Hair loss support thread

[Marasme]

I did find an old 2012 thread and thought I'd post something new here.

After a shitty year or so at home and at work, I noticed that my scalp was showing more than usual along my parting. Further investigation using the selfie camera on my phone revealed an awful little bald patch at the top of my head, as if the parting was widening at this place.

Absolutely terrifying :( and not helping the fact that I suffer from some pretty bad health anxiety.

I now feel sucked by the entire "remedy" industry despite the strong belief that they are just snake oil peddlers.

Looking for anyone, from the old thread or not, to join in sharing positive stories...

Pressed send too soon. Basically I took the bus into the nearest big town. Went to shops, tried on lots of clothes, browsed the bookstore, went to Starbucks and read my new book, bus home again. It really was ok.

Hi all, it's been a while since we posted here! I don't know if any of you original posters are still on here but if you are, I wanted to thank you for the information and inspiration it gave me to look for things that might have helped with my overall thin hair problem.

I have made lots of changes this year as a result of this thread as a starting point, and I'm pleased to report that my hair has improved considerably. My ponytail volume will still not win any first prizes any time soon but my hair now looks what I might call "reasonable" instead of actively looking thin or thinning on first glance to the casual passer-by. I mean it's not thick, or notable, but it's just "reasonable" which is all I could have realistically wished for.

So a huge thank you to all and particularly Marasme in particular for starting this thread back in Nov 2017, where I picked it up in January 2018, feeling crap about my hair as usual, and like nothing could ever change. It has changed for the better over the last year and I'm genuinely so grateful.

Hi @LilacClouds what changes did you make? Amazing news by the way

Hi WorriedMum, and thanks! Have you got hair thinning issues too? If so I commiserate, it's not good

I have many tips as I made so many changes, but is there anything in particular you could share about your thinning hair problem as then I can tailor it a bit?

Hi Yes
My mum has thinning hair.

Her mother doesn't.

I have an under active thyroid
Borderline ok iron, b12 and ferritin.

I can see my scalp at the front and I'm thinning all over. I've had two pregnancies.

Thank you @LilacClouds

Hi. What is your ferritin level? I know the acceptable medical level range is something like 13 upwards, but I have read that ferritin has to be over 70 for hair to grow well. Have you had Vit D tested as well?

Do you colour your hair and/or use hairdryers? How is the condition of your hair generally?

And, would you say your scalp is very visible at the front or more subtle than that (like a wide/thinning parting or actual bare patches?) Would you/do you use anything to disguise it or is that something that you wouldn't be interested in?

And finally, how long do you feel it's been thinning for?

(Feel free not to answer any or all if you don't want obviously, but I could probably write a booklet on different things to try but of course they won't all appeal to everyone! So I wouldn't want to suggest something a person might not be interested in especially over a sensitive matter. (Like when my DM says something out of the blue like "I bought you this face cream, it's supposed to work wonders on bad crows feet"

July 18

Vit D is 72.0 nmol/L should be above 49
B12 is 319 no/L range is 187-883
Folate is 4.8 ug/L (3.1 - 20.5)

I actually don't have a recent ferritin iron was 11.7 range 9-30.4)

Widening parting and general front thinning and thinning all over

For many years but especially post my first pregnancy in 2011

Ferritin was 47 in Sept 17 thanks @LilacClouds

I would consider a hair system

For ferritin, it's said that 70 is the level at which hair needs to grow well. I might go back to the doctors and ask if they can recommend or prescribe you iron tablets to get it up a bit (if appropriate for your medical history).

I also take Viviscal, biotin and Tom Oliver Herring Caviar Omega 3 capsules all from Holland and Barratt, but again, this is individual and any additional intake such as this is recommended to be discussed in advance with your GP as part of your complete picture of personal medical history including other medications etc - this is important). They are expensive but H&B sometimes have very good offers on the Viviscal. I think getting my ferritin levels up past 70 was more the priority though as my hair started going wrong in teenage years and I can't help thinking it was related to my heavy periods and blood loss. My hair I felt went worse after the births not due to the expected postpartum loss of hair, but more possibly due to the blood loss from the births (I lost a lot each time but just under the maximum to have extra blood given) further depleting my ferritin iron stores. Viviscal and the others seems to help my hair grow out more healthy IMO and healthy hair looks better and stays on your head longer as part of its cycle so you don't shed and lose as much. If your hairless is more frontal it's a bit different to mine though so what works for me might not be the same for you.

Some here on this thread with different thinning to mine (which was diffuse but not front thinning or widening part) tried Minoxodil - I haven't had experience with it though so can't comment on that. A lovely poster here tried wigs and loved them (and looked amazing and very natural as you can see from the pics if you scan up) and I'm sure some others posters have tried intralace systems if you do a search.

I was "lucky" in that I didn't have actual bald patches (although the crown area is very dodgy if I've slept on it badly) or a wide parting, but there was just a lack of length and volume and my hair never seemed to grow out anything but very weedy and thin, so I used clip-in extensions for volume. (I am happy to say not nearly as much any more). But I needed the volume in the back rather than the front. Some posters here have mentioned something called toppers though which I think help with the front?

I also use ColorWow powder for small areas like crown and hairline, and there's also Nanogen or Toppik fibres for fuller/larger coverage. I don't know if these would suit but worth a look for short-term confidence?

I also have a ton of hair care tips which really improved the condition and thickness of what was already there, as well as protecting the new hair growing out, but it doesn't sound like that's what you need to know?

@LilacClouds thank you I will look into all those products.

I take a Vit D spray and my doctor has said I can take Ferrograd C which I buy from an online pharmacy at the moment.

I have Biotin just don't take it - I should I know.

Hair care - yes that would be useful!

I try to only wash my hair 3 times a week but I do use hair straighteners and blow dry. I use volumsing mousse which is supposed to protect it from the heat.

I use Kerastase Densifique - thickening shampoo

Just come across this thread, and wow, it's been so helpful.

I too have very thin, and thinning hair. I think having thin hair to start with doesn't help, then I've hit menopause and probably lost a third of it, so it looks very scant.

I've been put on ferrous fumarate as my iron was borderline, but will continue to take it now I've seen that levels need to be 70 (mine was 24).

Am also going to try the peppermint oil/castor oil scalp rub, as I have both and who knows?

It's so distressing, and I find myself looking at all the women wherever I am, and I always have the worst hair .

So nice to find some company (although sorry you're all suffering too).

Hi, i am one of the original posters, and my hair is much worse now than then,i now have bald patches from the crown down, very little lost on the top,
I have tried steroid lotion from my Dr, did no good, he suggested an HRT patch because he said the Oestrogen helps with hair loss but unfortunately he gave me one with the worst progesterone fot hair loss, [Norethisterone] Evoral Conti] i was already on livial, which i did wonder if it was the cause of my hair loss, but also had los of stress,including a relationship breakup,and hair got worse, but it really got much worse when using the patch, hair was falling out as i just sat here ,all over my laptop, floating in front of my eyes
I have only just found out that one of the Drs at my surgery is a dermatologist, why didn't they tell me before?
Anyway got an appointment with him, but not until October the 1st
I have looked into toppers,one place said i didn't have enough hair to clip one onto, but another said i do, so thinking about it
If you saw me from the front,i look to have lots of hair,so i don't know if anything can be done
What is the peppermint/castor oil treatment please?
Having to wear a hat outside ,

Should have said had thyroid tests etc, ferritin within normal range, but i think that could mean anything
Taking viviscal and other supplements, especially biotin, the hair i have left is growing a lot, but not the bald bits, which stretch from one side to the other at the back, from the crown down

What are your iron levels. They need to be above 70 for hair