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

That's brilliant. Thank you, gran. x

You're welcome. Just remember it seems to get worse before it gets better so you have to commit for a few months before you see any benefit. Of course that probably varies but it is how it worked for me.

Hi, just coming back to this thread to ask about marine collagen peptides. The best seems to be a brand called Correxico, but you can only buy from Amazon or directly from Correxico, but they have terrible customer service reviews and I don't like buying products from Amazon that I put in my body, given all the dupes.

My hair shedding was absolutely awful yesterday When I brushed it before washing, it was like I'd put Immac on my scalp or something (slight exaggeration, but bloody loads nevertheless) Slowed down a bit today, thank goodness.

Dp says I'm becoming obsessed, because I'm constantly running my fingers through my hair. They may have a point, but it really is horrible.

It was the B12 for me, but my folic and iron levels were low too

Have you had your vitamin D level checked OP?

Worth speaking to a tricologist as it sound like age related thinning especially if its concentrated around your hairline. Spironolactone worked wonders for my skin and hair. Otherwise if you just want natural extensions that people can't see Lucinda Ellery is very good.

I saw a trichologist who prescribed minoxidil at approx £250 for 3 months. It absolutely works, but I now use regaine from Boots. Works just as well and is a fraction of the price.

Are you getting treatment for your heavy periods? I had exactly this problem about 12 years ago and my brilliant gp gave me iron tablets but said I also needed to address the heavy bleeding problem or the cycle would just continue. In my case I had a mirena coil fitted, end of awful periods and iron levels improved. You also need to be seeing a dermatologist who is medically trained rather than a trichologist who will want to sell you something, if you can get a referral. I chose not to go down the minoxidil route as it’s forever and I didn’t want to commit. My hair is improved, not as it was but ok

@Kerplunkk, I'm pretty sure the hair supplements I already take have B12 in it, but don't think it's a huge amount.

@Jampot1, I'm waiting for my results, but I do take a vit d supplement and have been for several months.

@snowwhite83, if nothing shows up in my blood tests, then I will go down that route.

@bluetongue I think oral minoxidil is used by some dermatologists in the uk, but it's still off-label use.

From what I read it's very effective. Might be worth going to a Derm op?

I’ve had success with Lambwrt’s Florisene; has iron, b12, vit C, selenium, zinc and some amino acids in it, but sound alike you’ve got most of those covered,
As a pp said, pcos is another cause. Low carb diet to control insulin release is helpful for that, along with spearmint tea.

Tea rinsing before you wash your hair will stop the shedding. Boil water and put in about 4 green tea bags and let them sit. You can add essential oils like peppermint , rosemary, tea tree and lavender too if you want. The spray onto scalp and massage in for a few mins. Leave 20 mins or so and get into the shower and pour the rest over your hair then wash etc as normal. I don’t lose one hair washing when I do this. Also fenugreek seeds - soak them overnight and do the same , brilliant for hair loss. I’ve another recipe too I will post later. I take a lot of supplements but I have read that what you apply to your scalp is far more effective compared to what you take internally for hair loss. I also use grow mans shampoo and serum - i think it has helped and it makes your hair looks v thick

@CrystalMaisie, that's actually the one I take and have done for a couple of years. How many do you take?

@workshy44, I had heard something about tea rinsing before actually. Do you have to do it every time? Do you think it's just the caffeine? Tbh, most of my shedding is day to day, when running my fingers through or brushing before washing. When I actually wash, I don't usually lose that much. Last time was definitely more than usual though.

I just wanted to update. I had my hair cut yesterday and asked my hairdresser what she thought about the thickness of my hair over the last 18 months. She said it wasn't that bad for my age but 18 moths ago it was definitely a bit thin on top and particularly on the crown and it is now very much thicker.

Thought a report from a hairdresser might be of interest.

I had thinning hair from mid thirties, and found that vitamin supplements did help over a long period. I used to take Wellwoman, now I take a Pharmanord women's multivitamin. My hair will nwver be quite the same but I can make the best of it. Good shampoo helps!

When I stopped taking it my hair reverted to thinning so there is something in it which is helping. I am not sure what!

@ancientgran, that's great 👍

@Gregwiggle, I think right now my main aim is to stop or at least really slow the shedding. I can get over the fact that it's not as it was and I expected thinning as part of aging, but when it comes out as much as it has, it's genuinely really upsetting, as you don't feel you have any control.

My test results all came back as normal, although they didn't check my ferritin levels and I suspect they're still quite low. I think it was 3 or 4 months ago since that was tested and they wanted to give it 6.

Mine falls out dramatically when my iron level is low. Have you tried Spatone? It's a brilliant iron supplement and much more easily absorbed than tablets (with none of the unpleasant side effects!). Two sachets in OJ a day sort me out quite quickly. Avoid tea/coffee for an hour either side of taking it, the tannins in tea stop the absorption. Hope correcting your levels sort out the hair loss, it worked for me

@Goldenphoenix, I take Floradix twice a day (when I remember) which I think is basically the same as Spatone?...

Hi, no Spatone is naturally iron rich water. It basically tastes just like iron (as you would expect!). I find it much more effective than any other supplements I have ever tried so maybe worth a try x

Just wondering how you are getting on? OP @Iliketequilatoomuch