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Sun Mar 26, 2006 6:13 am  |
| I wash my hair everyday and find that recently my hair falls out quite a fair bit. During hair wash, I lose approximately 20-30 hairs i think. I wake up in the mornings and find at least 5 hairs on my pillow and just flipping my hair, i find a couple of strands falling onto the table. Is it normal? My hairdresser said it could be due to oily scalp and suggested that i use a gentler shampoo tailored specifically to everyday use and under her recommendation I bought Klorane everyday shampoo. It doesnt seem to help dramatically and i still observe continued hair fallout. I do not have an oily scalp actually. Anyone know the cause of this and any solutions for me pls? |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 7:35 am |
i believe it's normal to lose about 100 hairs a day so i don't think you have anything to worry about.... it's also nearing spring and i find that i shed even more when the weather changes. and sometimes diet or hormones or stress can make it worse, so don't stress about it. i think you're perfectly normal.  |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 8:12 am |
| I had this same problem about 10 years ago, my hair was falling out alot and I didn't know why! Low and behold my doctor did some blood work and it came back positive for hypothyrodism. I take a pill daily to help my thyroid work better and my hair doesn't fall out near as much. Maybe ask your doc for a thyroid test to determine if this is your problem or not, it can't hurt, hair loss is a symtom of hypothyroidism. HTH! |
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PROUD FTM @ 40 TO CARTER-BORN APRIL 12, 2006...Sensitive dry skintype...prone to excema |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 12:04 pm |
I had the same problem some years ago also. I did have a naturopathic doctor check it out and I did have a thyroid test. I was told that it was due to stress and to start doing something to bring the stress level down- such as dancing, yoga, meditation, exercise, nature walks etc.- anything that I would enjoy (and therefore do regularly). You might also try some flower essences- they work vibrationally, sort of homeopathically, are very gentle, and enable shifts on the emotional level by the principle of resonance. Bach Flower Essences and FES flower essences are readily available.
It is a good idea to get the thyroid checked out though. You can do a home test to find out if your basal temperature is above or below normal- basically it involves placing a thermometer by your bedside, shaking it down before going to bed and taking your armpit temoperature first thing when you wake up in the morning (while trying to move as little as possible). Supposedly, a normal basaltemp. is in the range of 97.8 to 98.2 degrees Farenheit. A temperature below that may indicate hypothyroidism, and a temperature above that may indicate hyperthyroidism. It's not definitive, there can be a lot of other factors involved, but it's a good ( and free! ) place to start. For details, Check out:
www.advance-health.com/Hypothyroid.html
You can google this and find many other sites. Also a very informative book about this is:
"Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness" by Broda Barnes.
You can check out the reviews on amazon.com to see if you want to invest the time in reading it, and most public libraries have it.
All that aside, 20 or 30 hairs doesn't sound abnormal, especially with seasonal changes, and hormonal changes can be a factor too as La Vie en Rose pointed out. If the problem
persists beyond a seasonal shedding (we do respond to light cycles!) then I would investigate.
HTH
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:32 pm |
Have you lose weight recently? I was on a low carb diet and went overboard and lost 20 pounds really quickly and my hair started falling out. I went to the doctor and they did a thyroid test and it came out normal. The doctor suggested prenatal pills and biotin supplements just in case it was a nutrition deficiency, but we decided it was probably "Telogen Effluvium Hair Loss". If you've had any weird thing happen to you lately this could be it. Here's a link:
http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/telogen_effluvium.html
It did eventually stop and grew back. But now I have all these short hairs that come out of my ponytails  (not chunks but little wispies) Hopefully this is all it is and it will correct itself, but a thyroid check is a good idea even just to ease your mind! Also vitamins if you aren't already taking them. I noticed extra loss lately and am back on the biotin myself. Good Luck! |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 2:48 pm |
Cloud 9 just reminded me that weight loss was a factor for me too. My doctor said that more than a 5 lb loss per year stresses the body ( I had lost 15 lbs & was going overboard with exercise  ) and that anytime you lose an appreciable amount of weight, it's not unusual to lose hair- it shows up months later.
I didn't know that a biotin deficiency might also be a factor- thanks for the info., Cloud 9  |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:00 pm |
In January, I learned about the benefits of consuming extra virgin organic coconut oil and began using this in all of my cooking instead of butter or other fats and oddly enough one of the things I have noticed since doing this is that I lose about half as much hair as I used to. I used to lose a lot in the shower, and it really is about half what it used to be.
This may be due to the fact that the coconut oil does boost your thyroid. |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:25 pm |
| mojocat wrote: |
| I wash my hair everyday and find that recently my hair falls out quite a fair bit. During hair wash, I lose approximately 20-30 hairs i think. I wake up in the mornings and find at least 5 hairs on my pillow and just flipping my hair, i find a couple of strands falling onto the table. Is it normal? My hairdresser said it could be due to oily scalp and suggested that i use a gentler shampoo tailored specifically to everyday use and under her recommendation I bought Klorane everyday shampoo. It doesnt seem to help dramatically and i still observe continued hair fallout. I do not have an oily scalp actually. Anyone know the cause of this and any solutions for me pls? |
In the shower it helps not to comb your fingers through your hair when its wet, and to not brush your hair until it's dry.
However, if you're losing hair just when you're flipping it I have no idea. :( |
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25, very fair, dry/sensitive, mild rosacea, otherwise good skin! |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 5:23 pm |
Hi Mojocat,
have you changed your diet? Stress is also could be the reason. Try to take some vitamins(or may be you are already taking them?). If you still losing your hair go to the doctor (endocrinologist)for a check up. |
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Blond, blue eyes.Skin: Normal, sometimes oily, during winter very dry. Very sensitive. Occasional breakouts. Very fair. |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 5:34 pm |
| You're welcome! On the bottle of my biotin it says it's a water-soluble(meaning you just pee out the extra like vit. c) B-vitamin, assists in energy metabolism in cells, and promotes skin, hair, and nail health. Sounds good to me! |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 5:38 pm |
| Oh my gosh, our stories are the same. I am not stressed, take multivitamins that include biotin, eat healthy, etc. and I have also noticed a greater amount of hairloss than usual that seems to coincide with oily hair and lots of dandruff. It's almost like the hair is being starved in the follicle or something and just lets go. I wish I knew what was causing it! I'm starting to wonder if it is a yeast or fungus or something. I did notice that harsher shampoos, including dandruff shampoos tend to make it worse. If you find out what is happening to you, Please let me know! |
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Mabsy
Moderator
 
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Posts: 9644
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 6:14 pm |
While I don't know the underlying cause of your increased hair loss, I can highly recommend Nioxin shampoo and conditioner to help deal with it. I think I tend to lose more hair when I am stressed, but I am 100% sure that Nioxin reduces the amount of loss. It is supposed to target hair loss and strengthen the hair. They used to sell kits of this with a little drain catcher thingy so that people could see the difference in how much hair they lose after they started with the Nioxin. Anyway, I don't use Nioxin all the time (I get bored with it) but I have returned to it a number of times now and have seen a difference each time.
Of course, this is not to say that you should ignore the cause for the hairloss, but it is something that might help you through it. |
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45, NW20, combination skin |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:34 pm |
| Thanks so much for the tip, Mabsy. I will definitely be looking into it! |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:35 pm |
| I've heard that hair loss like that is frequently due to changes in hormones - could be normal, could be the sign of a problem so it might be worth a trip to the doctor. I've personally noticed hair loss due to not consuming enough protein (which is a problem since I don't eat meat) and it also happens if I make a dramatic change to my diet but then it stops after a short period. |
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Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:28 pm |
Yes, aside from seasonal-shed, STRESS is a big player (and can come form unusual sources) ... so is pregnancy (my hairdresser always asks me if I am pregnant because I shed so much) so I guess hormonal imbalance would cover that too.
I am supposed to be doing the morning temp thing at the moment too, as my doc said slight thyroid imbalance can affect our cycles/pain/etc. So maybe that is the source of my shedding.
As for keeping the scalp healthy, try using SLS-free shampoo and always use a rubber scalp brush to make sure the follicles are super clean.
I shed like there is no tomorrow a brush or two full per week easily.. but I have long hair (almost to shoulder blades) so that contributes to how much it seems I guess. But considering how much I shed you would think I would be thinning, but I have such a thick crop of fine hair I could easily provide some spares for a wig or two. |
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Mon Mar 27, 2006 6:52 am |
You're not kidding! I've been harvesting hair from my hairbrush and the shower to test out henna color, and even though the amount of shedding is normal for me, I wonder why I can't tell the difference in the amount of hair on my head! Even with long hair (armpit length) it's amazing that it isn't thinner at the ends!  |
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Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:00 pm |
| Maybe a high shedding rate can also coincide with a high growth rate, thus keeping your hair at the same thickness. I went through a period of shedding in my late teens/early twenties and there is a permanent difference in the thickness of my hair. It recovered somewhat, but my hair is not as thick as it was when I was a teenager. I guess it's all part of growing older.... |
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Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:43 am |
| My job is quite stressful so i guess that could be the culprit. Im not sure about thyroid - thanks for all the informative links. I will check with my doctor. Where can i get Nioxin Mabsy? I live in Singapore and personally havent come across that before. What SLS-free shampoo? |
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Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:42 pm |
I have a similar problem.
I was told that Vichy hair care products (for hair loss problem) help a lot. |
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Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:38 pm |
One of the things that is so great about this forum is that you all keep my momentum to do more research humming along. As a result of a website I just found, I have decided to try 1% Nizoral shampoo first. It is ph balancing, gentle, designed for dandruff and found at the drugstore. Here is a taste of what you can read about at the site. I think it is a good place to start. I do know that I am slightly anemic as well and will be looking into iron supplements.
http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C568849.html
| Quote: |
Common causes of hair loss or hair thinning in women:
thyroid or liver disease
hepatic or renal failure
anesthesia
childbirth
starting or stopping birth control pills
very high fever
severe stress
anemia (sometimes seen in runners)
hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
essential fatty acid deficiency
zinc deficiency
any condition that upsets the ovarian, adrenal, or pituitary axis
protein deficiency (common with vegetarian diets)
anorexia or bulimia
too much vitamin A
local viral, fungal, or protozoan infection
drug toxicity
antimitotics - such as those used for chemotherapy
bromocriptine - used to inhibit lactation
beta blockers
ACE inhibitors
amphetamines
anticholesterol agents
Most doctors agree that if you have a oily scalp with thinning hair, frequent shampooing is advised. Shampooing can reduce surface sebum, which contains high levels of testosterone and DHT that may reenter the skin and affect the hair follicle. |
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Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:24 am |
thanks pnw,
now *i* can obsess -- the two meds i take every day are on that list.... (and i know for a fact other meds that do cause it aren't on there.) i do lose a great lot of hair every day, but luckily have a lot to lose. i still need to have my hair 'thinned.'
and it is true that sometimes the loss can start *after* the trauma or whatnot that started it. when i was very ill (hence the meds), i was losing hair by handfuls and had to cut most of it off and keep on trimming it frequently for about six months.... the important thing is -- it DOES grow back once the crisis has passed.
i was upset about the hair (chopped off almost 8 inches the first go around), but didn't obsess about it, other than frequent trimmings (rather than my usual three times a year), used a gentle shampoo, and it pretty much all came back (have one kind of thin place still on my right temple) eventually. i think with hair, like the face, sometimes less is more.... |
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Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:23 am |
| yea, it's a long list. I didn't mean it to be something to obsess over, just maybe someone will find an aha! to check into like I did with the anemia. Helps to narrow things down, not meant to scare anyone. I still think that for most of us, it can be small things like stress, getting over an illness, pregnancy, infection, hormones changing etc. So glad yours is coming back nice and full. |
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Mabsy
Moderator
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Posts: 9644
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Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:28 am |
| mojocat wrote: |
| My job is quite stressful so i guess that could be the culprit. Im not sure about thyroid - thanks for all the informative links. I will check with my doctor. Where can i get Nioxin Mabsy? I live in Singapore and personally havent come across that before. What SLS-free shampoo? |
Sorry, missed your post last time I logged on. Nioxin is available at many hairdressers in Australia. I just did a quick search and in Singapore this looks to be one of the few (or even the only) place you can get it:
Glamour Salon System
190 Macpherson Road, #06-07
Wisma Gulab,
Singapore 348548,
Singapore
PH: 011-65-6743-5218
FX: 011-65-6743-2549
glamhair@singnet.com.sg
I'd check how much it is first - might be cheaper getting it from Australia or even cheaper from the states. From memory there's a fair bit of Nioxin listed on eBay usually as well. HTH |
_________________
45, NW20, combination skin |
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Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:03 pm |
| I wonder if Nioxin and Nizoral have the same active ingredient? Nizoral has Ketoconazole 1%. |
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