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 tried supplements, shampoos, treatments- nothing has made any difference for me although I know many swear by biotin and the like. My hair is so thin and brittle in texture and, like you, it affected my confidence massively.
I got tape extensions last year and I feel like my old self again. They are high maintenance and pretty expensive but, for me, they are worth it. Just thought I’d mention it as another option. Hope you find something that works for you.

Are you starting an early perimenopause?? Many women notice thinning hair during this time.

I'm not interested in extensions. I don't know much about them and I would image extensions might cause some damage to my own hair.

I increased haircare big time since January and treating my hair like a delicate silk. In my 20s and early 30s I made some poorer hair decisions like using heat and straighteners.

Hopefully I will be able to reverse some of this thinning. I probably won't see any results yet.

I don't know if its perimenopause. I doubt it. I think its a combination of going in and out of periods of high and intense stress. Poor diet and nutrition choices and poor haircare during the years.

Okay. Been here and ended up seeing a private specialist so I can pass on some of the things I was told and which have helped.

You need to be very very clear of the difference between brittle, broken hair and thinning hair. If it’s just thinning at the scalp then straightening etc plays no part - that affects the hair after it’s growing and past the cuticle. However if it is growing but just breaking off, that’s different and heat/delicacy/chemical treatments needs caution.

If it’s growing thinner, your scalp is more visible, etc then it’s coming from the inside predominantly. You need to take a very good supplement, plus you need to up your iron and vitamin D, the latter quite considerably. There are posts on MN about the doses to take but it takes a long time to get those levels back up but it’s a key factor in thin hair. Iron is also key. Together both low levels are very very likely to cause thin hair. You can’t take it for a bit and hope, you have to take it consistently and long term. Then, and only then, I’ll bet you’ll see SOME regrowth. After 9 months of good supplements as above I started to see a small fuzzy crown of new hairs amongst my longer hair. It’ll never be as thick as it was but as the trichologist said it’s a slow game.

Hi a few things to try. I have pcos and on meds which make you lose your hair so I take biotin supplements every day. Also try nioxcin shampoo system. It is expensive but worth it. For hair up I use wow hair powder which you match to your colour and you put it on around your hairline to give the illusion of thickness. Hope these things help you as I know how you feel.

I take biotin & vit d as I had hair loss after weight loss, 5months on & it’s definitely improved..

I’ve had noticeably thinning hair due to stress and illness- if you look back to 3/4 months before you noticed it thinning was there any issues then?
The 2 things that have helped are taking a turmeric and black pepper supplement (tastes disgusting but the change has been so noticeable by me and even my hairdresser that I put up with it) and Phillip Kingsley body building shampoo and conditioner- it’s expensive but they regularly do deals on Brandalley and QVC.

Biotin makes me break out if I take it daily.

I’ve noticed new baby hair on my head since increasing my iron dosage - I was taking tablets already but had v low iron regardless. Testing is key!

I have been taking hair, skin and nail supplements for a year and it’s only now I see a real difference to my hair, it’s thicker and has stopped shedding. My nails stopped flaking about 6 moths ago. I really think you have to give it a fair amount of time to build up.
I was going to get a blood test just as the first lockdown started, so didn’t get round to it.

I have had a sudden and excessive loss of hair following severe anemia and blood transfusions. I was then put onto beta blockers, which I now know cause hair loss too (stopped now).

I had very thick long hair, I have lost over half of the volume.
I am confused as to how to tackle it.

I have purchased biotin from Puri labs but have since read it can be bad at the levels needed. Has anyone had side effects from biotin?

Are there any hair shampoos/treatment people would recommend?

I asked my doctor and he said it's due to the trauma my body has been through, the only solution he offered was NHS hair pieces if it got worse.