Help me I’m going bald

[DoubleShotEspressox]

Sorry the title is so dramatic but it’s actually true.

You can vote AIBU for posting for traffic.

I’ve been taking Mounjaro for six months and lost almost three stone. It has been quick but I’ve tried to prioritise protein with every meal and taking a multivitamin every day.

Literally overnight five weeks ago my hair just started shedding in clumps. And it’s showing no sign of stopping.

I was estimate from feeling the thickness I’ve lost around a third of my hair volume so far and it’s still coming out rapidly every day. It looks thin around the hairline, I can see through my parting into the scalp and I can feel that there’s almost no hair left behind my ears.

I’ve started taking collagen and pumpkin seed oil and adding a protein shake for an additional 20g of protein each day but I am stressing. My scalp is actually tingling and I’ve convinced myself it’s the hair roots dying off.

I need your help - anyone with experience of this, when does it end??? From what I read I can’t stop it???

Ive just started a new job and very soon I’m going to be this suddenly bald girl in the corner if it carries on.

I looked at buying minoxidil but some of the side effects look quite dangerous? And still not guaranteed to work.

I was finally feeling good about myself and now this happened and honestly I am devastated. I’m finding it quite distressing because I can’t even turn over in bed without 20 strands coming off my head.

I’m avoiding heat and overwashing, just loosely twisting it up into a claw grip to try and cover the patches.

Please can you share your experience if this has happened to you. Is there a magical elixir or anything else I should be doing/taking to help. Any magic shampoos, supplements, any reassurance that it eventually stops.

What the actual fuck? Simulated anorexia? Don’t be so utterly ridiculous. I eat 1500/1600 calories a day and have done for 10 of the 11 months I have been taking MJ. All it does for me is enable me to eat a healthy, balanced diet. I thought I had seen all the stupid comments about WLI but this one really is right up there.

Go to GP. I have two bald patches- stress related. Result of trauma. The nature of this was confirmed by GP. Id see GP and probably decide to come off WLI. I not taking them- would be a suitable candidate

This poster makes the same comments on every post relating to WLI.

Do get a blood test, it could be mounjaro but when my hair started falling out similarly it was very low vitamin b12 and iron deficiency anaemia. It's very slowly starting to come back now. I'm not entirely sure but I think GLP1 meds slow digestion and that can also impact the way you absorb nutrients. I have very heavy periods which was a main cause of mine.

Op it’s called telogen effluvium and it’s a side effect of weight loss (amongst other things - I had it after a particularly high temperature once).
There isn’t anything you can do about it, except continue to prioritise protein but nothing will actually stop it - it’s a process that can last up to 6 months. I’ve had it - at first my hair loss was drastic but it did slow down so I’m not bald! I’m now losing a normal amount of hair and new hair is growing.
It can’t hurt to take a supplement but honestly, don’t get sucked into buying expensive shampoos - you just need to let it run its course.
And you don’t need to stop mounjaro if you don’t want to, it won’t make a difference because your hair is already in the shedding phase, stopping the drug won’t help.

If it has only started recently it will take a while for it to slow down unfortunately. Do make sure you are taking additional nutrients for hair and nail growth.

Your age could also influence how long regrowth will take, for example if you are over 40 you really shouldn't expect it to return to full thickness. In your 20s, give it a year and you should return to normal.

There are some shampoos and styling products that will help make your hair appear thicker in the meantime. It is purely appearance, they don't make it grow. John Frieda has a thinning hair range.

Bond repair pre shampoo, shampoo and conditioner might help slow the shedding too. Again not miracle cures.

Lighter hair colour can help make it less noticeable too.

This happened to me too - I lost three stone over six moths so not exactly rapid weight loss - two pounds a week which would have been what’s recommended on a low calorie diet .
it’s not down to mounjaro itself - but for me it was the lack of calories protein - my fault for not ensuring my diet was more protein based .
It will slow down and stop - waiting for mine to grown back now but would suggest a rapid increase in protein - lidl have some great protein drinks / mousses etc which are quite low in calorie but high in protein .
I do feel your pain and panic - but it does get better . Ignore the bitchy comments about mounjaro- I couldn’t have achieved the weight loss without it and overall am happy I’ve taken it . Xx

Ahh, I didn’t realise! Thanks for the heads up!

That ^^ I had it after food poisoning and lost about 1/3 of my hair
it did grow back

I agree with the last part (well, all of it really!) I have lost hair, but I’m now not dangerously overweight. I’d trade losing a bit of hair for less chance of dying early from an obesity related disease!

ETA - Op if you’re looking to increase protein, I bought a chocolate milkshake from Amazon that has something like 36g of protein in it which is amazing for boosting your intake (alongside a healthy diet).

How long did it take slow down and then grow back @cordeliabuffy?

@TheCurious0rangeIve put a request in for a blood form with the GP so I can pick that up later and get my levels checked next week.

This is another thing, I can be taking all the expensive supplements in the world but unless they are actually being absorbed I doubt it would help.

You didn’t ask me but I’ll answer you anyway! My loss took about 6 months to stop, or go back to normal shedding levels. It did slow down significantly at around 4 months though. 10 months after it started I’ve got lots of new hair growth. In total I probably lost about 1/3 of my hair from all over my head so no actual bald patches but my pony tail is a bit pathetic at the moment. I’m 44 for reference!

Thank you! @SwingTheMonkeyI do appreciate that.

God I do feel sick, if it continues at this rate for another three months honestly don’t think I’ll have anything left.

A few months to slow then the same to start growing
lots of protein, wash your hair and keep your scalp clean, take a multi vitamin and make sure your ferritin is optimal - above 75
pics of my loss slowing

They are? It does work.
I’m not into anything weird this is a supplement and is recommended by hairdressers, it’s called Glowwa and it’s genuine.

I found it by accident after watching curly hairdresser Nuala Morey that recommends it. She is not involved with the company but can see dramatic results with her customers after a few months and a lot of other hairdressers report the same.

It is never going to stop male baldnesss but it certainly slows it down and after 3 months there is definite re growth.

You have my sympathies because it’s really scary - there were times I thought I was going to have to buy a wig if the loss carried on as it was, I’m not even joking. But, if my own experiences are anything to go by, it doesn’t last too long and the hair grows back.

As soon as I saw that username and the fact it was on a WLI thread I knew exactly what that post was going to involve. Why MNHQ let them carry on I have no idea

@AgixSorry for your struggles but I’m most definitely not anorexic.

It's a side effect secondary to the rapid weight loss on all weight loss drugs. It's usually temporary (telogen effluvium - essentially too many hairs shedding at once) and lasts around 3-6 months.

Id be stopping the jabs.

How's your iron? I was sure it had to be homonal or something terrible, but my iron was incredibly low, an infusion fixed it, my hair started growing back.

It’s a side effect of the rapid weight loss, lack of calories / nutrients, rather than the injections. At this point stopping the injection isn’t likely to help. Best to discuss with GP.

@cordeliabuffyWow that is extreme, thanks so much for sharing. Over what time period was each handful? I would hazard a guess I’m losing similar each week when you were at your worst.

I’ll definitely invest in some ferritin thank you.

I have curly hair so only brush it on wash day, each handful was one wash day which is probably 3 days of hair