To make a doctor appointment about my hair ...

[ilovelamp2]

Feel a bit silly about it but in the last month or two my hair has completely changed in texture from relatively smooth, straight and shiny to dry, brittle, frizzy and crispy. Two big chunks have snapped off completely leaving frizzy tufts (thankfully they are not on the top layer so not very visible.). The rest is now really frizzy and kinky (?!) Really worried that more of it will snap off or that this could be the beginning of hair loss ... I am 39.

Sorry for long post but to avoid drip feeding:

I have not changed anything in my hair care routine. It is in a bob, I wash it every two to three days, blow dry but no straightening. I do the roots myself every 6 - 8 weeks with the same brand of dye I've used for 20 years.

Could it be stress related? I have had a pretty crappy few months. Skin cancer, ugly graft, random other illness which resulted in hospital admission, a few other biopsies. All clear now but looking back, when I saw my graft for the first time it was the lowest point of my life ... totally lost it - think I went into shock actually.

So - what should I do? Reading about how brittle hair can be linked to anemia and thyroid issues but symptoms don't really match up, apart from tiredness and occasional insomnia. But then I have just returned to my full time, pretty demanding job and have a five year old so who wouldn't be feeling tired?!

I have had more appointments these last few months than I have had in my whole life - don't want Dr to think I am some sort of hypercondriac but thinking I should try to rule out any kind of physical/stress related condition before I go down the route of extra iron/vitamins or expensive organic shampoo.

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Could it be that they've changed the formula of whatever you use as hair dye? Just trying to think of other problems- I'm waiting for results back from a series of tests done last week atm: other symptoms too, but also losing hair by the handfuls (I'd put this down to stress for a couple of years, but couple with everything else, which I'd put down to medication side effects, dr friend persuaded me to go to GP and just check!).

They're looking for thyroid, menopause and anaemia (and TB ): GP was lovely about it - I felt really silly mentioning such minor things, and she immediately snapped into action, whilst at the same time telling me she was just being careful, and she was sure that everything would come back fine (not in a nasty way, in a really reassuring one). I'd definitely go and have a check - worst case scenario, you lose a phial of blood: best case, you discover you need to eat more liver [we need a vomit icon!] or something. It's awful when your hair is affected - I've mashed mine in the past (the only time it broke off part way through was when I inadvertantly used toilet cleaner instead of intensive conditioner) but it really hammers your confidence.

Good Luck!

OP, what makes you think that expensive shampoos will help rather than diet and general health?

Your GP has many better uses of his/her time than discussing your hair woes.

Do you use heat protection on your hair?
When you dry it don't have it on the highest speed and heat as it will burn your hair.
The best shampoos and conditioners are ones from the salons as they don't extra crap in to make them froth.( try big discount stores or online to get them cheap, i get mine for £20 and they're huge bottles) You don't need to use loads either.
When i was loosing my hair because of medication, i took 1000mg biotin and 2 folic acid tablets everyday.
I also used a hair tonic/serum from boots for thinning hair.

Kungpop the gp will be interested, as it could well be linked to something going on in her body.
Mine were side effects of medication.
It weren't stupid of me for telling my doctor about loosing my hair as it meant i had to stop taking the meds.

Another GP here saying this is a good reason for an appointment -definitely not wasting anyone's time.

There may be no underlying problem - my hair texture changed completely in my mid-twenties for no apparent reason. Get it checked out though.

PS all the usual medical reasons for hair changing are easily treated e.g. thyroid so please don't worry.

Mine came out in handfuls, so much so that I realised one day that my plait was half the width it used to be. I've had to cut my hair, bra strap length to pixie. There are no bald patches, but it's all changed texture and gone much straighter than usual.

Currently thyroid results are borderline, but I have symptoms (exhaustion, aches etc) so the doc said she would treat as "sub-clinical."

I'm going to get some vit D after reading this thread!

Wow! Lots of us in a similar situation then. All of this is really helpful. Guess I won't know if it's product or health related until I'm tested. Just waiting for GPs office to open.

Monkey- fibrology - is that what is in L'Oreal Elvive? I have been using that Total Restore one ... And exactly the same hair dye as you. I have checked the box. The only 'new' bit seems to be 'twice as much conditioner.' Ironic!

Kungpop - I have a balanced diet (part form the next week, obviously!) and am fit and active (well, can't go the gym yet but am certainly not unhealthy.)

Here's hoping today is a good hair day for us all. Although I'm off to Edinburgh Christmas markets in the rain and wind so I'm thinking probably not ...

Good luck with the Drs.

My hair is the same as you've described. I stopped dying it, I now have it short so its not being blasted so much with a hair dryer, minimal products. It still sometimes goes dry as hell. I do have a hashimotos disease (thyroid) as well as some ferritin and B12 retention issues. GP sent me for a vit D test. It never got run. They decided not to send me again when the hashimotos was discovered.

My B12 and ferritin are easily treated, the hashmitos isn't at the moment. Probably explains why my hair's condition comes and goes. Best thing I've found is plantur 39. Its for fine and brittle hair. My hair is anything but fine! However it does seem to be helping with the brittle side.

lots of luck OP :) it is absolutely worth checking out since internal problems often show up by 'sacrificing' the hair first. Plus an unwanted change in looks can be so demoralising and if the GP can help with that then why not?

Be glad it's breaking off rather than falling out!
I believe telogen effluvium means it's falling out at the roots rather than the hair shaft snapping so I doubt it's that.

You could maybe try a henna treatment which coats the hair and is supposed to then make it stronger.
Also I would try and cut out the hairdryer for a while. It's probably not the cause but might be adding to it. If you think about it - if your hair is damaged then you probably shouldn't be using lots of heat on it. Also perhaps try a wide toothed comb & leave it down, not tied up as much as possible, to reduce any strain on the roots.

Just trying to think of what it could be.....I have had hair probs too but not like what you describe. All I can think of is allergy or deficiency.

Your GP has many better uses of his/her time than discussing your hair woes.

Really? Given hair loss can be a symptom of things the GP might like to be aware of as many other posters have said, I think you're missing the point rather.

I had telogen effluivium which isn't the same thing BUT the GP was glad I had spoken to them about it because they checked my thyroid levels (I already have an underactive thyroid) and my Vit D and iron levels. All were fine but the GP was happy to look into it

Wouldn't vitamin deficiencies or other medical issues affect only the new growth of hair though? I can see why those things could make your hair fall out, but why would they cause the length of your hair to suddenly change texture or snap off?

I would have thought this was due to heat or chemical damage (but then I'm not an expert). Are you sure nothing has changed in your hair care routine e.g. have you been drying your hair at a higher temperature or has the formula of your hair dye changed?

Girl true but it might be growing in as brittle etc?
It could have started ages ago but only be noticeable now as more of the length has grown out IYSWIM. So it's maybe not the hair she had when it was smooth but all new hair, which has always been brittle.

OP, when the hair broke off was it at the same length? Could it be possible that if, for example, it breaks to 2 inches long (approx 4 months' growth for me) that something has happended 4 months ago? Perhaps a drug you took or perhaps the formula of the hair dye changed?

it could be a symptom of stress, even if there was a stressful event months before?

Apologies for not replying - been spending a small fortune in Edinburg Christmas markets ...

Have appt for Tuesday so will wait and see. In the mean time I have bought some of the Herbal Essences 0% range which has no parabens/silicone/colourants in. I am going to go cold turkey on the hair dryer too and see what happens. If my hair returns to its previous state by Monday then I will cancel the appt.

Thanks again for all of your advice - good to know that there are a few of us out there and that people understand how important these things are!

Update - just because I hate to get to the end of a thread and not have an answer! Sure no one is reading this now anyway!

Slightly side tracked with hair trauma as managed to attract the ghastly flu and a nasty chest infection slap bang between Christmas and New Year - could have been worse. No blood tests taken as results would have been skewed but actually, now lurgy has left me, hair is much improved. I am using the 0% range for natural essences and have a new hair styling brush thing which is much softer than my radio a brush and dries for the inside up so the top! damaged part is not blasted with hot air. So far so good.

Hope the new year has started well for you all!

Thanks for the update, I was following your thread. Glad it's improving!

I had brittle hair last year. Going on the pill (Yasmeen) was the main culprit. Hair liss can also be linked to low ferritin levels. Despite the GP telling my levels were fine at 15, all the websites said they needed to be 50 or 70 +. Hormones can also be linked to har loss - periods/pregnancy/menopause. Yes get thyroid checked. Also vitamin D

thanks for updating! i was actually thinking about this thread as i washed my hair the morning, an wondering how you'd got on.

what's your new hair-styling thing?

happy new year! :)

It's a Babyliss ultimate brush drier - looks like a vacuum cleaner attachment but works brilliantly! It kind of roles your hair up and down on a really soft brush and dries as it goes. Love it. No more frizz on the top of my head!

Sorry - rolls, not roles ...

That sounds fab! My hair has gone realllllly dry again lately. When it's wet, it's hard to get a comb through as some sections are so tangled and break-y. :(

Second the oil - I had this same problem and saw a trichologist (rather than a GP). She was very helpful and basically told me to do what Kitty says above (although I find the Kiehl's miracle oil better than olive oil). It also turned out that adding a filter to my shower made a world of difference to my hair.