Thinning hair help :(

[SnBLurker]

Hi,

Late 30's, heavy periods lead to low ferritin, which I'm assuming gas lead to my hair loss.

Because I always had very thick hair, even when I could see a carpet of hair on the floor, in the shower, I could 'get away with it' because I had a lot of buffer I suppose. Not so much anymore. The re growth just isn't keeping up with the loss and now my hair is starting to look properly thin. Because it's natural quite coarse/curly, it can look a little thicker than it actually is, but when it's wet... 😒 it looks awful. It's so flat at the top, even when dry and when I move my hair off my face, you can see how thin it is around my temples. My hairline is receding too. Hairdresser said no to a curtain fringe/bangs, as it wouldn't sit right on my face. I thought it might help hide the thinning a bit 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, my pattern seems to be a couple of months of 'normal' shedding, then a couple of insane shedding. Loads when I wash, like a full handful, then more when I dry, then more every time I brush or even gently run my fingers through.

Things I've tried :

Hair and nails supplements (usually vit b, biotin etc mix)
Ferrous fumerate every 3rd day
Heme iron supplement (only in the past couple of weeks)
Bondi Boost shampoo

I did the tea scalp soaking thing (green tea) but actually found my hair came out more, so stopped.

I should say, this has been happening over the past 8 - 10 years, but is now really starting to ramp up and as I say, is becoming really quite noticeable now.

Is that it? ☹️

I've been taking liquid collagen-it's made a huge difference to my thinning hair when nothing else did. Might be worth a go?

Ask your GP to test your ferritin levels again, to see if they have come up. Also get your thyroid function tested and your vitamin d level.
I am also have issues, so I sympathise.

@warofthemonstertrucks that's interesting, as I was just reading another thread about how useless it was. Can I ask which you take?

@SirVixofVixHall had them checked a couple of months ago and they had come up, but still only in the low 20's, so still in the iron deficiency range. Pretty sure they checked my thyroid levels and vit d. I do actually take a vit d supplement too. Sorry that you can relate.

Absolute collagen. It made a huge difference to my hair -thickness and actual texture. Went from coarse unmanageable frizz to soft and sleek and thick. I was bloody amazed. I was a total Sceptic but the difference was seen in three weeks use, and I hadn't changed any other aspect of life.
(It made my nails grow too-but benefits to skin weren't so noticeable-it's probably too far gone!)

Before that I took so body collagen which in fairness made a similar difference bit is a powder rather than a gel and as such was harder to take and tasted rank. But was a bit cheaper

What kind of collagen do you recommend? I'm interested because my hair is getting thinner as I get older.

I have been using a serum spray from Victoria Health, called Natucain, but it is really expensive. I think there is possibly more baby hair around my hairline, but I can’t tell yet if it is affecting growth. I will post back in a few weeks.
I also ordered the Champo hair serum, which has good reviews.
I need to get my ferritin tested though.

Re thyroid - Can you ask for your TSH level? “Normal” TSH is 0.5 to 4.5 in theory but many women find that they have symptoms with anything above about 3

also: B vitamins, and Vit C to help the iron be absorbed

Get your ferritin levels checked again & if you have the cash to throw at it, get an iron infusion. Also address the heavy periods. I suffered for years/decades and only recently found out that tranexamic acid taken only when you have your periods cuts the bleeding drastically. Alternatively you could look into getting a hormonal coil.

I have also struggled with heavy periods causing low ferritin. Mine was at 30, and I felt terrible!
Like you I have been experiencing shedding for nearly 10 years.
I have been taking Solgar iron bisglycinate 20mg with vitamin C (I like the pure powder). This type of iron is typically gentle on the stomach and well absorbed. For optimal hair growth I have read you want your ferritin to be at least over 70.

My hair loss has definitely plateaued (Ferritin now in the 80's but this has taken probably 10 months of daily supplementing), but my hair still very thin really. I have embraced extensions and time will tell if my hair ever bounces back.
I hope you can find something that works for you. If nothing else I feel human again after restoring my ferritin.

Totally agree with previous poster on Collagen, I’ve been taking Tablet form collagen for 3 months and it’s made a huge difference a,ready.

My Ferritin level was 1. After one year of daily iron supplementation, first liquid, then caps, it's up to 14. Dr won't prescribe an Infusion. It takes a long time in my experience if you're taking this route.
Regaine is working for me, but not spectacularly.

I have a problem with low ferritin too, unfortunately. I had to take iron prescribed by my GP because I was reeeeally low and the ones I was getting over the counter were too low in %. I suggest you get a gastric protector if you're going to be ingesting iron for a long time (which I wish sb had told me).
For the hair I used a Minoxidil spray. Most things that work for hair have this active principle, so get the actual spray. Ask at a pharmacy.
Vichy have a good range of shampoo and ampoules but if you can get a Minoxidil spray it will be more than enough and much much cheaper. The dermatologist said to spray dry hair once at the front and once at the back (once a day), he told not to overkill it spraying lots of times because it would be worthless. It takes a few weeks and then you'll notice hair won't fall as much, then it grows without falling and eventually you should have more hair.
Good luck OP!

The lowest I got was 4 I think and I was dragging myself through life. I was sleeping from 8 in the evening till morning. I can't even imagine what it's like to be at 1. And the headaches! Bloody heck, all day long! Thank goodness those were gone after 2 or 3 days on iron.

It's appalling that iron infusions are out of reach for most women in the UK. It costs around £800 if you have to pay for it privately.

In Australia, by comparison, it costs around $135 after government subsidy, which is around £75.

Disgraceful that women's needs are overlooked here.

Oh this is interesting! I have terrible hair loss after having had ferritin below 20 for at least 5 years. Was as low as 6 at one point. Last year I noticed my hair had thinned horribly and since then I am aware of some dreadful shedding. All around my hairline is now so thin and so patches there’s almost nothing left! I’m devastated about it. I have been taking iron for 9 months and vit D and B.

I have absolute collagen which I did take for a little while but just kept forgetting etc. I never really got in the swing of it. Do you remember how long it took to see a change in your hair? I’m wondering whether to give it another go?

Right here with you, I think my ferritin must be near the 70s/80s as well now. I’m still shedding far too much and my hair looks so so bad around my hairline and at the temples. I really hate it. I keep panicking that correcting the ferritin won’t stop it. You feel so helpless don’t you, watching it get worse every month.

Sorry so many of you can relate. It socks, quite simply.

Dp, friends and family try to make me feel better by saying I have a lot to lose, it doesn't really look any different, but I know it does. I've lost at least a third, I'd say.

@BlackSwan I did look into an iron infusion, but I sent one email enquiry and was subsequently SPAMMED by the company. I got phone call after phone call, text messages, emails. Must have had 10 in 1 day, so it put me off a bit. Also really anxious about a bad reaction. Heard of a woman on here who had anaphylaxis!! 😲 Presumably it's something you need to keep going with too.

I'm hoping that these heme supplements might kick in and do something <<clutching all the straws!>> It's much better absorbed apparently, even though it contains quite a bit less iron

Tempted by the hydrolysed collagen. I don't really like the idea of adding more supplements to my diet. I'm taking a mountain already!

*sucks

Not quite the same but my eyebrows were disappearing and I used the old fashioned castor oil treatment, clean old mascara brush dipped in castor oil every night and brushed along eyebrows. Within weeks they were growing back and about 10 weeks later I had proper eyebrows.

As my hair is a bit thinner than it used to be, just due to age I think, I was using Nioxin which did help but it gets worse before it gets better. I've stopped it and am rubbing castor oil in every night but too soon to say if it is making a difference.

@Twoanklebiters it took about 3 or 4 weeks of taking daily for my hair to change. I also take iron (spatone) which I always have, but now I just mix the lot up with some hot water and a bit of orange juice and take it when I get home from work so I remember and have got in the routine of it

SnBLurker that's dreadful - I went to the iron clinic in london and they were great. I know what you mean though it's totally off putting getting spammed.
I understand reactions are pretty rare, though of course can happen. I was told I won't need another, though I am going to Oz some time soon so I may make the most of it and get a cheap infusion there!

I'm in the club too! Mine is thyroid related.

I've been cutting an inch or 2 off an aloe vera pot plant, de-spiking and splitting it open, and rubbing the gel on my scalp. It feels lovely and I think it's stopped the shedding now. It's a traditional ayurvedic remedy, FWIW! Best of luck all.

You need three ferrous fumarate a day for lowferritin. Avoid anything with tannin in for at least an hour either side of the pills.

@BlackSwan yeah, I wasn't impressed. Evidently, because I never got back to them! Starting to re think now. So yours have been very successul then?

@Fluffycloudland77 I took the recommended dose when my levels were first flagged at 7, 9 or so years ago and that was, as you say, 3x tablets a day, but the side effects were horrendous! Apparently 1 every 3 days keeps it in your system, but without the side effects. My GP actually said I was doing the right thing, as more and more research suggested that that amount of iron will just pass through your body and very little will be absorbed. So basically you're getting nasty side effects for very little benefit. Saying that, if you're really really low, then I would obviously take as the doctor advised.