hair loss.....

[Seashell70]

Can anyone help me with practical suggestions for thinning hair?

I'm thinning on top and at the front and see that people are now noticing it which I'm upset about.

Are there any specific vitamins or diet related things I should be doing? I am trying to lose weight (not successfully) and realise I've probably done some harm to my hair via dieting.

Thanks

[Seashell70]

:}

[TelephoneIgnoringMachine]

It depends on the cause of the thinning. There are supplements that supposedly hrlp hair growth, however you first need to establish the cause. I'd recommend you see your doctor before starting on the route of trying out vitamins & lotions etc.

My hair is thinning too. It feels a bit rubbish doesn't it. I find a side parting helps as the light doesn't shine quite so much on my top scalp area.

[TelephoneIgnoringMachine]

*help, not hrlp.

[Seashell70]

Thank you telephone. I'm seeing the GP next week and will mention it.

It's not nice I agree, keep looking at women with lovely thick hair...I'm not ready for this yet, mid 40s. I do the side parting too.

[kinkytoes]

What colour is your hair? It's more obvious on darker colours so in the short term, could you go a bit lighter? Obviously with the advice of a professional stylist who would look at the health of your hair not just the style.

[Seashell70]

That's a very good point. I am dark brown and my glaring white scalp is going to be more obvious isn't it.

I would probably feel a bit better being lighter. Softer etc. Thanks!

[kinkytoes]

Good luck, hope you get it sorted

[Seashell70]

[Coldtoeswarmheart]

Side parting
Fringe (honestly - I thought mine was way too thin but it's really helped)
Hair colour not too big a contrast from scalp colour
L'Oreal Fibrology or Nanogen shampoo/ conditioner
Thickening styling product
Blow dry hair around a big brush
To GP for bloods (iron deficiency/ thyroid checks)

Is my list so far....

I even spent £££ on a month's supply of Nourkrin but my hairdresser says she's never known anyone benefit from it, despite the good reviews on Amazon.

I am looking for some yoga band-type headbands to give myself a break from the blow drying at the weekends.

Rubbish, isn't it?

[Coldtoeswarmheart]

Forgot - Batiste volumising dry shampoo is startlingly helpful for me at the mo.

[Seashell70]

Cold toes, thank you!

I sympathise....

You make a good point about fringes. I recently had my hair cut but asked them to leave the fringe to grow out. It's now hanging limply (obvs fine hair) and highlights my limp, thin hair. I was thinking last night I might take a tiny bit off the length myself to liven it up. Will look at it today.

I've also used that new loreal stuff and thought it was good, will go back to it now it's a bit cheaper I see.

I've held back from brushing when dry blowing as I saw how much hair was in my brush! But a blow dry does help tonnes I agree. I'll get some dry shampoo too, there's volumising ones I think.

Onwards. And thanks again

[Iateallthemincepies]

This was me a few years ago. I saw my GP for blood tests, iron and thyroid, but they were fine.
I'd had flu 3 months before and they put it down to that.
It's since grown back properly.

[Soooosie]

I had this. Go to your GP
And ask for thyroid and ferritin levels and other tests.

Low iron/ferritin is hugely linked to hair loss. Theres a study!

My ferritin levels came back at 16 (which the Gp said was fine but could be higher) however I'd read lots that it needs to be 50 to stop mass fall out and 70 for regrowth. I was given hard core iron tablets 'ferrous sulphate' which I now buy over the counter.

Asp take a vitamin D capsule tablet (5000). Holland and Barrett or amazon.

[Coldtoeswarmheart]

Soooosie, can I ask - did your hair grow back once your iron/ ferritin levels got better? And was your loss all over, or mainly around your crown?

I'm waiting on blood results (appt next week) and suspect they'll say iton is a problem due to heavy periods,

[Coldtoeswarmheart]

Oops

...so would really appreciate a glimmer of hope while I wait!

OP, thinking about hair colour I recently saw a woman with striking pink hair which really suited her, and it took me ages to notice that she had really very sparse hair, and then only because I was sitting above her in a tiered theatre. I can't do that due to work but I am pondering whether to experiment a bit with more natural colours.

[kinkytoes]

Just wanted to add, after the independent hair specialist sold me months and months of expensive lotions etc that did nothing, he admitted to me that hair has on average a 4 year life cycle, so not likely to grow back until then! I was furious. Lo and behold my hair grew back eventually, just like it would have anyway. I lost mine through stress. Not saying it's the same for everyone, but definitely something to bear in mind.

[Coldtoeswarmheart]

Yeah, I keep getting excited about products I hear about - like Nourkrin - but when you actually read the packaging the claims are extremely carefully worded. The only one with clinical trials appears to be Minoxidil, but at this stage I don't know if I'm a suitable candidate, nor how I find out, TBH.

[Seashell70]

Used tresemme volumising mousse last night and that's worked a treat.

I like the pink hair idea too and think ladies I've seen with it look really nice on the whole. However for work reasons I probably couldn't get away with it at the mo either.

Lots of useful comments here though thanks and definitely think there's a lot to be said for looking at diet, vitamins and vitamin levels plus hormones.

[Oldisthenewblack]

Not read all posts as in a a rush so if I'm repeating info, please excuse!

My hair is a lot thinner than it used to be, so you have my sympathies - it's really distressing. My iron levels were just about as low as they could go and thought that may be having an effect so started iron tablets. Iron is slowly working it's way up and my hair shedding has reduced. Can't say hair has re-grown, but apparantly ferritin needs to be over 70 for that to happen.

One thing I found invaluable, though it's purely a cosmetic measure, is Toppik hair fibres. They thicken your hair and cover any scalp that shows through. They really work, and consequently, increase confidence quite a bit. Though obviously, you want to be trying to find out why your hair is thinning, so definitely a GP visit!

Good luck!

[Seashell70]

Hair fibres? Tell me more.

[Oldisthenewblack]

They're available from Boots, though cheaper from Amazon and Ebay. Go to www.toppik.com/ (not sure how to do links but copy and paste if it doesn't work). Seriously, they make a difference! And undetectable. Except for if you run your fingers over your scalp. you will come away with fingertips covered in brown powder! Because it attaches to your own hairs though it doesn't come off as you go about your day to day business, it doesn't even come off it you're working out and sweating, at least in my experience.

There are alternatives - Nanogen fibres for example - but I've found Toppik to be the best.

It looks just like a powdery substance but it's actually miniscule hair fibres that 'bond' to your own hair thereby increasing the thickness of it. I'm sure there are people out there who'll say they've tried it and didn't like it, but seriously, I wouldn't be without it. Covers thinning areas very effectively, thereby increasing confidence.

The Toppik site should tell you all need to know. And when they show the before and after pictures - it really is like that!

[Oldisthenewblack]

And I don't work for them....

[Seashell70]

Ooh, just had a look at the fibres. They look really good and lots of good reviews. Can I ask what colour you have? Wondering how dark the dark brown is? I'm dark but in certain lights look lighter/Warmer especially in the summer.

[Coldtoeswarmheart]

Old, are the fibres easy to use?

[Oldisthenewblack]

Yes, very easy to use, Coldtoes - you just sprinkle them on wherever you need them. I'm quite slapdash about it, just sprinkle on in the general vicinity of the thin parts. If your thinning patches are towards the front then you'll probably get some of the powder (actually fibres) on your forehead, but you just wipe them off.

The Toppik site mentions an applicator: don't bother with this, it's useless. Breaks after a couple of uses and didn't even work when it was new! There's also a hairspray in the range, but i just use regular hairspray, if indeed I use it at all. I even used to put some on my fingers and just rub it in!

It's worth a go, in my opinion.