What''s wrong with my hair? (help)

[sevens one]

My hair! I don''t get it.

I''m shedding.

I don''t understand why I lose so much everyday. It''s all over my clothes.
I know that the human head loses over 100 hairs a day but this is ridiculous.

When I cook or bake I''m constantly checking to make sure I didn''t drop any hair into the food.
Sorry I know that''s gross but it''s true.
What''s wrong with me?

I can''t associate it with anything: pregnancies or hormones.

Does anyone have any tips for my hair? Thanks

 

[AChiOAlumna]

Are you under any extreme stress? I''ve noticed that when I''m under stress that sometimes I shed more...also due to the change in weather, is it hot where you''re at? You could be shedding your "excess" hair for the summer....

Typically, humans shed over 100 strands per day in general...

 

[sevens one]

Thanks.
Yes I''m always under stress.
But this has been going on for a while.
It''s embarassing.

The weather is changing too.

 

[aljdewey]

7s, how long has the loss been going on? Can you pinpoint when it began? Have you gone through a major change - physically or emotionally - that coincides with it? I know you had a lot going on with Angelo being in the hospital.....did it coincide with that?

I ask because a friend of mine just had gastric bypass surgery, and one of the things she''s experience is losing her hair. Her doctor said that when one''s body goes through a significant change - either physical change in weight, hormones, etc - or when one is terribly stressed, the body reacts by losing hair.

Have you lost a lot of weight? Big changes in your diet? Swings in your sleep pattern? All of these are things that could be causing it.

 

[sevens one]

Date: 6/7/2005 11:43:52 AM
Author: aljdewey
7s, how long has the loss been going on? Can you pinpoint when it began? Have you gone through a major change - physically or emotionally - that coincides with it? I know you had a lot going on with Angelo being in the hospital.....did it coincide with that?

I ask because a friend of mine just had gastric bypass surgery, and one of the things she''s experience is losing her hair. Her doctor said that when one''s body goes through a significant change - either physical change in weight, hormones, etc - or when one is terribly stressed, the body reacts by losing hair.

Have you lost a lot of weight? Big changes in your diet? Swings in your sleep pattern? All of these are things that could be causing it.

Well I''ve been dieting since Dec and did lose weight.
Sleeping is the same.

It just seems that my hair has done this for a while. But maybe you''re right with the weight loss I''ve noticed it more.
(Plus I''ve been wearing my hair down more than I used to)

 

[Patty]

I got alopecia starting in 2002. I never did find anything that triggered it. Yes, there was some stress in my life but nothing like there had been at other times. I now wonder if upping my antidepressant at the time caused it. Anyway, I have a very specific pattern of loss...it''s all at the bottom of my hairline in the back and on the sides above my ears. Luckily my hair covers it, but I DID have to grow my hair out longer to hide it. (I have alopecial areata-ophiasis pattern.)

Anyway, it sounds like you have a more "diffuse" problem with thinning or loss all over, right? I''ve read recently that antidepressants can cause hair loss, especially Wellbutrin. That loss tends to be on the top, front area. PM me if you want any more details or links to more info.

Good luck and I''m sorry that you are going through this. I mean...there''s nothing like a bad hair day.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI Sevens-One:

Any known thyroid problems? Bloodwork including a thyroid panel may help to answer/rule out some questions.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Mara]

one other thought, i asked my dr a while back re: losing alot of hair, i lose alot of hair in the shower especially and tend to find my long dark hairs all over the house! anyway...she mentioned that as long as i wasn't experiening patchy spots and/or my hair was not thinning out, then not to worry about it, that i just produced alot of hair i guess. my hair is like a horse tail, absurdedly thick (my old stylist joked he got bigger bicep muscles when he dried my hair) and grows like mad and obviously new hairs come in all the time...hee hee.

oh and i wear it up around the house all the time so that keeps it from getting into anything really.

also as others noted it's probably various things in your life too but as long as you aren't getting bald patches and/or notice a huge difference in your hair and how much of it you tend to typically have on the head, then i wouldn't worry too much.

 

[njc]

I am constantly loosing my hair as well. Sometimes its a lot worse than others (every couple of months or so). I really notice it in the shower when i wash my hair and then when i comb it out and dry it. I mean, i can grab a handfull and pull it out. I always have to clean my brush out too.

My hair is long and thin to start with, so it kinda sucks that i loose so much, but i dont have bald spots, so its obviously growing back. Its been going on for a good 7 or 8 years. Ive asked my doctor about it and a possible thyroid problem (also have trouble loosing weight, am cold all the time and a family history). He tested me, but wasnt high enough to really do anything now.

My SIL and a couple best friends have the same problem. I guess its just one of those things?

 

[AGBF]

Nan,

I recommend you ask a good doctor about this. I assure you that I am *not* aware of some life-threatening illness that could be causing this! I just think that asking lay people who have not examined you to advise you is not the best route for you.

What about seeing a dermatologist first? (And report back, girl!!!)

Hugs,
Deb

 

[fire&ice]

Yes, seeing a doctor may rule out some medical reasons for this. It could be a tyroid thing. That happened to a friend of mine - her hairdresser diagnosed her.

It could be a normal thing - I think we shed more than we think we do. Also, as women age, they can experience "baldness" type stuff just like men. I think they make a rograine for women.

Are you getting enough iron? Do you take a multi-vitamin? I notice I shed more during my time of the month & when I need a haircut.

 

[diamondlil]

I''d get a blood chemistry just to make sure there are no thyroid issues, but it''s probably just the change to warm weather. Also, your hair is long, Nan. When I had long hair, it seemed like my hair was falling out a lot. I was always pulling long strands off my clothes, and I swept the floor in the bathroom daily! Now that my hair is short, I don''t notice it as much. I don''t think it stopped coming out. I just think that because each of those "100 strands" was so much longer than they are now, it seemed like a lot of hair. If you took 100 long strands of hair and 100 strands of 4" hair and compared them, you''d swear the pile of long hair was more. Make sense?

DiamondLil

 

[Blue824]

Just like previous recommendations....go to a doctor and check your thyroid. I had a period where I thought I was losing abnormal amounts of hair, liek in the shower it would come out, i''d find it in my bed, when I was brushing, everything...anyway, they did testing, figured out that it wasn''t the thyroid. Doctor told me to keep watch on my habits and eventually it stoppe. I probably had like 3 or 4 months of it before I was finally like omg i need to see a doctor and maybe another month before i thought it lessened.

 

[moremoremore]

Maybe you are part canine and shedding that double coat for the summer?

Seriously, is your hair long. I have really long hair and it sheds everywhere. Can I tell you the cleaning guy at work asked if I had a dog in there. Okkkkaaaayyyyy.

 

[sevens one]

Thanks for all the great tips.

I will get an appointment. I WILL. I''m always at the bottom of the priorities list (for some reason

)

So time to take care of Mom and make my appointment.

Thanks again Ladies (you''ll really care about lil old me!

)

I''ll update after I can squeeze in an appt.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 6/7/2005 3:33:53 PM
Author: sevens one
I''m always at the bottom of the priorities list (for some reason

)

Well, since you''re the glue that holds everyone and everything else together, you should be at the top of the list.

 

[Patty]

Date: 6/7/2005 3:33:53 PM
Author: sevens one
Thanks for all the great tips.

I will get an appointment. I WILL. I''m always at the bottom of the priorities list (for some reason

)

So time to take care of Mom and make my appointment.

Thanks again Ladies (you''ll really care about lil old me!

)

I''ll update after I can squeeze in an appt.

We like you. We really really like you!

 

[AGBF]

Date: 6/7/2005 6:51:01 PM
Author: Patty
We like you. We really really like you!

It's too true. We also like Angello.

Deb

 

[mightyred]

Oh yes .....please look after mom.

As Oprah would say, putting yourself first is a necessity not a luxury..... if you put yourself first, you are then fully available for your family.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Talk to your doctor, Nan. This is the best advice. Ask lots of questions--this is your time to discuss your well being with him/her.

 

[Libster]

Nan,
I''ve experienced this before. My hair would come out in clumps in the shower, and was just everywhere in the car, on my clothes, etc. I, like you, worried a strand would slip into whatever meal I was preparing.

I have a lot of hair, so it''s not like anyone could tell, but it was scary. My hairdresser would also comment on it.

I was under a huge amount of stress at work and also had a shingles outbreak to go along with it. My Dr. checked my thyroid and there was no problem there, it just came down to a big case of my body reacting to stress. Take everyone''s advice and get that appointment and see what is going on with you!!

 

[hlmr]

Date: 6/7/2005 10:18:58 PM
Author: Libster
Nan,
I''ve experienced this before. My hair would come out in clumps in the shower, and was just everywhere in the car, on my clothes, etc. I, like you, worried a strand would slip into whatever meal I was preparing.

I have a lot of hair, so it''s not like anyone could tell, but it was scary. My hairdresser would also comment on it.

I was under a huge amount of stress at work and also had a shingles outbreak to go along with it. My Dr. checked my thyroid and there was no problem there, it just came down to a big case of my body reacting to stress. Take everyone''s advice and get that appointment and see what is going on with you!!

Wow - it is amazing what stress can do to the body

Good luck sevens and take care.

Heather

 

[mrssalvo]

Did you make a Dr''s appt?

 

[sevens one]

um, ....no, not yet.

Today I take Angello to the cardiologist. (never a dull moment)
I''ll call today

 

[MissAva]

Go and see your dermatoglist Sounds to me like you might have alopecia and it is not a huge deal. http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/alopecia/alopecia.htm#1

 

[MissAva]

Oops I see Patty had already posted. Anyway best of luck to you!

 

[jorman]

SevensOne-

I wouldn''t freak out until a doctor gives you reason to do so. Hair loss can be triggered by many, many things from change in diet, stress, weight loss, ovarian cysts or sometimes female patterned baldness. It can even be triggered by too many vitamins of certain kinds or even alergies. If you are going through a great deal of stress (which it sounds like you are) and have lost a lot of weight recently (which it sounds like you have) those 2 combinations could certainly cause your scalp to do a flip flop.

I would simply schedule an appointment with your general physician or gynocologist and ask a million questions.

I bet you are A Ok!

I took Acutane in college and it caused me to "shed" a ton. It corrected itself when I stopped taking the med.
I would also recommend be up front and honest about everything in your life: stress, meds, diet pills, life changes, etc.

Good luck and best wishes!
I know a lot of us will be thinking about you!

Janna

 

[DonaBella]

7''s, read over your concern about losing alot of hair...I have it, too, to some extent...I agree with others who have already suggested to you about going to the dr. I am DEFINITELY last on my own list to go to the dr, yet I shouldn''t be--and neither should you...You ARE the glue and so am I in our respective families

...

Looking forward to hearing the comments and suggestions your dr has for you...also, I am sending only positive karma and prayers your way

!

Good Luck!