Female hair loss, anyone? :(

billybluehat_2

I've oredered the thickening treatment so i'll let you know how that goes. not ready to try the tablets etc yet but if i do i'll let you know what happens.

paddy's_mum

Excuse me, but with every sympathy in the world, please tell me why, exactly, you will not let your husband share this with you? Is he such a pig?

Do you think there might be a case to be made that if he saw, dismissed, couldn't-care-less-about-hair-loss and still thought the darned world of you, that you might see that a woman's hair is so NOT her crowning glory.

Listen - I've got gypsy-pony-like, spikey, untamed, masses of thick, wiry, pierce-the-skin dark (but now slowly greying) hair that cannot be forced into submission. Think a genetically Celtic/Welsh/Anglo version of Marsha Hunt. I learned years ago that a perm has to be left on so long that my scalp is blistering, and subsequently weeps, and yet still the hair hasn't softened and been tamed.

You know what? My outrageous hair doesn't define me. If someone sees it as unattractive - well, plenty more fish in the sea and I save an absolute fortune on hairdressing fees by having wash and go styling. I keep it short, attractive, under control, easy to manage. My hairdresser breathes a sigh of relief that I don't intend to grow it long this year at least.

I would hate my children to record on my gravestone that here lies the body of their mother who was an absolute biatch but "she had beautiful hair".

A woman's true crowning glory ought to be her strength, her love and loyalty, her essential-ness to her husband and children and wider family. Is there any way you can use your own experiences to help others?

angchris

i am 37 and my hair started falling out badly i could literally stand in the shower and pull clumps out with no effort. after having tests at the docs it turned out i was b12 deficient as my body wont absorb it and after several jabs am now ticketyboo again with lots more energy :j

Maximax

Hi yes it happened to me through stress... Had bald patches all over and very very thin hair.. Was very grateful to the clip in hair extensions.. In the end I went to a triologist and laid £400 for a shampoo and conditioner. Yes allot of money but for woman our hair is our crowing glory. I was that desperate and had tried many other shampoo,s I felt that this was my last chance.. Anyway it worked, I swear to you all... Worth every single penny. These are hairdressers who have under gone further exams on hair conditions and you can google them to find one closest to you. Good luck x

JodyBPM

My mum had something like this, and she used a product called Regaine. Her hair is fine now, but i have no idea whether she is still using the product or not. Might be worth a try.

Abbafan1972

Yes, I have thinning hair at the front.

I have been undergoing lots of blood tests for other symptoms, such as extreme tiredness. All came back normal, except for an abnormal increase in white blood cells.

I got referred to the Haematologist at the hospital and he wasn't concerned about the white blood cells and thoughtfully informed me that I don't have leukemia . Although he did comment on my thinning hair and the fact that my cheeks look red and have something called a "butterfly rash", both of these symptoms are classic signs of Lupus. I am still under investigation at the moment, so we'll see what happens.

Winnie_in_Pooh

My hair started falling out just after DS1 was born. After all the blood tests showed nothing, my GP started treating me for depression and it stopped. I can always tell when I'm super stressed or the depression is going to rear its ugly head because my hair starts falling out in clumps again. I'm now pregnant with number 2 and my hair is starting to fall out again but apparently it can also be a "side effect" of pregnancy too.

Hope you find some answers

Tiddlywinks

Firstly, I know how I felt when this happened to me and it can be absolutely devastating... Have a look at this site, it deals specifically with this issue and has a forum of like-minded people all who share their treatments, experiences etc

http://www.heralopecia.com/interact/

I am not a medical expert but I will just share what the medics and snake oil traders told me and let you know what worked for me... My doctor was really unsympathetic and I had to push for a referral.

The dermotologist said that even when testing normal for iron / B12, if you are in the middling count then take supplements anyway as some of us need more of it to maintain hair growth especially as we get older. I was testing in the middle for both and had thinning at the temples. He also said that the supplements can take 3-6 months to work so keep at it (but don't exceed the dose on the packaging as you can OD on iron and that is dangerous). Taking vit c also helps the body to absorb the iron apparently.

The derm also recommended using Rogaine - the extra strength one for men, he said that with female pattern hairloss you need to go for the big guns! Again, this can take months to work and can have side effects - the above site has loads of discussions on this. I took the plunge (after waiting for months worrying about the possible "shed" of hair that can happen) and it has worked to a certain extent.

I also saw a trichologist (Philip Kingsley practice in London) who charged me £400 but really only said the same as the derm - so don't waste your money on this kind of advice. They recommended the tablets and their own version of Rogaine. The one good thing that I did get from them was some shampoo (for dry, itchy scalp) which helps if you have a reaction to the Rogaine. You can get it from QVC or Salon Expert cheaper than from the PK site.

I really do understand how this can impact on your life - just remember that you have to keep living and enjoying life and try to park this by dealing with it in the best way for you. Really, really good luck!

Please PM me if you want to talk more off-line.

Tiddlywinks

paddy's_mum wrote: »

Excuse me, but with every sympathy in the world, please tell me why, exactly, you will not let your husband share this with you? Is he such a pig??

Don't make assumptions about this - it took me ages to raise the issue with my OH - that had nothing to do with how he would react but everything to do with how I felt as a woman!

paddy's_mum wrote: »

Listen - I've got gypsy-pony-like, spikey, untamed, masses of thick, wiry, pierce-the-skin dark (but now slowly greying) hair that cannot be forced into submission. Think a genetically Celtic/Welsh/Anglo version of Marsha Hunt.

With respect, having a mass of untamed hair is not really comparable with losing your hair.

Little_Ole_Me

paddy's_mum wrote: »

Excuse me, but with every sympathy in the world, please tell me why, exactly, you will not let your husband share this with you? Is he such a pig?

Do you think there might be a case to be made that if he saw, dismissed, couldn't-care-less-about-hair-loss and still thought the darned world of you, that you might see that a woman's hair is so NOT her crowning glory.

Listen - I've got gypsy-pony-like, spikey, untamed, masses of thick, wiry, pierce-the-skin dark (but now slowly greying) hair that cannot be forced into submission. Think a genetically Celtic/Welsh/Anglo version of Marsha Hunt. I learned years ago that a perm has to be left on so long that my scalp is blistering, and subsequently weeps, and yet still the hair hasn't softened and been tamed.

You know what? My outrageous hair doesn't define me. If someone sees it as unattractive - well, plenty more fish in the sea and I save an absolute fortune on hairdressing fees by having wash and go styling. I keep it short, attractive, under control, easy to manage. My hairdresser breathes a sigh of relief that I don't intend to grow it long this year at least.

I would hate my children to record on my gravestone that here lies the body of their mother who was an absolute biatch but "she had beautiful hair".

A woman's true crowning glory ought to be her strength, her love and loyalty, her essential-ness to her husband and children and wider family. Is there any way you can use your own experiences to help others?

How dare you accuse my husband of being a pig???? He is actually the total opposite, the nicest man in the world.

As someone said above, your hair problems have little corrolation to mine. I would love to have a full head of unruly hair, than half a head of nice manageable hair! Attitudes like this actually make me not want to tell people.

Please don't bother to post again, as this subject is highly sensitive to me, and I really do not need your judgements on a subject you seem to know nothing about, as I am depressed enough as it is, and it took me a long time to pluck up the courage to even start this thread. I am actually in tears at work again because of this thoughtless post. Thanks a bunch