shampoo. I wear a hat every day at work, so no one ever sees my scalp anyway, but my head is also always covered with a hat, and to honest, that thing rarely gets washed.

Last week, I decided to clarify REALLY good so I could do a protein treatment that I used to do a lot and really like. I spent four hours messing with my hair, washing, the protein treatment, then a DT to restore moisture.... It was a pretty nice spa day, and my hair felt super squeaky clean afterwards.

BUT THEN....A few days ago I noticed a really thin patch of hair at my left temple.

I am thinking the dirty hat/stretching washes could be the culprit.... OR maybe the clarifying that I did last week? I have a doctors appointment just in case my thyroid meds need to be adjusted.

I measured, and the overall thickness doesn't seem to be affected, it just looks really scraggly in one spot. It's got me really upset. I really hope I did not mess up and give myself some kind of infection from wearing a gross hat and having dirty hair.

What do you guys think? Could it be from wearing a hat and not washing regularly? My hair never smells bad, and most of the time looks decent, but either way I am going to start washing twice a week with CO method, just in case. I really hope this is that easy to fix.


The normal looking temple.... The thin/bald spot......
[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[mamaherrera]

I have one temple that looks EXACTLY like that. And the other one looks normal,seriously we are splitting images of each other. Are you sure it hasn't always been like taht??I've been monitoring mine for the last five years, and it hasn't changed, so I'm assuming it's normal for me? http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...achmentid=7375

[RancheroTheBee]

If I was going to guess, I feel like the hat might be the culprit. Maybe it's been rubbing on your temple? I doubt clarifying once would have done that, especially just in that one little spot. I don't know much about thyroid disorders, but that's another possibility.

If your thyroid is fine, maybe try wearing a silk scarf under your hat? If that's possible.

[chen bao jun]

Put some Jamaican black castor oil on it every night

[gustavonut]

Put some Jamaican black castor oil on it every night

I agree with this. Jamaican black castor oil is magical. It's helped me a lot.

[Blackfire]

Maybe it was there before I just didn't notice until I did a more thorough wash? Hmm... It looks a lot like yours! You even have the part that mine has!

[Blackfire]

What brand/where could I get Jamaican black castor oil? It sounds great. I used to use regular castor oil from the botanical shop in town, but they closed.

[mamaherrera]

Yes and that part bugs me so much, I always tell my husband that I look like I have a man's hairline, but I figure if 5 years monitoring, it, it's stayed the same, it's not a problem. I don't think it can be a hat, I've heard that is a myth. I've tried castor oil/onion juice, etc. on mine,but it just stays the same. No problem in trying, but I think it's just our "funky hairlines" I've always had bangs, so I think I never noticed until I started "paying attention" to my hair, IYKWIM. But. . . supposedly any castor oil works. do let me know if it works on you. I'm curious, as to how soon people have seen results when they start using it. I only tried it for like two weeks,but it was very sticky/messy and I looked very "slicked" back daily. but yeah. . . .it is a miracle at our "almost" identical hairline. I like yours better than mine, mine seems to go "back" a bit more than yours, so I give yours a "high five!"

[Blackfire]

I keep asking my husband if I look bald, lol. It freaks me out! I don't think your hairline looks in any way manish! Like you said, it's just a funky hairline shape, which I really hope is the case with me. I lost more than half my hair before, due to my thyroid disease (years ago/before diagnoses) Not a fun experience. I hope it's not that again. I really liked castor oil when I was using it, but I would just use one drop and rub it all my fingertips and then do a scalp message. It made my dandruff go away and felt really nice. I felt like it boosted my growth, I also put it on my nails and it seemed to help them grow. I will update if it does anything for me this time around!

[mamaherrera]

with your thyroid disease, did you had massive shedding, or just thinning, and did you get it all back?? I think I've been subclinical hypo, but not low enough levels to get meds. I've been trying to up dairy to see if it helps. but yeah, I've had this hairline since as long as I can remember, but when I start looking too close, I start imagining (I hope) that it's gone farther back and all that fun stuff. at least we're not alone in this.