Has anyone tried the Curly Girl Method and experienced massive hair loss?

[SummersB]

I’ve been trying CG for nearly 6 months now and seriously thinking of jacking it in because every time I wash my hair it’s shedding like mad! My hair hasn’t seen a brush for years, even before CG, so it’s not that I’m suddenly shedding more in the shower now because I have stopped brushing. I don’t wash as often now as I used to before CG so I would expect more shedding at each wash day but it seems so, so much. I have masses of fine hair so at first I didn’t notice a difference when dry but recently I’m convinced that my parting is much more obvious, like my hair is actually thinning along the parting line. My scalp looks healthy and my hair is tolerating strict conditioner washing really well but I’m really paranoid now about the hair loss.
Has anyone experienced similar?

Don't suppose you have had a baby in the last 6 months? Otherwise I have no clue.

I follow cg loosely and have lots of shedding but its every other wash. Some time not a lot then other times you could make a wig out of what hair has shed, like you not brush my hair for years either . I just put tit dow to some days you shed more than others.

No, definitely no baby!! And Im definitively loosing loads at each wash.

What age are you? Could it be peri-menopausal hair thinning? Have you been dieting? Are you otherwise well - thyroid problems and low iron can both cause hairloss.

Could it be the products? I am not in the UK but the L'Oréal hair food here is known to cause hair loss.

I’m mid thirties so I sincerely hope it’s not peri menopausal! I’m fit and well and have no other symptoms and the hair loss definitely started with me starting CG.
Possum that’s really interesting. I don’t think it’s products as such as I have been changing my products quite a bit over the past months. My hair didn’t love the Banana Hair Food so I only used it a couple of times. But I’m wondering if it’s the amount of friction I’m using when co washing maybe? Actually physically pulling hairs out? My scalp is otherwise really healthy, no sign of buildup or anything so I just can’t understand it.

I did have very itchy and unhappy scalp using the cg method. I can remember being thoroughly unhappy at how my scalp wasn't at peace. My hair didn't seem to be amazing anyway.

Could your strands have a moisture overload? Do they need protein for strength?

Tea I’ve tried adding protein which made it amazingly curly at first. But after a while it just frizzed up and that’s what it’s like now. I’ve tried adding moisture in loads of different forms - have spent a fortune on deep conditioning masks, none of which have made a blind bit of difference. I don’t mind the frizz so much, it still looks ok. It’s just the shedding I’m worried about...

Could you try dropping the CG for a week or so and seeing if the hair loss abates? If it's still the same, then it seems likely there's another cause. I tried co-washing for a while and it seemed to irritate my scalp, so I didn't stick at it. I didn't notice any hair loss, though.

Checking I think that’s what I will do. I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced similar. I’m part of a CG Facebook group where everyone raves about it and follow a few CG advocates on Instagramm and their results seem amazing. I keep wondering if it’s just me that doesn’t get on with it.

It does seem to work miraculously for some people, but it didn't for me. My scalp felt itchy and dirty. For me, the thing that made me stop was when I had been on the Tube in London, I felt even itchier than usual, and when I ran my fingertips over my scalp, they came away with a load of black dirt under my nails. That was it for me!

In terms of hair loss, though, I'd have expected it to have the opposite effect because you're messing around and styling it less. You haven't gone on a low-carb diet recently, have you? I did one of those once and within a couple of days, I was shedding enough hair that I could have woven a rug out of it.

Hi do you clarify your hair it may be that you have build up in the folicals so when your hair is shedding it's not coming back though as they are blocked up so technically you just shedding with no new hairs or little regrowth ... Try not to use to much product on your scalp also contidtioner can soften the hair folical Makin hair shed. Hope this helps ...
IV been doing cg for about 5 years and had this problem lost alot of hair then realised all this and stopped all of the above and clarified hair weekly and now my hair is really thick again and I hardly shed at all xx

I think it's because maybe you're not brushing your hair you're noticing it more. I lose a lot of hair but there's still loads on my head!

What do you use to clarify please? I am currently using a co wash for cleaning my hair and my hair and scalp really like it bar the shedding. I have also recently bought a low-po for cleansing but it hasn’t made a difference.

I’ve not brushed for years so it’s definitely not that.

I loved CG method......until a couple of months ago when I realised that thinning hair seemed to have coincided with it.

Now using Olaplex shampoo and conditioner and hair is not only great but at last seems to have stopped thinning and maybe even thicker again.

Also started taking Biotin at the same time so that may be helping too.

No I've lost less hair personally. It's worth seeing your GP for a check up because hair loss can be a symptom of a medical condition (thyroid for eg)

You can use any sulfate shampoo to clarify, the cheaper and nastier the better! I use Aldis shampoo once a week just to remove build up. You can even use dish washing liquid, it's just to strip the crap build up off your hair.

I second the recommendation of Biotin.

How are your nails, OP?

Yep I tried for a few months, and lost insane amounts of hair every wash, quit doing it and my hair has gone back to just a little coming out now. No idea what specifically caused it, but the clumps that were coming out were shocking to be honest, and the fact that it's stopped now says to me that something in that method was just not for me!

Re Biotin:
My nails are great now too!