AIBU to ask how to help stop my hair from falling out?

[user0786]

Posting on AIBU for traffic

Hi,

So, I've recently been losing a lot of hair in the shower and when brushing my hair. I'm starting to worry a bit and I was wondering if anyone knows how I can help stop this whenever I brush my hair or have a shower? I'm 25 but I worry I'll have next to no hair left by the time I'm 35!

Thanks

Speak to your GP.

Thyroid issues
low ferritin
low B12
low vitamin D

can all cause hair loss. Ask for a blood test to check your levels. I was losing clumps of hair long before any other symptoms developed, I wish I’d spoken to a GP sooner.

No advice as I’m in exactly the same boat as you. I usually lose my hair when I’m in the shower and when I brush. Today I lost quite a bit so I was Googling at 7am this morning 🙄. It could be down to an iron deficiency and my iron levels are always dipping. Same with folates.
I did also read that when you have a shower and wash your hair, it stimulates the scalp to get rid of the hair that’s ready to leave, so that’s why you lose more when in the shower. Not sure how true that is.
Ultimately, one way for peace of mind is to see your GP as advised on the NHS website. As above it could be for a medical reason or just something else. So maybe have a chat with them?

Have you had a baby recently?
When I had DS3 I ended up with bald patches which was down to postpartum hair loss.

I have significant thyroid problems and my hair falls out in clumps.

Things that help me include:

silk pillowcases
careful, minimal brushing
using soft scrunchies and not ever normal hair bands/elastics.

Have you had Covid recently OP?
I've lost loads of hair since I had it. It's a known side effect that starts
around 1-3 months after having the rona.
Stops eventually by itself.

Ooft. I'm so sorry. It's a horrible feeling.

Definitely go to your GP, and ideally to a dermatologist.

Could be alopecia (androgenetic, areata or universalis), telogen effluvium, or as above, iron / hormone imbalances.

Don't start trying solutions / treatments / shampoos etc without seeing a medical professional. Different causes will have different approaches and anything affecting the hair will take months to see the impact, so make the most of your time and get it checked so you're on the right track.

(Speaking as someone with multiple forms of hair loss and many years of mistakes under my belt)

Take biotin.
Use a shampoo and conditioner that contains castor oil.

But you need to get a thorough check up from your GP.

Get blood tests done and find out your ferritin levels. Needs to be around 75 for normal hair growth even though they might tell you that 20 falls within the normal range.

I have been going through this too. Loads of hair in my brush, and my ponytail looks pathetic now.
Had blood tests done, and it turns out I am deficient in B12. I also had Covid a few months back, and that can also lead to hair loss months later.

I'm anaemic & have 12 weekly B12 jabs, the only thing that saved my hair was Nioxin & taking Biotin everyday.

Are you pregnant?

Just some solidarity... mine started falling out around 4 months post partum. Thought nothing of it as I know it's normal. I'm now 14 months and it's getting a LOT worse. Every time I even touch my hair, a lot falls out. I saw the GP and had some bloods and my iron and vit D are really low which could explain it so I've started taking those at prescribed doses.
Absolutely see your GP. I felt a bit silly but they were fantastic and understood that it's not normal and ran bloods straight away.
Hopefully it's something easily fixed for you! I'm currently looking into some styles to make the bald patches less obvious but then I left mine for many months assuming it'd stop soon...

My levels of hair loss reduced when I started taking HRT. May be coincidental but I'm guessing it was hormone related. I am almost twice your age though!!

Iron - Ferritin needs to be 70 minimum

My hair loss is epic. GP told me my levels were fine.

I am so cross.

I have lost around 50% of my hair following covid. It’s very distressing, I know exactly how you feel.
mines down to covid induced telogen effluvium.
there are specialist shampoos - nioxin
Supplements to include b12 biotin zinc iron.
i did the above but nothing really slowed it unfortunately.. I’m still loosing now months later however I can see little bits sprouting so this may be a sign of it growing back

Hair loss is a rare side effect of covid vaccination and is self limiting. I only just discovered this as it happened to a friend and she did a lot of research. I think it is the Pfizer vaccine, but I would need to check. It is worth checking back to see if it started around the time of a vaccine or booster.

Of course, the hair loss related to actually having covid is much worse. Only some people are unlucky enough to suffer these side effects.

Also get your blood glucose checked.

I never lost mine in clumps, but it was thinning by the age of 19. It seems to have stabilized now, but it’s still thin at the crown, and my parting goes all the way along the top of my head, and is very wide, with some patchy bits near the front.

I was diagnosed with coeliac disease a few years ago, and my hair loss stabilized when I stopped eating gluten. It could also be hereditary, my DGM (DF’s side) had really thin hair for the last decades of her life, and my DAunt (DM’s side) did at one stage too.

I hope it doesn’t get worse, as I’m quite self conscious about it.

Mines coming out in chunks, my ferritin was 16 last week. I'm now taking ferrous sulphate and I'm already getting my energy back and hopefully hair will follow.

FYI, I haven't had any side effects with then ferrous sulphate.

If you do go to the GP for blood tests make sure you get the actual results and ranges. My hair was falling out dreadfully and I was told my blood tests were fine and no cause for concern. When I checked on line my ferritin was 3, so well under range. I now make sure I check all my results and don’t accept ‘in range’.

Get your GP to organise a full blood test to check what you’re lacking. Also, not eating enough for your activity level and height can result in vitamin/mineral deficiencies (and therefore cause hair loss).

Mine fell out in clumps after I had.corona (3 times) Boots hair, skin and nails vitamins really helped. I had to take it strictly every day but 3 times it brought my hair back from having bald patches and visible scalp to being thicker than ever before.

I've got the same and tired all of the time. My bloods all came back normal but I did ask for a copy of the results.
Who could I show these to that might recognise that if I took a certain vitamin for example, it would help?