Hair loss or hair shedding? I'm so upset. Losing so much every day :(

[AbsolutelyFudged]

Hi,

So I first started noticing a lot of hair loss when drying my hair about 4 years ago. My bath would be covered in it (hairdryer and mirror next to bath) but whereas I was a little concerned, I had so much hair and certainly didn't freak out, but then noticed my hair started looking very flat and then realised it was because it was thinning

Started taking vitamins and I think after a few months, I had some regrowth and slow down of the hair loss. I also had my ferritin levels checked recently and they're not dangerously low, but low enough to cause more hair loss. I started really upping my iron intake, both in food and also supplements, such as Floradix. I've been on Ferrous Fumarate for years, but I'm not sure this is absorbed into the body well.

Anyway, I was really feeling my hair was looking better and noticed (I think) lots of baby hairs, so thought I was seeing results.

However, over the last week, my hair has been coming out so fast. Every time I run my fingers through it, I get anything between 5 and 15 hairs and it's every time. When I brush, I get more and when I shower, it's the same. It just doesn't seem to stop.

I don't have any on my pillow in the morning, but I'm really worried this is turning into proper hair loss, as apposed to hair shedding.

Any advice?

Thank you

I can 100% sympathise with this. I had the longest thickest hair growing up. It was always the thing I would be complimented on almost daily. It became something I relied on and was, and still is kind of my security blanket as pathetic as that sounds. It's a huge part of me.

I experienced hair loss much as you described. Coming out in clumps when I would blowdry it. It was excessive, but I always lost a bit of hair each shower etc, so thought maybe I was overreacting. The last few years since having kids it has got noticeably thinner. For me, I feel like there are several factors that could account for my hair loss

• Age (40)
• PCOS (the excess testosterone causes hair loss
• Stress & lack of sleep
• Poor diet (yo-yo & severely reduced calories, sometimes only a few hundred)
• Lack of protein

I will never know which, or if any of the above is actually behind it, BUT... I (along with my hair stylist) have noticed a big and positive change in the thickness of my hair and the amount I've been losing recently. My hair is genuinely thicker and I'm not losing nearly as much, and I think this is because of the following:

• Really upped my protein intake to roughly 100g a day. Hair is made of protein, and we need the protein to build new hair & nails. I also greatly reduced my carbs.
• I started taking multi-vitamins which I hadn't been taking before.
• I started taking a good quality collagen powder daily (I use Bovine, but marine is available too)

I've also noticed a big difference in the clarity of my skin since doing all of the above.

Have you seen the dr about this?. Do you know about tea and coffee inhibiting iron absorption?. It’s going to take at least 3 months for supplements to have an effect. You need to take iron on an empty stomach, I take a multi vit with iron at bedtime.

Is your diet good? Hairs a luxury to the body so it’s going to use nutrition everywhere else before the hair get any attention.

@WineGetsMeThroughIt, it's not nice is it. Scary even, because you feel like you'll end up with no hair left if it keeps going! Glad to hear that your intervention seems to be working though.

I've definitely upped my protein, as I'm eating more meat, eggs etc for my iron intake. I've only been taking floradix for a month or two, so I suppose that won't necessarily have kicked in yet. I wasn't expecting to necessarily see a difference yet, but I suppose I'm just extra disheartened because I seem to be losing more than ever when I'm trying really hard to build up my iron.

@Fluffycloudland77, I have heard about caffeine and iron absorption, so I get most of my iron in the afternoon and stick to a couple of coffees in the morning. Nothing after 10am, but perhaps even that's having a detrimental effect. I hope not! I LOVE my coffee

I would say my diet is pretty good. I indulge in a bit too much wine over the weekend perhaps, but other than that, I'd day it's better than average.

I am actually wondering if it's anything to do with my covid vaccine 8 weeks ago. Apparently a cause of hair loss can be an immune system over reacting, which is what happens isn't it? I'm still having my next one, before anyone panics! I'm just wondering.

Oh and no, I haven't seen a Dr. I would assume they'll just say we have a potential cause in the low ferritin levels, so just keep trying to top that up.

I have PCOS like a pp, so heavy shedding is normal for me, however I had clumps of hair coming out around a month after having Covid which can happen (something about the fever affecting the roots). Not sure about it being a side effect from the vaccine however.

Could it be something in your diet? Soya has this effect on my hair.

Much sympathy here. I had very thick healthy hair and experienced huge hair loss over the course of around a month.

This happened after anemia that I was admitted to hospital for blood transfusions. I was also then put onto different strong drugs and then given beta blockers to control the reaction to the first drugs! I also then had surgery.

Having spoken to the doctor he would say the cause would be my bodies response to the trauma that it's been through in last few months. Although, beta blockers and aenemia can cause hair loss on their own.
My hair loss has slowed and I am seeing a little regrowth (hair sticking out in ridiculous ways from top of head)
For me stopping the beta blockers, making sure I rest, upping intake of but D and omega oils seem to have helped.
Good luck, it really is a very upsetting thing to experience.

I had the same, its just awful. What I have heard is that what you put on your hair/scalp is more effective than what you take internally unless there is an under lying deficiency

I take Vit D , Biotin, Iron, Collagan and Vit C to absorb the Iron plus MSM which makes your hair grow super fast
I use Watermans Grown Me Shampoo & Serum to stop the loss, it halts it within a few weeks. I then use various home made concoctions on my hair from fenugreek water to one that is made up of msm, vit C, castor oil, Olive Oil, Coconut oil, peppermint, Rosemary & teatree

All of the above have made a MASSIVE difference. I had gone from a really widening parting and bald patches to huge growth and my hair hasn't looked as thick in years. The improvement is not linear though so stick with it. Sometimes I think my hair looks great, others pretty flat. Apart from the shampoo and the MSM for growth I didn't notice any real difference for about 3 months

My hair has thinned a lot, through stressful times and when my body is under pressure from an autoimmune condition. My various bloods levels checked out as OK, regarding hair growth, but I started multivitamins as I was run down.

I know that when my hair is shedding and thin it really effects my confidence. At the moment it's starting to regrow again after shedding, and I have loads of baby hair coming through, and I've lost the longer hair in places. It's so upsetting.

I find that to disguise the thinnest areas nioxin hair foam- a mousse, and their Diaboost treatment really help me. I've been using the nioxin shampoo system for 6years after my hairdresser recommended them and I think it really helps. I do have to use a hair conditioner too though, as the nioxin can be drying on the lengths of hair.

Hoping you can get on top of your hair regrowth soon. It is very upsetting .

I went through this when I turned 40 and I was diagnosed with telogen effluvium. I was put on high dose iron tablets from the doctors which helped a bit. What I think really helped me though was doing regular oil masks with coconut oil, caster oil and a few drops of essential oils rosemary, lavender and peppermint which all encourage growth. And scalp massage. I also rinsed my hair with apple cider vinegar after shampoo because it helps to keep the pores open, so that they don't close up permanently. I agree with taking MSM powder too.

Ohh I also used Plantur 39 tonic too for a while, and I think it helped too, but it was so drying on my hair that I stopped using it eventually.

Could be your thyroid. Can cause hair loss if it’s over or under active.

I’d see the dr.

I would get a blood test. If your iron is very low the supplements you're taking may not be sufficient.

Tea rinsing is also brilliant. I use green tea with some essential oils before washing your hair and honestly I don't think one hair falls out then
They say a ferritin above 10 is normal so it won't be flagged but it needs to be 70 for hair growth and ideally 120.

@workshy44 what brand of vitamins do you take? I’m wanting to get some but have no idea where to start and what’s best

You really need to see a Doctor to rule out certain conditions. I had a thyroid problem which caused hair loss but I had other symptoms.

What’s MSM please?

Following

Also placemarking to find out what MSM is.

Another low ferritin sufferer here despite supplements, rarely over 25, with hair loss. It's worse at the moment but I just put it down to the time of year, in early summer and early winter it's normal to lose hair (it occurs at the same time as the rising and falling of sap in the trees).
Also get your thyroid tested, over or underactive thyroid can result in hair loss.

Have you had your thyroid checked? Hair loss is classic symptom of under active thyroid.

Has anyone tried Saw palmetto,i was recommended it as it removes the DHT from your scalp,some shampoos are said to do this
I am thinking about it,

I decided to try the MSM but while i was in Holland and Barrett,asking the assistant about it, a man stood close by, suddenly said,you need vitamin B1, it's thiamine and helps blood flow to the head,
Don't know who he was but he disappeared and i wonder if he was a Dr ,he seemed to know about vitmins,
I am going to try it,i bought some.always worth a try

I was tested positive for covid in May. I was sick in bed for two weeks. In late June I had pfizer vacc and then on the 1st July I had my hair highlighted and trimmed. It looked great and I was happy with it. On the 19th I had my second vaccine and a week later my hair fell out in the shower ( a lot ! ) Eight weeks on and it's just about stopped shedding ( fingers crossed ) This all coincided with me starting Livial on the 1st July so I really don't know for sure what has caused it. I stopped the ( HRT ) Livial and have been taking hair supplements. I'm also awaiting blood test results... My hair's condition really altered three weeks after the highlights. It became static, frizzy and very dry. I have been using a salon hair and conditioning mask but I'm now left with thin crap looking hair. It used to be lovely and now it's rubbish. My husband says it doesn't look bad and he can hardly tell but he is being kind. I am now wondering when it will be safe to have any highlights again. It's left me scared and my roots are now showing, my natural light brown flecked with grey ( I'm 54 years old ) I started off with lovely shoulder length blonde curly/wavy hair and now I'm left with a shadow of what it used to look like. I asked my hairdresser to cut a couple of inches off the length because the loose hair was forming big knots that wouldn't comb out. I just heard on the radio that they are having reports about people reporting reactions to hair colourant soon after having a vaccine and hair loss. Has anyone else suffered any of the above please ?