Hair loss - not pg related

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I'm losing a lot of hair. It's from all over my head so there's no obvious thinning (yet) and I've got plenty to lose (for the moment!). It's everywhere and I don't remember ever having this before except the usual post-pregnancy hair loss with ds.

Anyone experienced similar? I did a google and apparently it can be a delayed reaction to stress or illness. I was quite ill a couple of months ago so I'm hoping it's that.

Washing my hair is horrid

when my first fiance left me 3m prior to the wedding (a long time ago now and I am v. glad he did - now), my hair started to drop out quite a lot - stress-related. The only other times I had it was after taking anti-malarial tablets - apparently they interrupt the hair growth cycle - and, as you say, after being pg.

If it is in response to an illness, it should settle down again but go to your GP if you are worried about it because stressing about it won't help!

I lost a most of my hair some years ago after an illness (respiratory). My hair was dropping out and the doctors couldn't find out why and I ended up having what was left shaved off.

Sounds awful, but it re-grew really quickly.

If you've got long hair consider getting it cut. Thin short hair is less obvious than thin long hair.

Invest in a funky hat or two. I got a rotten sunburned scalp.

Good luck. It should soon settle down and you will be back to your normal hirsute self,

A subject I can REALLY relate to!

I have had numerous thyroid function tests for fine/thin hair since I was 13 (I'm now 33) - all normal. Then a doctor recently suggested I had my ferritin checked - it was very low. I now take Ferrous Sulphate (available over the counter without prescription pretty cheaply)200mg twice a day.

Apparently it is very common for women to have low ferritin levels - post childbirth or due to period or unknown causes. And low levels lead to fine/thinning hair and sometimes lethargy etc...

After 3 weeks on the tablets I think my hair looks better and DH aggrees!

Hope that helps!

Thanks all. No other obvious thyroid symptoms but I often get knocked back from giving blood due to borderline Hg levels so wouldn't hurt to look at my iron.

Luckily I have a LOT of hair. It actually looked way better after I had the post-pregnancy hair loss and I was a bit gutted when it grew back thick again.

Princess, that sounds extremely traumatic but it's good to know it did come back again. My mum had chemo last year so there's a very nice wig going begging if it came to that... I think I will get my hair cut as you suggests. For starters it would be less icky having a handful of short hair coming out in the bath than long.

Thanks for sharing your experience thumbwitch - will definitely go to the GP if I start noticing scalp as that will mean it's beyond the level that it got post-ds.