Thinning hair making me so sad

[JKDcot]

I know it’s a vain topic but I’m so sad about it and it’s making me nervous and embarrassed to socialise.

i have always had thin hair but recently (just turned 41) it’s just breaking and snapping at about 2 inches so it’s just a frizzy broken mess. I don’t think I’ve changed anything, not coloured it or used straighteners. It’s just snapping and breaking?

any ideas or any suggestions welcome please

There's loads of help these days for hair problems. Could you be in peri? It might be hormonal.
What's your diet like? Enough iron? Perhaps consider a good hair supplement like Imedeen.
Could you afford a trichologist consultation?
In the meantime I'd ensure your diet is really nutritious and treat your hair very gently. Maybe co-wash instead of shampoo. No heat.
There's interesting research on both rosemary and peppermint essential oils and hair re-growth.

My hair drops out after I have covid, like I stand up after putting my head down and I leave the shape of my head behind in hair.
I found Viviscal vitamin supplement to be very effective but they were expensive so I tried Boots Hair, Skin and Nails vitamins and not only were they cheaper, they worked better. When my hair is particularly bad I use Diaboost, which you rub into the scalp and it thickens the diameter of the hair shaft. Again its expensive but I've found if I use it in conjunction with the vitamins I don't need it often of for long.
Best of luck, its horrible but something will work for you.

Thank you so much for your kind advice. I had an awful stomach bug / bad gut issues from an infection a few months ago and I wondered if that caused an imbalance somehow.

I will try the vitamins and might see if I can get blood test for trichologist appointment

I take biotin to promote hair growth and it definitely works

My hair got thin at that age. I started taking loads of supplements - Vit D spray, B6, iron, magnesium and L-Tyrosine and my hair has become much thicker and faster growing. The supplements are quite expensive but worth it imo. I know with a good diet we shouldn't need them, but some peole have poor absorption and I do find it makes a difference.

Elvive Fibrology shampoo helps a bit too.

Have you had covid? I had covid in June last year, my hair started stopping off in the autumn. It was already thinner from the menopause and I was distraught. I went to a hair loss specialist after the GP couldn’t see anything in my bloods that might have triggered it. The specialist said it didn’t look hormonal to her and she’s seeing a lot of hair loss due to covid. It’s the high temperatures according to her.

I’m interested in that diaboost product, I’m having a break from extensions for a while and id love something for a temporary thickener when I’m wearing my hair down or going out, is it supposed to be used as a growth thing or can it temporarily thicken out?

There's a lot of claims but for me it temporarily thickens the hair.when I use it. I use it until the vitamins kick in and hair fall slows down.

I second Elvive Fibrology, not life changing but it certainly helps.

I have Androgenic Allopecia so I understand your feelings OP.

I second taking a good supplement and I also swear by Michael Van Clarke products - especially the 3 more inches Ultra LifeSaver pre wash treatment. I put it on at night and wrap my hair in a bonnet and it just makes the hair I do have so lovely and shiny and soft.

Get a blood test OP. I saw a private dermatologist and she was old me to get a blood test with GP to check ferritin levels. Ferritin needs to be atleast 70 to maintain healthy hair, mine was 42. I started taking 210mg ferrous fumerate alongside high strength vit c and use men's 5% minoxidil regaine once a day and seen vast improvement.

It's worth saying GO said ferritin Levels were fine but I had to explain what derm said and they agreed to go with it as derm is an expert in this area. I bought own supplements and minxoxidil and GP agreed to monitor through blood tests.

Ferritin now up to 67 and got lots of hair regrowth all over my head!

I also second getting your ferritin level tested. Mine, even if within normal range, were lower than 70 and I have been recommended iron supplements.
The GP said not to expect any results earlier than 3 month. She was right and six months on I have loooots of new hair!
I am also:

• using Kerastase Genesis serum every night (honestly, the only problem that almost immediately stopped my hair loss significantly)
• double cleans my scalp when shampooing to remove any build up and keep the follicles clean

Rogaine mousse makes a big difference for me, even if it is pricey. I would also consider oral rogaine from a dermatologist.

Could be peri menopause related. My hair was the same around the same age and stopped falling out once I started HRT.

Thank you for the advice. What other symptoms of peri menopause would I be getting at 41? It seems too young !