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...

I've been struggling with thinning hair for 4 years now. Original bloods showed low ferritin, zinc and vitamin d so I took all the prescribed medications religiously. After a few months there seemed to be a few new tufty bits visible but that didn't carry on even though I kept up with the meds. After 18 months, my ferritin level was higher (around 70) so I should have been seeing a gradual improvement but I wasn't.

I fear age is against me and it is in fact female pattern baldness rather than telogen effluvium. The back of my hair isn't too bad, the sides are ok but the top, especially at the front, is shite.

Do you all talk openly about this problem with people? I've never mentioned it,not even to my husband. I complain about inheriting my mums rubbish thin hair but I've never talked about hair loss. I feel like saying it will draw people's attention to it and make it real but it's starting to feel like a dirty secret.

I talk openly about it, at home, at work and with friends. I'm not ashamed of it. You can see it. It'd be very strange to not mention it.

Mines not noticeable yet,it's on one side which I keep tucked behind my ear,it hasn't reached the parting. I think I should start talking about it before it gets to that stage. I don't want to face it though.

poppy - sorry to hear this did not work out, despite the original regrowth. Did your GP check for thyroid too?

Retainer - I haven't "spoken" about it to anyone - however, it is becoming quite visible, so I probably will need to at some point. I am not sure I can face it, since speaking to it makes it "real".

To some extent, I'd rather shave my head than have to sport a gradually thinning top - but this said - my mental health is not exactly what you should use as a point of reference to make sane decisions :/

I talk about it to my husband and (adult) daughter. And the hairdresser. But no one else, although sometimes I feel I should. I've been considering a buzz cut to be honest a), it would clear out the colour b) I wonder if very short would take all the stress on it - no heat etc. c) it's a sensible time of year to do it because hats wouldn't look odd. But the thing is, I know I'd be doing it with the hope it would recover, whereas when a man does it, he's embracing the bald. At the moment though, I feel like I'm rocking my FIL's crossover. :(. I also worry my face is too saggy, and I'd look even worse. My dad at 85 still has a very full head of hair, my mum's at the same age is thinning but better than mine.

I did have a total hair loss at uni after a very traumatic assault, but it did recover, but this is falling out more gradually and not improving at all.

Hello, found my area of chat sadly. I've tried various things that have been given glowing reviews but they made no difference. Don't feel able to try getting a doctor's appointment for such a matter. I always feel the docs look at me with a "what do you think i can do?" face. I've tried to open the subject with friends but they either don't have a problem or they ignore my comments. Feel so sad and worried, then vain and ungrateful.

Me too! Sure it’s genetic but also have low thyroid and was anemic (bloods all good, just tested) I am particularly thin at the front, down the parting and at the top back but annoyingly quite thick (comparatively) down the back iyswim.

Taking daily selenium, b12, vit d.

god this is shite :(
I've just washed my hair, and I feel light throwing up at the sight of more hair down the drain :(

Landed - in an unusually brave move, I did book myself an appointment at the GP - the one I saw was a young-ish locum type who looked vaguely dismissive - the hair thing did not faze her, but she was more concerned about my low mood and constant anxiety, which could have an hormonal explanation. Wait and see. But glad I actually "did it" - despite knowing that whatever result I get will inevitably trigger more anxiety.

I need to speak with my mother (who I am not really in contact with) - but I cannot remember her having particularly thin hair, although she always sported a buzz cut. My grandma had had the ring worm thing (tinea something) when she was young, so always had low / no hair on the top of her head...

Please - all try minoxidil. It's the only thing that'll work. I was dubious at first, but I saw a London dermatologist who specialises in female hair loss, and it's the only thing that will work. It's cheap enough, but you need to use it forever. I think of it like brushing my teeth. The sooner you start the better. GPs don't understand. Female pattern hairloss is very common and usually hormonal and/or genetic. Vitamins, minerals, special shampoos, shark oil - all marketing. Some may help a bit, but minoxidil is tried and tested. Generic or branded - it helps.

Try rogaine- have using it on and off since my early twenties- the only thing that helps my hair. Soon as I stop it falls out within a few months though

I am the same and it’s grim. I am trying to improve my health but losing weight has made it worse. I think anything topical is a false and it’s nutrition or micronutrients which will make a difference

i read that minoxidil cam accelerate hair loss at the beginning? do you use it all over? everyday?
I am still hoping it is not FPHL - but maybe (ah ah) i am in denial...

I have looked up a dermatologist who specialises in hair in my town - she has a private practice... what i saw of trichologists online did not impress me much!

Hello. I’m really struggling with this too.

My gp told me it was just something I’d have to live with. I’m only 36!

How do you go about finding a dermatologist who specialises in hair loss??

I tried loads over the years, all the stuff recommended when you go searching on the internet.
Nothing made a difference.
The thing that brought my hair loss back to normal was kelp tablets.

I started taking them about a year ago and yesterday I noticed lots of new growth along my hair line.

It all depends why your hair is falling though and it's a long old slog. Good luck.

silver - :( you've got to love the GPs tact and drive to help and support :/

I found the dermato at my local private nuffield hospital. No doubt it will be £££ but I would feel that the cash goes to someone with genuine medical training, rather than someone who trained online as a trichologist....

Good to hear Proper - but kelp is loaded with iodine, right? I am sensitive to iodine overload, so it's not sthg I can do - I am hoping the GP will order a comprehensive blood panel when I eventually get to see the nurse for bloods this week.

I lost a lot of hair after a very stressful year - marriage break up (although that was a relief, just the stress surrounding it), father died, ydc was diagnosed with autism. I started taking biotin, perfectil, iron supplements, and generally improved my diet. Now finally my hair is almost back to how it was, is healthier and glossier. I wash once a week and stopped using products containing silicones and sulphates. My hairdresser told me that mine is the best condition hair she has seen in years, so it must be working.

glad to hear your positive story Rightknockered - sounds like you went through the rounds a bit there!

Did you notice a genuine change in "volume" / regrowth? I don't mean to be nosy, just curious - I've been looking at the scientific literature on the topic, there is sooo little consensus - and if I attempt any conversation with my GP, she looks at me as if I am crazy / deluded etc... sadly, I am a scientist, and I cling onto evidence as hard as I can (which of course feeds into my anxiety and OCDs)

I did notice a difference in volume, but that was probably more to do with the relief from the stress. Changing my diet has meant that any new hair growth is healthier, so probably looks thicker due to not being stringy and weak.

Right, in desperation I went and bought 4 months supply of Minoxidil today. Literally all I have on top just now is a crossover. If I start to get new growth, I'm going to get the lot cut off and try regrowing from scratch. I've had everything checked, no apparent medical reason apart from age. I'm gutted to be honest, and see the minoxidil as last chance saloon. I've spent a fortune on bloody snake oil, so minoxidil is cheap in comparison (£45 for 4 months). If £150 annually will buy me hair, I'm up for it.

rightknockered - washing once a week :) for me, this would turn me in an oil factory! At day 2, my hair is flat, miserable, and makes the overall look even worst.

Ilove - fingers crossed for you - keep us posted on how it goes!

I lost a lot of hair due to Lupus. It went very thin at the back and hardly grew.
I cut it into a a pixie which didn't bother me as I'd had it short for years.
I started cbd oil for joint pain, a few months back, and within 2 weeks my hair (and nails) had grown and felt much stronger.

Hi. I noticed a bald patch a few months ago when after having my daughter my post partum hair loss started, it was more than I'd noticed with my previous children and it literally filled the hairbrush when I brushed it. My scalp was also very very itchy and dry and while feeling around it I found the bald spot. I was totally horrified and scared. I saw three different docs who after doing bloodwork put it down to alopecia areata. Not great to hear but I have to say I am really hang on to the hope that I literally just lost too much hair after having my baby! Do not want it to be alopecia! I really didn't lose a single hair while pregnant so who knows.
Anyway I was given a strong steroid lotion to apply to the bald area twice a day, and as I'm breastfeeding I've been taking the best vitamins I can buy that have the highest biotin in them, I am toying with the idea of seeing if I can buy ferritin from the chemist as I know my iron was ok but not high.
A tip I can share if you've got dark hair is the root touch up sprays really do cover the sparse scalp and make hair look so much thicker! I couldn't be without it.
But I have to say that three months on, my bald area is still bald atm BUT I do feel my hair in general is thickening back up.

Another one here who experienced hair loss. In my case it was down to my low ferritin levels. I started taking ferrous fumarate (not sure of spelling) and after a while the excessive shedding stopped. It took ages but eventually my hair began to look less thin.

It took a good couple of years, at least for my iron levels to raise from 11 to 84 and it's only around the 80 mark that I noticed there didn't seem to be quite as much scalp showing.

I slacked off on the iron and my hair started to thin again - just found out it's dropped to 64.

I'm lucky in that I tolerate the ferrous fumarate very well, no problems at all.

If anyone's hair loss is related to iron, then my advice would be too persist with the supplements and be prepared to wait at least six months to see changes.