Any help for thinning hair

[Greengrassonhighroad]

I am in my late 30s. My hair is approximately armpit length. It is straight.

I wore my hair down for years since I was in my mide 20s. Back in January of this year, I had to start tying my hair up for work. I pick different styles most days - ponytails, pigtail plaits, buns.

Since styling my hair I noticed how thin my hair is. It used to be so much more thicker when I was younger. I never noticed the thinning over the years because I was wesring my hair down all the time.

I know a lot of people will recommend the doctor and testing. I got that done a few years ago at the doctors. It was about 4 or 5 years ago. It all came back good except for some low iron. I must admit I am terrible at taking tablets and supplements and I am on an off the iron depending on my schedul. I cleaned up my diet big time over the past number of years. Clean foods with loads of vegetables and plenty of water. I take a range of supplements every morning

Vitamin C
Calcium/magnesium/k2
Cod liver oil with vitamin D and A
A multivitamin during the day
Magnesium at night time

I was going through a patch in work with an autistic child and hair pulling. I started implenting a better haircare routine since January. Before that my haircare was nil and appauling - a wash and go. I also started taking a biotin supplement and also collagen. It's early days yet for them to show results.

Definitely my skin and nails are so much more better. I am so sad about my hair because its so thin. I am wearing a ponytail today and it's so thin, I hate it so much. My hair used to be thicker.

I think maybe the reason for the hair thinning is a combination of things:

• poor hair care
• prolonged stress from different angles - relationships/family/work

Currently my hair hair routine is

• wash once or twice a week with about 4/5 days in between washes
• I use chantu shampoo or bodyshop ginger shampoo
• I use a hair mask once a week
• I use conditioner too after every wash
• I don't use heat devices
• I use hair turban wraps for drying my hair
• I oil the ends after washing using a hair oil
• I have a hair brush that I use about 2 or 3 nights a week for brushing my hair and distributing oils
• I sleep with a silk pillowcase

Is there anything else I can do for my hair. I'm so sad and upset because my hair is so thin.

I’ve had to cut my hair- it used to be long but now it breaks so easily, shedding too. It has more to it since it’s been cut.

Have you thought about having some chopped off?

Also would be worth getting hormone and vit d levels checked.

Doe you have pcos or does anyone in your family.

Part of my ethnicity have a history of thinning hair as they get older men and women. Is that at play here?

It’s awfully distressing isn’t it.

I think I noticed some thinning a few years ago but I put it to the back of my mind but I can't ignore anymore. I suppose I didn't want to believe it was happening to me and I thought it was something that might correct itself.

I can't see any particular area on my scalp for the thinning and I haven't found a bald patch of hair. I don't know what's happening on the back of my head/scalp. I looked in two mirrors and took pictures with the phone and I wasn't able to identify any bald patches. It's definitely a lot thinner though.

I used to loose a lot of hair washing and in the shower and combing my hair. I do think a lot of that was due to stress, poor diet and poor hair care routine.

I did think about cutting my hair in the hope it helps but I can't do it. I want to grow my hair long.

I don't have any pcos or other condition. Next time I am at the doctor I will hormones and vitamin D checked.

I don't think hair thinning runs in the family.

I hate it so much. My ponytail is pitiful. When I was younger I used to have a nightmare styling my hair because there was so much of it and I envied a friend with thinner hair. Now I'm here and I hate it.

Biotin?

I use Nioxin. To be fwir, my hair has always been thin but us thinning even more due to the meno.

Is there a pattern, op?

I can't identify a pattern for the thinning.

I do have a biotin supplement but it's early days yet for that. I might look for biotin in a hair mask.

You take a lot of supplements. What is your diet like?

My diet improved a lot over the past few years. I usually aim to have eggs for breakfast with some cheese or vegetables like courgettes or chickpeas. That usually fills me up for the day.

For lunch I might have tuna or a risotto or soup or cucumber with cheese or salmon.

I'm rarely hungry for a big meal in the evening times.

Snacks during the days would be - banana, yogurt, raisins, cheese,

Drinks include coffee and loads of water.

I'm not a fan of fruit.

I made improvements to the diet over the past three years. It used to be high in carbs and chocolates and now there is less of the bad stuff.

Have you recently stopped taking the Pill? My hair thinned drastically when I did.

Get your iron levels checked again.

No, I never took the pill.

I must admit I was never consistent with talking Iron.

I forgot to mention, I don't colour or bleach my hair.

Thinning hair is a natural part of getting older and happens to everyone at different times. We can counter it though with oils, a good diet, and exercise. Highly recommend the ordinary’s multi peptide serum.
www.cultbeauty.co.uk/the-ordinary-multi-peptide-serum-for-hair-density.html
Definitely helped my hair especially around the hair line. It’s important to always have oil on your scalp too, I use argan and jojoba oil right after a shower and works well (works better if you don’t use conditioner)

I turned 26 back in 2008. I went through a difficult patch from the end of 2008 to 2010. I was literally tortured with sleep deprivation from an abusive relationship. I didn't get over that over night even when I got away. It didn't matter how much I slept I was always so tired. That time in my life also led to poor diet choices looking for quick and easy energy like with drinks. I then went through a period of great and intense stress with harassment. It was an awful time. I had to hold down a job too that was often quite demanding with only broken sleep and naps in between. That stress was intense along with other stresses of trying to keep my head above water. That was probably the start of it all but I never noticed at the time.

@stylistmum is it an oil? How do you use it?

What do you tie your hair up with?
How do you brush or comb it?
I only comb mine when it has conditioner on it, I use a wide brush in between.
I massage my scalp regularly. I do not use tight hair elastics.

Mine was thinning and had a lot of breakage but has resolved now. I am eating a lot more high quality protein and taking supplement for hair, skin and nails. Also supplement with Spatone for iron.

I wouldn’t say cucumber with cheese is a healthy lunch and the fact you don’t eat in the evening won’t be helping matters.

It’s an oil that contains amino acids and caffeine. It’s got lots of good reviews. I know that lots of oils work for me but I like the ordinary one because it doesn’t make my hair greasy and its meant to target areas of thinner hair (for me it would be my hairline)

What’s your skin like? Do you have pcos/hormonal issues?

I use a mix of hair elastics and silk bands. I like hair buns too and I use a hairstick for the buns.

For combing, I use a wide tooth comb when it's wet. I use a regular comb when it dry. For hair brushing, I use a boar bristle brush. I always start at the ends of the hair and stroke downwards and work up the hair to the scalp.

I will add in scalp massage and oiling.

I'm not usually hungry for a big meal in the evenings. I might have something small and light like a yoghurt or cheese or toast. I don't have the appetite for a big meal. I gave an example of a typical days diet. I don't have cucumber and cheese every day.

My skin is looking great. It can be very dry on the face but it's looking so much more better.

I'm going to order the ordinary serum

Ok. I ask because my hair thinned a couple of years ago, but I also had cystic acne. My dermatologist said my hair was thinning because testosterone was too high (so the same reason some men go bold). I was prescribed spironolactone, which not only cleared skin but also sorted my hair out.

I have a different cosmetic problem. It's asymmetric breasts and it's quite severe. I was able just to get on with it and it doesn't hit me hard emotionally or psychologically and I just get on with it.

It's this thinning hair that has me nearly in tears. I hate it so much.