Please help me with my thinning hair! 😩

[Iliketequilatoomuch]

Hi,

I have this running in S&B, but am also posting it here for traffic.

So I'm another one who used to have gorgeous thick, glossy hair, but over the past few years, it's reallyreallythinned. I used to need to use special hair clips for thick hair, as nothing would contain it. Now, when I bunch it all together in a pony tail, it's the diameter of a 10p piece

Because my hair is quite coarse, it can still look reasonably thick, but I would say it's half the thickness it was 10 years ago. The loss has really accelerated over the past few years.

Every time I run my fingers through, I get anywhere between 2 and 10 hairs. When I brush before washing, it'sloads. Same as when I dry it. Hairs are all over the carpet and it's a constant battle to de hair.

Thinking about it though, I've always lost a lot of hair, but it always stayed thick, so never worried about it. I'm obviously not getting enough/any re growth. Although I do have a few baby hairs at the top of my head, thinking about it. I hope it's re growth and not breakage anyway!

I'm also getting loads of grey and desperately want to dye it, but terrified of this increasing the loss. I have very dark brown hair, so it's a harsh contrast.

I do have quite low ferritin levels, due to heavy periods, so assume it's that, but can't seem to top it up enough. Started at 10, think it's now low 20's, but I heard it's needs to be 70 plus for regrowth...so a long way to go. I take as much ferrous fumarate as I can tolerate - 1 tablet ever 2-3 days and eat more red meat, spinach and have started taking floradix the past 2 or 3 months, but no improvement. If anything, the loss seems to have accelerated the past few weeks.

I'm having a thyroid test next week, but is there anything I can do in the meantime?

TIA

Just giving this a hopeful/ desperate bump

I have had the same problem, over lockdown, 18 months, I’ve taken Iron and also Perfectil Skin, Hair and nails.
It has only just begun to make a visible difference, my nails are better than ever and my hair seems thicker at the roots.
I think it’s a long term strategy with no quick fixes.

@Beebumble2, glad to hear you're seeing improvements. Did you also have low ferritin levels? I assumed Petfectil was just an expensive version of all other skin/hair/nails supplements tbh. Maybe I should check the ingredients list against the Florisense I take.

I'm also wondering if maybe I'm using too much dry shampoo 🤔 I wash my hair twice a week and spritz the day before washing, so twice a week also and I do use quite a bit. There's no direct link apparently, but if follicles are clogged and unhealthy, this can cause hair loss....so there kind of is a link imo.

*Perfectil

I never had thick hair but a couple of years ago I noticed the parting getting wider. I've tried different things but the one that has worked for me is Nioxin, I use the shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment. It was 2 or 3 months before I could see a difference. They do various formulations eg. advanced thinning, chemically treated hair etc.

It actually seemed to make my hair worse at first so you need to persevere with it. My hairdresser has commented on how much thicker my hair looks.

Don't know if it would work for everyone but just thought it was worth a mention.

I hear you...I went to the dr and was found to have a slightly interactive thyroid. Seven months on from religiously taking my meds and a daily hair and nail supplement and I think it's getting better (or at least no worse). Hang on in there!

@ancientgran, do you know what the cause of your hair loss was? Glad you've had success with Nioxin. Is it the male strength you use? I heard that this is the only one strong enough to make a difference.

@ilovespinach , that's great! I really had to push for my thyroid test for next week. Dr doesn't think I need it. If it comes back normal, I'll want to see a specialist, which I'll no doubt have to pay for.

OK in a rush, but a few pointers....

Get alllll the blood tests
Viviscal hair loss tablet programme
Nioxin men's
Starpowa HSN

And have a look at Truahair on Instagram

Good luck

I use Nioxin too. It took a good few months to really get the benefit but my hair is so much healthier and thicker. I use the system 3 for light thinning/coloured hair, and buy from allbeauty.com. I also use the hair thickening spray as it doesn't leave your hair all tacky like others.

www.nioxin.com/en-GB/products/nioxin-systems/system-kit-3

For me it was caused by my thyroid. I'd gotten to the bald patches stage. The medication works really well for me, my hair is still fine but it's so much better than it was before I got my thyroid checked.

I would second nioxin - I use cleasnser shampoo step 1 - progressed thinning. It is pricy but a huge bottle goes a long way. I also apply a little pure castor oil to my hair before shampooing and it stops it getting too dry (I am old so I will never regain my thick swishy hair. )
I am on Thyroxin for underactive thyroid and have tried many food supplements to ensure I am getting enough vitamins etc.
It really is a long game to get it put right - I acceept my hair will never fully recover but with patience it can be improved.

Stress is bad for hair and skin - try to de-stress !

I don't use the male strength, I think mine is 6, progressed thinning for coloured hair. I agree with bunnybuggs if you buy the big bottles then last for ages.

I think mine started after a difficult few months at work, when I announced my retirement they turned against me and it was awful. I also lost alot of weight, again probably stress related. Plus I'm old so I think hair does thin. I'm happy with mine now, if it stays like this or close to this I won't be complaining.

I ended up going to a dermatologist. Like you, I was always shedding but thought it was normal. I went to my GP for help when my temples started to thin dramatically.

Currently taking 50mg spironolactone, 1mg oral minoxidil (not sure if this is available in the UK) and an iron supplement.

My GP ran blood tests and all was normal apart from ferritin which was 14. Hormone levels were tested and came back normal too. Some women have hair follicles that are sensitive to male hormones even if they are at normal levels.

The good news is I’ve had loads of regrowth at my temples and I can wear my hair up again. I still have a thin ponytail but apI never really had very thick hair anyway.

Thanks for everyone's advice

Nioxin seems to be very popular. I think I always avoided because I assumed it would be made with quite harsh chemicals. Especially the mens one and you have to completely commit don't you?

I've requested more blood tests along side the thyroid check, so am waiting to hear back from the GP. Hopefully they'll check my vit d, b12 etc.

Today has been particularly bad. Every time I run my fingers through, I get at least 5 to 10 hairs. My dd even commented that my hair "looks different " It's really scary, because if it keeps going at this rate and my regrowth has completely stopped

I could honestly cry and do

How old are you OP? Could it be menopause? My aunt had HRT and my mum didn’t. Mum has hair loss, aunt has thick, coarse hair. Mum always says it was down to HRT! Mum had a lot of stress in her life and also smoked, whereas my aunt never had. Are you eating well?
Mum found scalp massage beneficial to a small degree, she also uses Plantur39.

Not a solution but to help cover thinning areas I use Toppik hair fibres. It's a bit like talc, but helps to fill in the gaps and make hair look fuller.

@Suzi888, I'm mid 30's, so unlikely, but I suppose peri isn't so unlikely.

I would say I eat well. I'm not a 'my body is a temple' type, but overall, I'd say my diet was pretty good.

@FleetwoodRaincoat, thanks. I have a friend who uses this actually and it certainly helps with her confidence.

minoxidil worked well for me but it is a permanent commitment. I would say my hair is good now and I don't do anything other than wash it and let it dry naturally (chin length choppy bob). I have one thinnish spot on top but the rest of my hair hides it well. I use the men's 5% Regaine liquid from Boots (you waste a lot with the foam IME). I used to get it through a trichologist but it was three times the price.

@Iliketequilatoomuch my mum was 36-admittedly she’s 79 now. I hope you manage to get some regrowth, I know it’s devastating to lose hair. There are some excellent clip in hair extensions around too as pp mentioned.

My sister has had her thyroid removed,and us on thyroxine. Her hair is thinning and has,even stooped growing on one side. It's miserable for her. For people who have had good results from nioxin, which number system us it that you're using? Thanks.

I find Viviscal brilliant. I've taken them on about 3 different occasions when my hair has started falling and thinning and I can generally notice a difference within 4-6 weeks. I really rate these supplements - my hair has come back thick I and strong each time. Expensive but you can get them on 3 for 2 at Boots. I did quite a bit of research before buying them initially and found loads of positive reviews and testaments online. I also only use salon brand haircare - Olaplex, Kerastase or Pureology - I think supermarket brands can be very harsh, especially if your hair is coloured. Viviscal have a haircare range as welll, including shampoo and conditioner I think. Good luck!

Upping my protein ingestion and taking daily zinc tablets has helped me in the hair department.

Viviscal did nothing for me and I spent a fortune on the tablets for over a year. Should have put the money towards a wig!

I’ve got pcos and thinning hair is one of the symptoms .

@Westchesterarms

My sister has had her thyroid removed,and us on thyroxine. Her hair is thinning and has,even stooped growing on one side. It's miserable for her. For people who have had good results from nioxin, which number system us it that you're using? Thanks.

If you go to the Nioxin site there is a questionnaire, if you go through it will tell you which one you need. It varies by hair type, if it's coloured/chemically treated, how bad the thinning is.