I seem to be going bald - help!

[Harvestmoon49]

I wasn't sure where to put this but hopefully people can help!
Have just got back from a lovely weekend away and was looking through photos & videos with dd.

I had no idea that I have a small bald spot and it looks awful 🙁
The hair is clearly thinning and you can clearly see my scalp!
I'm 53, so definitely menopausal but generally very fit and eat well etc
Is there anything I can do? Any treatments that work? Will it get worse?!
If I'm honest, I feel devastated about it 🙁

Get your iron levels checked. I found out by chance that I'm aneamic - and iron shortage clearly has caused hairloss in my case.

Did it cause you hair loss or baldness? I'm not shedding loads like I did post pregnancy but have a noticeable bald spot (like a man!)
But I will get it checked as I have been anaemic in the past, thank-you.

I really don't want to worry you but there was a thread started in Womans Health recently about Female Pattern Baldness. Apparently this condition is linked to aging and hormones. I'd never heard of it but as I suffer from Male Pattern Baldness I was interested in the thread and looked the condition up.

I'm not saying that is what you have but I really think you should get medical advice because its important to start trying treatments earlier rather than later if it turns out to be the case.

Hopefully the pp who suggested anaemia as the cause is correct.

Thank-you, I will try and find the thread!

You will need to see a dermatologist, specifically one who deals with hair loss. I wasted time and money seeing trichologist and other practitioners who were ultimately unable to help.

@Beachpelican did the dermatologist you saw help? What treatment did you receive?
I also don't know how to find one?!

The dermatologist was the only one able to help. My problem is different to yours but hair/scalp related. I could recommend one but don't know where you live. The one I used is in London. Not cheap but a priority for me as no woman wants to lose her hair.

Super complex vitamin B and L'Occitane strength & volume shampoo worked for me. Took about 2 months before noticing regrowth but 18 months later my hair is lovely again.
If you are on Facebook there is a page called The Menopausal Mayhem Mothers & she endorses products related to menopause. (She is also extremely funny at times if you need a laugh). She was showing some hair products which worked wonders for her. Worth a look.

@CoffeeBeansGalore what vitamin b do you take? Any recommendations?

This is very similar to me, I saw a trichologist and it really helped. I've started a thread in the AMA topic but don't know how to link to it!

This is what I take. Available on eBay. Just one a day.

Do you wear glasses perched on top of your head op?

As soon as I stopped doing this my hair grew back!

Shedding - my ponytail is pathetic! I started iron tablets this week - should (haha) see the results within a couple of months I've been told. I'm 52 so feel your anxiety about hairloss - it's shit!

Ohhh that's a good one! As I have zillions of sticky up bits on top of my head - and I always have specs or headsets on!

I’m would just buy Minoxidil from Amazon.

Oh my god yes I do!!
This time of year my sunglasses are permanently perched on my head - not from today though!!!
Thank you 😊

My dd said my bun is like a raisin and my ponytail is pathetic too!
It's depressing isn't it? Just as everything else is falling apart physically my hair starts to go crappy too!!!

have you had covid or any other illness recently? some posters here said they lost hair many weeks after covid.

or any medications- anti malarials are notorious for this but it should come back eventually.

besides iron check thyroid, anything else doc can think of. even if it is just hormones it may be temporary.

Yes, I've just had Covid a few weeks ago, have actually been quite poorly - unusual for me.
Would it cause a bald spot though? I'd have presumed it would be more general hair loss/thinning but I might be wrong!

I agree with getting things checked out medically, but in the interim I suggest also not putting your hair into ponytails and buns. It sounds as though it is quite fragile and they won't be helping.

Yeah it's shit! What helps me is having highlights and using a salt spray for texture. Then at night I used Weleda rosemary hair oil to stop my hair turning into hay ;-)