Hair loss

[wingsnthat]

Hey,

I noticed I had been losing my hair and was recently diagnosed with a skin contact allergy to an ingredient that is really common in hair care products!

Do you think that removing this allergen will allow my hair to grow back, or do you think my hair is permanently lost?

I’m 23 and all of this is new to me. I had been using products containing my allergen my entire life with no reaction, so can’t be 100% sure if it’s a result of my allergy or not. But if it is, I have been using these products for a long time so unsure if any damage is reversible or not.

Would really appreciate any advice as my GP can’t help as it’s cosmetic

Sorry no help OP but following because I'm having the same problem.
Although I was assuming mine was down to stress/weight loss (I am on a pretty strict diet..) not shampoo.
Would be good to know if it's a possibility though.

Oh sorry forgot to ask. What is it in the shampoo you're allergic to??

Has the GP requested blood tests to check, as you’ve used products previously with no problem, that it isn’t a thyroid issue or low ferritin? Have you tried faith in nature or noughty? I don’t suppose anyone could know for sure but hopefully, now you are no longer using allergen containing products, it will grow back.

www.boots.com/sitesearch?searchTerm=Noughty

www.boots.com/sitesearch?searchTerm=Faith%20in%20nature

Thank you both 🤍

Ooops sorry - I am allergic to the fragrance (ingredients of limonene etc). Never thought I was as I have been using fragranced products my entire life with no issue…but reacted to the patch test! Apparently this can happen later in life as you grow a sensitivity!

My GP mentioned stress related hair loss last year - in a way I’m glad I have this allergy diagnosis as I can be more pro-active. It’s hard to prevent stress lol

Yes thorough blood tests have been carried out and they were all fine! Really hoping my hair comes back now. I might post a photo so you can see the shocking difference

Buffalo, it doesn’t sound a great diet if you are suffering hair loss do take care, good luck with the weight loss but maybe get a good multi vitamin or something.

OP At least you know what is is so, as you say, you can be proactive. F.I.N do a fragrance free
www.faithinnature.co.uk/products/fragrance-free-shampoo-400ml/finshampff400.aspx?productid=finshampff400
My hair loss was thyroid-it’s never been quite the same but did improve with treatment. I hope yours grows back soon

It sounds difficult OP, I know hair loss can have a big impact on confidence and self image.
Maybe a scalp massager brush might help, I’ve heard they can stimulate the scalp and aid regrowth/thickness etc - not sure how true that is but I have a couple of friends who swear by them.

@Everythingiswonderful I think it was the fast800 diet, I did it for 6 weeks in November-December time, I was 4 weeks in before I learnt that some people suffer with hair loss on it so too late by then to do anything about it, the "shock" had already happened. 😬 parts are growing back but it's still falling out.
Still dieting now but eating around 1200 cals and taking a good multivitamin.
Just want it to stop I had such lovely hair, it was my best feature

@Everythingiswonderful thank you so much how long did it take you to see a difference after you started treatment? So happy to hear your hair is improving!

@Sparklesocks thank you, that’s a great idea! Boots sell a few, I’ll buy one tomorrow! Yeah it’s been rough suffering with this during the pandemic - kind of lost my identity for a second!

Also worth mentioning I didnt notice hair loss until the end of January.
I had read about the hair loss side effects but thought "nah it wont happen to me!" And I never planned on doing the diet for very long, it was more of a kick start.
There was a fair amount of stress going on at that time so it could be a combination of the two.
From what I've read it sounds like a condition called telogen effluvium, now the process has started it has to run its course

Sorry to derail your thread OP.
Hair loss is awful

Are your bloods REALLY ok? I ask because I started to loose hair two years after giving birth. My gp said my bloods was fine but after a few trips back and lots if genuine tears I was referred to dermatology who said my bloods wasnt fine. My iron was just in the acceptable range but the dermatologist said that all this meant was that I wasnt dead. I had enough iron to function but none spare for hair, nails etc.

Hair loss can have so many possible causes. Even if you think you’ve nailed down a likely cause, have you considered asking for a referral to a dermatologist? I suggest this just based on personal experience - I went to the GP a few years ago as my hair was falling out and it was really getting me down. The GP suggested that I was likely anaemic and/or stressed and referred me for blood tests though those returned normal results. At that point the GP was going to send me away with advice that I should minimise stress and improve my diet etc (even though my diet is pretty good) but I asked for a referral to a dermatologist who on initial consultation said she suspected scarring alopecia and instigated investigations into the underlying cause. I was referred for further more specific tests, and a scalp biopsy, and ultimately was diagnosed with a lupus-like autoimmune disorder. Whilst in my case my lost hair won’t grow back, I am now on meds that are at least preventing further loss so I’m super-grateful that I did ask for a specialist’s opinion when I did.

Good luck OP

@Buffaloskull don’t be silly, you didn’t derail the thread! Thanks for posting - I was also diagnosed with TE. The good thing is that is temporary, provided you can alleviate the stress (easier said than done, I know!)

Minoxidil and hair supplements are still worth trying! Hope it gets better for you, I know how shit it feels

@ConeHat ooo that’s interesting - thank you, is it ferritin and full blood count I should look out for? My ferritin is sometimes low due to veggie diet but I supplement. Was your dermatologist able to help improve your hair loss?

@MoominFeatures thank you very much for your interesting story - sorry that your GP was initially dismissive! I have been discharged from dermatology so I’ll have to ask for a a new referral, unsure if my GP would care about my hair loss though glad that things are improving for you and that you’re able to maintain the hair you currently have. Do you know what triggered your condition or is it just genetic? You have convinced me to call my GP when they reopen, thank you

I have PCOS related hair loss and since starting Dianette a year ago I've seen a big improvement. The hair on my crown used to only grow to about 2 inches before falling out and since treatment it's now growing to about 4 inches and I have more hair. I'll never have thick hair but at least I've stopped worrying about a gust of wind exposing my bald spots. Hopefully the attached pics work (haven't tried before) but they were taken in March 2020 and October 2020

@wingsnthat Autoimmune disorders are a funny thing and unfortunately not enough is known about them to be able to nail down the causal link in every case. In mine a genetic link (at least in part) seems plausible as my mum has an AI disorder (albeit a different one) but we don’t really know.

If you have a diagnosis of TE and have already been seen by dermatology then that seems really encouraging - I’d have thought they’d have spotted a case of scarring alopecia (which is irreversible) as part of that process were it relevant in your case as it has quite distinct hallmarks. But do get yourself some certainty. Your life, your confidence, your self-esteem and your mental health are all really important, too. I’ll keep everything crossed for you.

While writing, just a caveat re minoxidil - if you start on that then you should know that that’s a long term commitment and you will need to keep using it to maintain its effectiveness. As soon as you stop, hair can start falling out again. That said, it can work really very well for those who use it so all I suggest is that you have a good read about it first.

@MilduraS wow! Congratulations, that’s an amazing amount of growth in a relatively short period of time. You must be so happy with the transformation! Hoping it only gets better for you 🤞🏻

@MoominFeatures thanks again for your support and detailed information - you have given me lots to think about! Minoxidil is an expensive, life long commitment; you’re right. I won’t go ahead until I’m comfortable with maintenance. Hoping you’re able to maintain as much of your hair as possible, it must have been a difficult diagnosis