Congratulations on all the losses and NSVs! Lovely also about being younger on the scales! I’m still 3 years older than my real age… hopefully I will crack it one day!
Saw this article this morning which may be helpful for those of us dealing with hair loss:
This is the only thing I’ve found that helped my hair loss
After losing weight I’m now losing my hair. Here’s the only thing that helps
India Knight
October 11 2025, The Sunday Times
Due to my traumatised hair … actually, quick recap: it was bad enough when it was just thin and pathetic, but then it started falling out dramatically, and I mean dramatically, due to weight loss. Like, huge swathes of pink scalp showing through, like a comb-over, to the point that I considered wearing a wig. I often mention that my hair used to be annoyingly thick when I was younger, without really offering up any explanation for why it became thin. That is because I never really questioned it — it was thick, then it was thin, whatever, I’d make the most of what remained. But when I started going actively bald, I realised that this was a ridiculously passive way of looking at the situation. I could probably have swerved the initial thinning by paying attention to my menopause for starters. But I barely noticed the menopause, so I didn’t even think about hormones. What an idiot! That was ten years ago.
Then I lost a lot of weight, and the hair situation went from unsatisfactory to catastrophic. Genuinely near baldness. But now it’s growing back. It looks stupid because the new bits are tufty and stick straight up when it’s windy, but they won’t always be tufty and I love those hairs. I have never cherished hairs more. I adore each little strand. If this is resonating in any way at all, whether because of Mounjaro/Wegovy or because of menopausal or postpartum, ie hormonal, hair loss situations, or both (rather than because you have diagnosed alopecia), I’m going to save you some time and money. Nothing over the counter works. I think some serums are better than others if it’s very early days, but really I was way past serums.
If your situation is as drastic as mine was, here’s what you need to do. One, have a blood test. If it shows an iron deficiency, take Florisene and only Florisene. (Please trust me on this, I have so been there.) Two, go and see the doctor and ask about microdosing oral minoxidil. Three, take it faithfully every day at the same time for ever. The “for ever” bit freaks people out, but really, so what? Lots of people take a daily pill. The microdosing aspect means that you are unlikely to develop a thick moustache, though I must warn you that you will need to be extra vigilant anyway — tweezers at the ready.
I have been taking minoxidil for six months and only now see a noticeable difference, but I’m told it will take a couple of years for my hair to return to its previous glory. I say “glory” — I’d settle for half glory. Quarter glory! Anything.
And now I’ve run out of space! What I was trying to do was tell you that the best shampoo for fragile hair is Pureology Hydrate Sheer (£26, boots.com) — again, please trust me, I’ve tried them all. So get yourself some of that as a first step. Sorry to review it in one sentence, but I think the hair loss info is possibly more valuable.