Has anything worked for you against hair loss?

[LaRevolution]

Just that really. Has anything, vitamins/supplements-wise, ever clear ly helped counteract hair loss? I don't particularly want it longer - I just want it to stop thinnng around the temples and front hairline!! I'm 42 and no sign of menopause, generally eat a fairly healthy diet (although avoid diary).

I’ve been using pumpkin seed oil for two months and my hair has stopped shedding. Not sure if I can see any regrowth but I use a thickening shampoo and scrunch dry my hair so it looks thicker and more voluminous.

Sending everyone of you going through the same a big hug.

Minoxidil does work but you have to keep taking it

No idea on cost or whether you need to get it prescribed privately

I use two types
THICK FIBER Root Touch Up Powder, Root Cover Up Hairline Powder for Thin Hair - Water & Sweat Resistant Hair Loss Concealer Set with Hair Powder for Thinning Hair Women, Includes Brush (Light Brown) https://amzn.eu/d/1YWPVzU

And this
Hair Building Fibers, Professional Quality Fibre Hair Powder Spray Hair Fibres Light Brown Hair Loss Concealer for Men and Women for Bald Spots & Thinning Hair (Light Brown) https://amzn.eu/d/gsYmT5v

@IncompleteSenten
Thank you so much, I will look into those 💐

You're welcome. I find them excellent.
I was using regaine for over two years before giving up. Supposed to be brilliant. Didn't help me at all. So I opt for covering it up a bit instead.

I considered having hair tattooed onto my scalp then keeping my hair really short and hoping the combination would look like my hair but I thought do i go brown or grey? What if it looks awful? Powder seems less extreme

Yeah that would be the problem and you wouldn't know how it looked until it was done! There's no dry run with that is there?!
I've just ordered the fibres, they're coming tomorrow! I'll let you know how they go! ❤

Lush New soap. Recommended it to a few people and it worked for them too.

Olaplex shampoo, washing my hair less, silkies scrunching bobble, a collage n supplement from sainsbursy and hair nails and skin supplements. Also getting the mirena coil out helped loads

Good luck! If it's the fibres you've bought rather than the powder go easy on them because they can look very odd if you're heavy handed!

I just did my hair for you 😉
First is how my hair actually is. Middle is with just the fibres on and last is the fibres and the powder.

I use the fibres occasionally too. Very good. Make me a bit itchy though. Might just be my skin.

Started taking menopause tablets (Tesco own brand) and cod liver oil too. Definitely helped regrowth. Think they have biotin in. Incidentally hot sweats stopped. I read the reviews and thought it was rubbish, but it helped. I can tell if I miss taking them.

I don’t know if omega 3 ones are the same as cod liver oil. I need to Google. Definitely joints feel less achey. I’m 52.

Biotin is supposed to help.

Haven't read the full thread, but have you had blood tests? Low ferritin levels can contribute to hair loss. That was the case with me and since I've been taking it religiously, my hair shedding has slowed down greatly. In fact, it's just shedding normal amounts right now.

Didn't work for me at all. It only works on certain types of hair loss and the reason can only be determined with blood tests by a trichologist.

This will do absolutely nothing for actual hair loss.

It really depends on the cause of your hair loss. Certain types of alopecia are not going to be helped by minoxidil or supplements.

Also there are two elements, tackling hair loss in the sense of trying to retain the hair you have and promoting hair growth either at a more rapid rate or of new hair.

Assuming you have a 'treatable' type of hair loss:

I have never found biotin effective. I take sea kelp, which expedites growth, a decent multivitamin and iron supplements.

Nioxin will probably help reduce the hair loss and also thickens the hair shaft giving an illusion of more hair, I alternate between this and Kerastase Genesis. I use minoxidil daily as this has been shown to increase blood flow to the scalp and stimulate growth. Like a pp I buy men's Regaine when on offer and use this every morning combined with a 5 minute scalp massage.

I use a growth oil as a mask a couple of times per week, but it's important that this is shampooed out after as can clog the scalp.

All of this working is based on militant consistency and don't expect to see results for a couple of months.

My hair was in a terrible state following a bout of covid and some extreme stress, huge thinned patches and areas of complete baldness. I now have thicker hair than I ever had before.

My hair is horrendous at the moment but I use Dermmatch to mask it.
You can get it on their website. It masks the bald/thin patches. I've tried many products over the years and I find this is the most effective but for the best results you need to follow the instructions.
My hair is mid brown but I use the light brown I felt the mid brown had a reddish tint to it.

Definitely get blood tests.

Also when I stopped hair dye to the roots, semi retired my hair dryer and started using tongs my hair recovered.

My hair thinned significantly from early to mid 40's, I tried all sorts of things but none worked.

I then went on hrt for general menopause symptoms and the hair loss stopped.
I hadn't considered that it was perimenopause.

STOPPING using Olaplex worked for me.

@IncompleteSenten Aww thank you hon, I really do appreciate that. And it looks brilliant! I'll remember your tip about the heavy handedness, thank you! That looks like something that would make me feel better about going out, can't wait to try it! 💐

Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate these responses, especially @IncompleteSenten for sharing her experience - I feel like I need to stop complaining, really! I still have a lot of hair, but literally probably about 2/3 of what I had my whole life, until I was about 30ish, when it started thinning postpartum and started becoming a lot less curly. I had masses of ringlets until then, so perhaps it just feels more stark because I had so much to start with. The other issue of that I've got a considerable amount of grey, and stopped highlighting my hair a few years ago when I realised I was allergic to PPD. I think the grey, especially at the front, doesn't help, as it's not broken up at all and seems almost transparent in places.

I've used a silk bonnet and silk pillowcase for years, and only use heat once in a blue moon (although weirdly I saw an article yday about how air-drying may be drying our hair out - who knew?!)

I also never brush it, as it's curly - just use an afro comb when it's wet and then rake product through.

I think I'll start with iron supplements and take it from there - thanks again for all your input.

Oh no, don't feel like that at all! I hope I didn't come across like hey unless you're as bald as a cueball, and doing a combover from your armpits, whatcha fretting about... :D

Hair loss really affects your confidence, it's just so visible and it's easy to feel insecure about it.

I hope the supplements help you and if you need a little help while you wait then I highly recommend the products I mentioned above.

IncompleteSenten I’m late to this chat and always pounce on any thinning hair chats, but just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing photos of the stages. About 13 years since mine started thinning nothing has helped in the slightest. I felt the only other option is the wig route but feel 99% sure I will cope even less and feel even more self conscious. Your photos have encouraged me to try the spray etc and as you say not to be heavy handed. If I can get to grips with it I’ll try to share photos. LaRevolution I too had curls now it’s so thin with fewer and fewer strands to curl as they only emphasise the thinness!

Supplements and potions have done nothing sadly, GP simply ignored my plea.

Hi all, thanks OP for starting this useful conversation and especially @IncompleteSenten for the photos and great advice.

I'm 44, losing weight (so far 15kg down since April, another 40kg to go until goal) and for the past week having extreme shedding - handfuls each day, can now see plenty of shiny scalp in the mirror where previously I couldn't.

My hair has always been on the fine side since kids, and 6 years ago was part of being diagnosed with Hashimotos thyroiditis which is now treated with levothyroxine.

I've also long had a tendency to be anaemic.

GP has kindly agreed to test iron and thyroid for me next Tuesday, which should shed some light. I've been taking Biotin but will avoid from today in case that messes results up as some kind PP suggested.

I think I will order fibres and powder to hide my scalp on work Zoom calls!

After the blood tests I'll resume supplementing Biotin, will step up iron, B12, folate, and keep up with collagen.

I use a paraben-free shampoo and conditioner that I like and have used for years so think I'll stick with those. I'm thinking of maybe putting castor oil on overnight a couple of times a week...

I might also try Minoxidil but only if my scalp isn't irritated (I have a history of quite sensitive scalp and don't want to make that worse).

If anyone else has any recommendations I'm all ears! @IncompleteSenten where do you buy your wigs please? I'm thinking I may need to try one if this rate of loss continues much longer...