To think that hair thining in 30/40's is common, but our mothers' considered themselves too old to care by then so never thought to prepare us for it?

[Justheretogiveaviewfrommyworld]

I guess I'm asking for reassurance more than anything else really. I am mid 40's but since I was 30 (had my kids at 19 &23) my hair started to thin and curl noticeably and become, well, scraggly for want of a more elegant word. Now, there are funny (strange, not ha ha) bald patches on my crown, parting and near the front. It makes me feel quite low to be honest. Never been much of a looker and can't and never have been able to afford expensive clothes and make up, also had to use food banks for a bit over the years.

Anyway what made me ask my question was, I was at work and the TV was on and there was that advert for the green anti hair loss shampoo in women and it set me thinking that it must be quite a wide spread thing, but afaik no-one really talks about it and I never see women in the media with similar issues, unless alopecia like Gayle Porter. My Mum never talked about it. Anyone else wondering...

all sorts of things can affect hair growth. Do you take any supplements? the pregnacare type vitamins are good all rounders for hair growth.

another factor I would say is that here in the uk the markers for treating underactive thyroid are a lot different than in other parts of the world. I think a lot of women suffer all kinds of weird body changes and no one gives much of a shit because women, to be perfectly honest. Look at how many women suffer for years with things like endometriosis, fibroids etc, and just kind of get shrugged at by doctors.

You're right though that we need to take the shame and stigma out of it.

No I don't take supplements, but will have a look at the generic ones when I'm in town, thanks!

I'm almost 60 and haven't lost any of my hair yet!

From what you describe, OP, I think you should take a trip to your GP and let her have a look at your scalp.

And I like blaming my mother for everything as much as the next woman likes to blame her mother, but I don't think we can legitimately blame our mothers for hair thinning as we age.

I’m 36. I experienced hair loss directly after pregnancy but none since. Neither did any of my family to my knowledge.

While I agree with you the stigma should definitely be gone, I don’t think it’s normal.

Mine is thicker now than ever in my life, and I am 60!

Mind you I never had children and I suspect pregnancy plays hell with hair. (and tearing it out when baby has been screaming all night probably wouldn't help)

Not normal for me. I'm quite grey but I've got bloody loads of it at 40.

Ok, will ask when I'm next at the Drs, then. Thanks all.

My mum was 30 in 1996, I don’t think she would consider herself “too old to care by then” what an odd statement.

My hair is shockingly thin but so is my DMs added to that I have an under active thyroid.im dreading the years to come.

I’m nearly 43, lots of hair- albeit quite grey now.

My Mum is 60 and has really thick hair so no she's never said anything about hair loss and I've only experienced a few hairs falling out after pregnancy.
I do agree the stigma should be gone and maybe take a trip to your GP to get your thyroid levels checked though

Dithering, I'm guessing you're younger than me? My mother and most of the mothers I knew, considered themselves 'old married women' and they were married at 20 in the main. Sorry to have offended you though.

Mine has become thinner and my mother's was thin. I don't think heat treatment and colouring for 40 years has done it any favours though. I've left it alone for a few months now, reverting to my natural colour (grey) and it seems to be reviving a bit.

I don't think it helps that many celebrities (and indeed well groomed women) wear extensions, wigs and hairpieces now. I think to some extent, we've lost sight of natural hair looks like.

I'd go against all the responses here and say I totally agree with you. My hair is thinning awfully now I'm late thirties (and five years post partum). Had bloods done at the docs and told everything was fine. I'm healthy and eat well and exercise. Have tried supplements. Yet still clumps of the stuff fall out in the shower.

I noticed in Church the other day all the women of 60+ have short hairstyles. When looking closer I'm convinced it's because they've all got thinning hair.

Hair thinning is not unusual as you approach menopause. I would go to your gp though in case it is something else.

There is very little info on the menopause on the nhs website. My experience this far has been 'use some lube and it's part of the menopause'. My options seem to be hrt or nothing.

Sorry, bit of a ramble.

I'm nearly 40 and mine has gone so thin since my pregnancies. My older sister has enough hair for 3 people and takes a large dose of thyroid medication, I wonder if there's a link

Op it sounds from what you have described like you could be suffering from genetic hair loss, and I think yours might be a case for a treatment such as Regaine. Don’t take my word for it though - on Regaine can get worse before it gets better apparently. I have thin hair which I don’t think is necessarily caused by female pattern baldness, it’s just v fine and delicate and when mistreated by straighteners and bleach it can break easily. It also sheds every three years quite noticeably. I am taking supplements of iron, kelp, biotin and collagen in the hope they may do something, and treating it with deep conditioners regularly. It has improved.

Don’t suppose you have a mirena coil op? I had one for 18 months a few years ago and lost loads of my hair, and it hasn’t really grown back at all. A quick search of the interweb shows that it’s quite common for this to happen with the —bastard— mirena.

I like your name, MyHair. Peroni, that could be it I suppose, I'll dig the old photos out later.

Never had a coil, but have been on the pill periodically over the years.

Doesn't always follow.

I'm in my late 60s and have very thick hair.

Try evening primrose oil. Not even the fact I have a thyroid problem could stop that product from doubling my hair’s thickness.

My mums 70 in a few years and has thick hair. It’s grey and wiry but definitely not thinning.

I've just turned 53 and the hairdresser had to take a razor to my hair to thin it out when I went for a cut today.