Keeping our hair on! Hair loss support thread!

[coffeecake]

Hi, as promised and based on a few Mumsnetters expressing a desire of a support thread for hair loss, here it is!
Feel free to ask any questions, share your experiences etc...

hi!

I haven't posted in a while but I finally got my diagnosis back from the skin doctor who looked at my head and he says the high level of male hormones indicate I am having female male pattern hair loss. He's recommended minoxidil or rogaine. Does anyone have any experience with these medicines. I am a bit reluctant to start as once you start, you can't stop with it apparently. You have to use it for the rest of your life otherwise the hair loss starts again.

Hi pepito,

I am using minoxidil - the Philip Kingsley version. It took me a long time to get used to doing it - it's certainly a chore to put on every day. Can't say I've noticed any regrowth as yet, but it can take 12 weeks to work apparently and I've only been doing it for around 8 weeks. One side effect is that in the short term it makes more hair fall out, which is very scary because Monixidil doesn't work for most people so there's no guarantee this hair will grow back. Worth a go though as someone else on this thread has seen some success with it.

This article www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2237860/Hair-loss-Heres-lotions-potions-gadgets-locks-long-lustrous.html#comments has quite a good round up of some of the treatments available. Minoxidil isn't mentioned though.

I've decided to give it till the new year and if there's no sign of improvement by then I'll be getting some extensions.

I have been using philip Kingsley minoxidil for well over a year and have seen no improvement whatsoever. A couple of the mumsnetters on here have had good results though

Hi I haven't read through all the posts on here but just wanted to tell you what I found out today. My hair is a bit thinner on top and I have difficulty styling my fringe, a hairdresser can always make it look thicker and like I've got a lot more hair than I have. Anyway today I decided to try a new hairdresser and mentioned to him about my thinning hair. He said yes, you've got a tight scalp! He could tell by how white my scalp is, something my children always tell me but I thought all scalps were bright white. Apparently it should be pinkish and by massaging daily from the neck and over my hair I should be able to stimulate the blood flow in order to stimulate my follicles. He told me to try and when I go back he will check for new hair growth to see if its made a difference, so I'm off to do a massage now.

Hi, I posted this separately before I realised there was a thread.

Can someone please help?

After an extended period of diffuse hair loss, I had my bloods done.

My serum ferritin level is abnormal/ridiculously low - 4.9ug/l (the range should be 13-150). My iron levels are also very low - 7.5umol/L (the range should be 5.4-28.6)

What can i do to - as naturally as possible - raise the ferritin levels? I have a good diet, lots of green veg, less meat etc. And as soon as possible. Any supplements worth taking? I'd prefer to avoid iron horse pills from doc but maybe there's no other option
Thanks very much

Hi Harrogate, if your iron is that low you really need to take the supplements your GP prescribes, at least in the short term. It's a great idea to improve your diet but no amount of steak is going to get your iron levels back to where they should be.

Low iron will affect your general health and your mental wellbeing, not just your hair. Seriously, just take the pills!

Chipstick, are you going to carry on with the 3m drops? Seems to me that if there's no sign of improvement after a year then there's not much point. What do Philip kingsley say about it? Have you discussed alternative treatments with them?

Dear Everyone like torrielou says, the answer is MASSAGE !!!!! that you DIY it's extremely simple ;-

1. Place your fingertips either side of your centre parting on yr. scalp.

2.Press for 10 seconds them massage for 5 secs.

3.Do this 3 or 4 times in the morning. and evening.

4, Also place your fingertips either side of your scalp at the back with your thumb tips at the top of your neck and bring over your ears. do the same twice a day.

This simple massage has stopped my hair falling out when I shampoo and thickened it wonderfully. I'm 61 and my hairdresser can't believe how thick my hair is!!.

I also eat blackstrap molasses every day and that is darkening the grey!!! BTW if you're veggie you don't need to eat meat to get extra iron just take a good B12 and B6 supplement. Also very importantly look at your EFA intake .Starflower and Evening Primrose oil is great for hormonal problems. .

re massage
by coincidence I went for a shiatzu massage last week and she strongly recommended scalp massage with rosemary essential oil.

Sheila, I did discuss it with my consultant earlier this very year. Was told they could see nothing was worse and I in fact had new hair growth. They even took photos to reference for the next time I go to see them next year. I am just so undecided because I have read of people who see real real results, I do not. I do actually have a photo of me taken just over a year ago when I first embarked on the hormone drops. It's taken at an angle where you can see the thinning on top of my crown. Looking at it today it's no better but no worse.

Chip , that's a difficult one. They do say that Minoxidil often slows down or stops hair loss rather than prompting new growth so if your hair loss is no worse then maybe that's a result?

I would say mine is definitely worse than when I started the drops, and if it's caused by a drop on oestrogen then I can only assume it's going to get a lot worse still, given my age (49). How I'd love to walk out of the house in the morning without giving a thought to my hair, as I did for the first 48 years of my life. Guess I was lucky to have it that long.

For me the money is a crucial issues. P Kingsley is just SOOOO expensive. I'd rather save what money I have for a (even more expensive) really good wig .

Sheila I hear ya, I'm totally the same. I look at people like adele and am amazed at just how great her wigs look. There seems to be no shame in wigs and I long to feel proper hair on my head again. I was looking the other day at my old brushes for blowdrying my hair, the biggest round babyliss brush you could buy. I'm not saying I had thick thick hair because I didn't but I was always told by hairdressers that I had fine hair but tons of it. It's pretty soul destroying really. I think there is definitely a subtle difference in my hair volume since starting the pk drops, it's thinner, no doubts about it. I have given up looking for improvements but I really did think it was a given that it would at least halt it.
I am now in a cat h 22 situation. Do I walk away and risk it getting worse or do I carry on with no real marker that its working?
I have read so many reports of people saying minoxidil is the only thing that really works and forums where women have been using regaine and its worked but they have found it too messy and have just walked away.
I have hope for you though because you have only just started on the course so it's very very early days.
I would stay away from extensions though. Good luck honey.

Pleased to find this thread. I have always had fine dark hair, but a lot of it, and a low crown - not a great combo. I had my second DC four months ago and I aam shedding hair like I don't know what. I am trying not to panic, but my father had thinning hair from his twenties and my grandmother ended up wearing wigs. My mother also has fine hair so unfortunately I think it's genetic. I had my hair cut yesterday and my hairdresser was lovely and did a good job, but I can't help worrying. I am going to try the helpful massage tips above. I haven't read the whole thread so was wondering if there are any supplements from Holland & Barrett, or health food store that anyone can recommend.

Hi ppby the way!

Hello LittleAbruzz The EFAs ( Essential Fatty Acids) that I recommend upthread are good for EVERYTHING and our bodies don't manufacture them so we do need to take them daily; I take linseed oil also sometimes the evening primrose and starflower oil and camomile (I drink a 2 bag cam. tea every evening),

The molasses would be great for you 'cos it literally gives you black hair new growth!! And the kelp that was mentioned is great too.

It's funny because I started taking Evening Primrose a fortnight ago because I have PCOS. I will get some linseed and camomile tea too. Thanks for your help again.

Yy to molasses, it's full of iron I believe and I add it to my homemade smoothies in the morning. I have tried eating it off a spoon, but oh my it's sweet.

chipstick I like it in my coffee substitute chicory drink it's better than sugar that's for sure! I don't put it in my coffee but it would probably be okay.

I've been using PK since April. I had a consultation and a blood test at PK. There is a definitely improvement, the hair on the top was very thin, but I have definite regrowth all over the top. It is now about 2 inches long. I use the drops once a day,plus a scalp mask and a hair mask once a week. My hair is now glossy and shiny and moves like hair should. I also take B12 tablets.

Before going to PK I went to see my GP. She was so dismissive about something so 'trivial' and said there was absolutely 'nothing' which could be done. I left the surgery, sat in my car and just wept. I read about good PK experiences on another forum, so contacted them and I'm glad I did.

chottie some HCP are soo unsympathetic I bet she wouldn't say that if it was her . Try the massage and I guarantee it'll help and it's free!!

ppeatfruit thanks for that. Unfortunately, from reading the other forum posts, there are lots of HCP like that. I was in and out of the surgery in 5 mins, she barely looked up from her screen. Fortunately I go to a group practice, so will not be going to her ever again.

I will try the massage, it is a very simple and easy thing to do, I do massage my scalp when I put conditioning masks on, but I will do it every day now.

That Adele wears a wig!

Hello all,I thought I would share my story and hopefully it will give you some hope.Ideveloped alopecia areata what felt like out of the blue.It started with a small bald patch on top of my head and ended up with mega baldy patches all over my head I've got dark brown hair so it was really obvious.All my bloods came back as normal gp said it was stress which at the time I refused to believe But, I think he was right I was completely overdoing it 3 small children working nights no sleep stressful job.Iadressed the stress and my hair eventually grew back admittedly curly when before it was straight but I've got tons the hairdressers never believe it when I say how bald I was.To disguise my bald patches I used this weird stuff called super million hair.you can also get it in boots it's called nanogen.it kind of sticks to what little hair you ve got and thickens it have a look on u tube.Honestly as odd as it sounds it made me feel so much better about my self as I was really self conscious I didn't visit the hairdresser for about a year as I was too worried people would see.If I washed my hair at the gym I made sure that no one was around.I was caught by a really good friend once and she just could not believe how bad it was.Anyway give it a go it may help but hopefully your hair will grow back too I hope this helps

Chottie I'm glad you are having success with pk. It kind of gives me hope but I think if there was going to be an improvement then it would ve happened by now. Continued success to you.

Good to see this thread still going, I have been keeping up with it but haven't posted for a while.

I posted some time ago about my hair loss - which seemed to have been triggered by a low carb diet and weight loss earlier in the year (apparently 'telogen effluvium' according to the dermatologist and trichologist I saw) which is probably complicated by female pattern hair loss (hereditary). My hair loss has been continuing at the rate of handfuls every day for just over 4 months, it honestly has been 4 months of hell for me. I am quite stunned there is any left on my head! I think maybe about 60% of it has gone now.

After 4 months of it falling out, it is much much thinner everywhere on my scalp and on top and I am wearing it up most days just to try and ease my stress about it and help me forget about it - it looks crappy but I don't really care. I do have lots of regrowth now but am still losing both old long hairs and the regrowth which is much shorter, some of it only an inch long. And to make matters worse my hair itself seems to have gone weird - from previously wavy to quite curly and flyaway? I am paranoid that this means that it is all going to just drop out as the texture has changed.

After washing is probably when I lose the most and I haven't really put a brush or comb through it for months as it would just pull it all out really easily, so I finger dry it after washing. I have been washing it every 3 days.

I have been mega worried, down, stressed out, obsessed for the last 4 months about it all and I am positive my stress levels haven't helped. I think I am going to give it till New Year and if there is no improvement in the amount of shedding by then I will make a plan (try Regaine, another dermatologist/trichologist, wig!!).

I am told it is mainly telogen effluvium (stress response to the diet) because it is falling out from everywhere on my scalp, not just the areas affected by female pattern hair loss. For example, at the nape of my neck. And with it all happening so quickly. But I just don't know anymore. I am so reluctant to use Regaine.

Thank you for letting me moan.