About losing hair....

[merseaone]

I am 64 and my hair is more or less waist length... baby fine faerie tale hair. I do not color my hair. I have noticed this year, especially since September that I seem to be finding a lot of hair all over my clothes, bed, in my car, on my couch, etc. I started saving it in September in a tissue box and the rats nest seems to be a ball the fills almost 1/2 the box when it just sits and is puffy. Is this normal? What can I do to help not lose so much hair? I just started taking Biotin - 2 10,000 mcg gel caps a day. I try to wash it every other day, once in a while I can make it 3 days and I brush my hair with a natural bristle brush. During the summer I often wear my hair in a bun but here in the winter my ears get cold so I have been wearing my hair in a braid with hair over my ears if I can (the front side hair got an unexpected trim so sometimes it won't stay in place. And I sleep with my hair braided so I'm not rolling over it and causing lots of knots. I've been washing my hair with Mane and Tail Shampoo and Conditioner for growing hair but I have to use gel or curl definer to get some volume otherwise it lays too flat and thin and even the waves disappear.

Any suggestions in what I can do?

PS. I read somewhere that hair is good fertilizer for house plants.... is that true?

[ipickee]

I totally feel you. I've gone through this.
#1-Most plants do not like hair, as it doesn't break down properly, I believe. But I could be wrong. My gardening gram always told me not to use hair in our composting.

As far as the hair loss, I have major thyroid issues. It's taken me three years, a lot of tears, and shaving my head to get it under control.

Here's what works for me:
-Spironlactone & minoxidil (topical for minox.) - Prescribed by my derm.
-Collagen powder, viviscal vitamins, and biotin for my hair.
-No way to tell if these will help you at all, but maybe it can help give you a starting point?

Very best of luck

[foreveryours]

Sorry to hear. You have a few years on me but maybe my situation is similar? Over the past 2-1/2 years, I've "collected" a 65 gram ball of hairs off my floors -



As a consequence, my hair has become very much "thinner". Shedding is not my issue (anymore). My ponytail circumference has not changed at all. In fact currently it's the largest its ever been. Yay! Examining the hairs I've lost, most appear due to breakage as neither end has a root ball characteristic of a shed strand.

So ... I'm trying not to damage my hair anymore.

Mane & Tail shampoo, when I tried it (I never finished the bottle), left my hair "squeaky clean". I once thought that was a good thing. But for me maybe it's not. I'm now heavily into oils and silicones.

Perhaps more "moisturizing" products for you hair would be suitable?

[merseaone]

Thanks, Ipickee. All my blood tests have shown everything is normal, due to a med I have blood tests every six months. I'm guessing I will talk to a dermatologist if it doesn't slow down soon.

[merseaone]

Thanks, foreveryours for your input. I do moisturize my hair a lot. I like Aussie 3 minute miracle. Breakage could be a possibility but not sure what I'm doing to cause it. Either my hair is in a braid or hanging free. except in the summer when I put it in a bun.

I remember a girl I once worked with had the most beautiful waist length hair and she said she never shampooed her hair with soap but with conditioner. Back in those days I washed my hair every day and colored my hair, too. Now I try to go two to three days and use dry shampoo inbetween.

I put curl shaper on it today. For some reason the picture won't show up.... I just put it as my avatar. Why it won't post otherwise I don't know.Close up is on my blog.

[lapushka]

Trust your gut. If it feels like it's not seasonal, and it's more than usual, tell your doctor about it. It may even be a side-effect of medication! It depends. And medication can be odd.

I suddenly, after years and years of taking a medication developed an intolerance to it (gut issues).

Oh, don't let me scare you, though. And don't just stop taking medication because you feel it may be that (but that's common sense, right?) so do always talk it over with your doctor first!

[luluj]

I am 64 and my hair is more or less waist length... baby fine faerie tale hair. I do not color my hair. I have noticed this year, especially since September that I seem to be finding a lot of hair all over my clothes, bed, in my car, on my couch, etc. I started saving it in September in a tissue box and the rats nest seems to be a ball the fills almost 1/2 the box when it just sits and is puffy. Is this normal? What can I do to help not lose so much hair? I just started taking Biotin - 2 10,000 mcg gel caps a day. I try to wash it every other day, once in a while I can make it 3 days and I brush my hair with a natural bristle brush. During the summer I often wear my hair in a bun but here in the winter my ears get cold so I have been wearing my hair in a braid with hair over my ears if I can (the front side hair got an unexpected trim so sometimes it won't stay in place. And I sleep with my hair braided so I'm not rolling over it and causing lots of knots. I've been washing my hair with Mane and Tail Shampoo and Conditioner for growing hair but I have to use gel or curl definer to get some volume otherwise it lays too flat and thin and even the waves disappear.

Any suggestions in what I can do?

PS. I read somewhere that hair is good fertilizer for house plants.... is that true?

Hi, merseaone.

Just a thought, do you think the natural, bristle brush may be causing some breakage? The reason I ask is this, my hair is also very fine and when I would brush it I noticed so much hair in the bristles, and everywhere else in the bathroom and the bedroom. There were times when I would be brushing, very gently, and I could hear strands of my hair snapping. Finally, I gave up the brush, it was stressing me to hear the snapping sound and seeing the hair in the brush. I no longer have a brush in the house and only use my shower comb after conditioning, in the shower. I plop my hair for about 15 minutes and then shake it loose and run my fingers through it.

It took some getting used to and it may not be for you, I just thought I would share my experience.

[merseaone]

Trust your gut. If it feels like it's not seasonal, and it's more than usual, tell your doctor about it. It may even be a side-effect of medication! It depends. And medication can be odd.

I suddenly, after years and years of taking a medication developed an intolerance to it (gut issues).

Oh, don't let me scare you, though. And don't just stop taking medication because you feel it may be that (but that's common sense, right?) so do always talk it over with your doctor first!

No, not stopping meds.