Hair Loss

I did a search and the last hair loss-specific thread in the Health & Beauty Moneysaving forum was back in 2016. Helen Porter showed off her new blonde wig on TV recently and there was a story in a tabloid last week about a primary school kid with alopecia, whose school wouldn't allow her to wear her wig at school.

Just over a week ago, I was getting ready to go to the cinema with my husband. I caught sight of my parting in the mirror and it looked like an animal had torn ragged lumps of hair out, leaving bald patches.

I was distraught. I knew that my hair had become thinner since taking Metformin, but I didn't think that I had bald patches. I have nagged my GP about my thinning hair and asked him to refer me to a trichologist and he refused. he also refused tp prescribe me minoxidil.

So this thread is in two parts:
(a) if you or anyone else female that you know is experiencing hair loss, what have you/they tried to help regrowth ?
(b) in the meantime and in case regrowth doesn't happen what suggestions do you have please ?

My first idea was to cut my hair as short as I dared. I figured that having less weight (it reached the tops of my shoulders) might help to alleviate damage and get more air to my scalp.

I found an article online on hair treatments and the #1 for hair loss and thinning hair, wasn't Rogaine (Minoxidil) but a tube of stuff from an Italian company called Dewines, which Liberty sells for £20.00. Have ordered it because it should last ages. You just use a little on freshly shampooed hair twice a week and leave it in.

My mother says argan oil will help and she's going to give me a bottle of it which she picked up in Lidl. I bought a travel size pump dispenser argan oil from Poundshop and hadn't used it, so am using that to start me off.
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Comments

  • MrsStepford
    MrsStepford Posts: 1,552
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    Part Two: Covering the bald bits

    I thought about wigs and dismissed them for now because life is too short to be washing two lots of hair. Also, it would be horrible if some (probably expensive) wig flew off my head in public. I'd be mortified.

    As a hat lover, I am looking out for caps and beanies in sales as well as cheap scarves in cotton, silk, viscose wool and rayon - breatheable stuff, because it will be on my head.

    Watched some YouTube tutorials on tieing turbans (variously African, Sikh, Muslim), tichels (Jewish) and hijabs (Muslim). I managed to recreate one style so far, but I wouldn't feel confident in public because it keeps sliding off.

    One of the hijab tutorials mentioned a hijab cap which the hijab scarf clings to and it's invisible under the scarf. I thought that might work for a tichel/turban creation so found a few websites and ordered some - really cheap, like one was 2.50.

    While I was looking on a website, I found shampoo for covered hair. Covering hair for most of the day can make it smell (eww), get oily (ditto) and fall out :eek: so I ordered some of the shampoo to try. I don't want to add to my hair problem.

    So I think I have a regime sorted to look after my hair which is making me feel a bit better, like i'm doing the best I can to coax it to grow. I can get plants to grow..

    Now i'm looking for cheap breatheable scarves and hats. Did I say I love hats ? :)

    I am hoping hoping hoping that my hair grows

    xxx
  • dboswell
    dboswell Posts: 309 Forumite
    Google hair systems. They seem quite popular with some communities for hair volume.
  • BucksLady
    BucksLady Posts: 567 Forumite

    I was distraught. I knew that my hair had become thinner since taking Metformin, but I didn't think that I had bald patches. .


    Metformin can result in lower blood levels of Vitamin B12 which in turn can result in hair loss. Is your diet rich in this vitamin? If not, maybe a supplement might help?. Anyway, this is the route I would take initially and if it didn't help, I think I would visit my GP again and request further assistance. If he/she doesn't listen, please ask to see someone else because there is help out there :). I wish you so much luck, it's a horrible problem to have to contend with x
  • MrsStepford
    MrsStepford Posts: 1,552
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    I eat eggs, salmon and other fish and seafood, beef, milk, butter, cheese, beef and use Engevita with added B12. I will check how much I get against reference intake, thanks for the suggestion.

    Only one GP in the practice so it's him or no-one. :(
  • steve_blake1490667
    steve_blake1490667 Posts: 26 Forumite
    edited 18 August 2018 at 5:44PM
    Perspective from a man.

    I've been taking Finasteride 1 mg (Propecia) for hair regrowth on my crown and its done a reasonably good job for the last 10 years or so. Finestaride is strictly off limits for women as it changes your hormones.

    However a few months ago i stopped using Propecia (due to the notorious side effects, mainly 'brain fog') and started using this after it was recommended in Men's Health magazine. Its still early very days but initial impressions are very good as its kept up my scalp hair regrowth and also increased my hair growth elsewhere (eg beard). I believe its suitable for both men and women so might be worth giving it a try.

    https://www.itreallyworksvitamins.com/products/it-really-works-vitamins-one-month-supply

    (Btw, i don't work for that company, only giving my feedback)
  • If you've only got one dr in the practice he's got a lot of hold over you. I'd try to change to another surgery where there's more to choose from, if possible, especially as this one's not helping you or taking your problem seriously.
    Signature Removed by Forum Team ..thanks to somebody reporting a witty and decades-old Kenny Everett quote as 'offensive'!!
  • esmy
    esmy Posts: 1,341
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    My daughter had some bald patches through overuse of hair extensions. She used a caffeine shampoo, a good conditioner, and was very gentle with her hair - no hair colour,no hairdryers/straighteners, wide toothed comb, stopped tying up her hair. Changing her parting helped hide the loss as did a 'zig zag' parting. It took about a year to regain a healthy head of hair.

    I hope you find a solution.
  • evangeline
    evangeline Posts: 151
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    2 years ago GP referred me to dermatologist for hair loss who diagnosed "male pattern baldness" Prescribed Minoxidil 5%(for men) , also iron supplements. Treatment left red dry scalp , no obvious improvement in growth.Consulted trichologist. 5 sessions. Expensive.She gave a list of different supplements to take. Protein was essential esp at breakfast. Water. No hair colouring , drying , styling , no washing every day. Although I felt it was improving , microscopic examination showed otherwise. She tried reflexology. Stopped going .

    I am very slim , low weight , underactive thyroid , post menopausal and always going through some stress ( called "life"). However very fit and healthy. Gave up the supplements including iron. Do eat more protein. Have resumed highlights. Hair much better now.

    I love hats and am at an age where I have the confidence to enjoy wearing them. Thin hair is cold.

    Sorry for the long post , but happy to share , if it will help anyone else who cannot afford/access specialists. Wishing you an improvement soon Mrs Stepford.
  • A little thought - fwiw - and no-one else notices anything wrong with my hair (even when I mention it specifically) but I'm aware that it isn't what it was and want it back that way.

    Feeling a bit more "motivated" all round re my looks at the moment and so I'm trying a couple of things out. Now one thing I feel 90% sure is making a difference is an acupressure technique I read about. I've recently started doing this for 10 minutes daily. It's "buffing" the fingernails of one hand against the fingernails of the other hand (just fingernails - women shouldnt involve the thumbnails). So I sit there "buffing" away whilst watching tv for instance.

    Nowt for the first couple of weeks - but I've noticed for the last few weeks that I'm now seeing very few hairs on my hairbrush or comb when I use them. There seems to be a lot less coming out - my body seems to be "holding onto" its hair rather better than it did.

    Logic tells me that if it "holds onto" existing hair and new hair is also growing that it will thicken up.

    You've nowt to lose by experimenting with that - just 10 minutes a day and it's free.
  • MrsStepford
    MrsStepford Posts: 1,552
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    Wow, blown away by all the replies. Thank you so much. I really appreciate this.

    I think that I eat a reasonably healthy diet but no-one is perfect and there are supposed to be lots of herbs which are good for hair loss - wish I'd know this earlier in the year as we could have grown more. I will research that properly for next Spring.

    I admit that I would rather eat food than take supplements. My mother bought some expensive hyaluronic acid tablets and didn't use them. They were Solgar and in-date so I worked through the whole bottle - didn't see any improvement in my skin. Didn't feel any better. I've bookmarked the vitamin link though thank you.

    Caffeine shampoo sounds intriguing. At the moment I'm using a different one every day. Daniel Galvin organic (Ocado flash sale :) ), Head and Shoulders, and three shampoos for covered hair - one is anti-dandruff, one oil-balancing and one for hair repair. They all leave my hair very soft.

    The argan oil is certainly easy to use and I leave it in. My hair slurps it up. Used the Italian stuff and it certainly has a tingly effect on a wet scalp. Smells a bit like Vicks. You leave it in, which I did and it dried all hard and made me look like a punk rocker. Rather than wash my hair again, I brushed it which got rid of the flakes. Once the flakes had gone, it felt soft.
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