I was not sure where to post this, but I am hoping some of you ladies have some input regarding hair loss/shedding?

I am 42 and my hair started shedding almost 2 years ago. Not the usually daily shed, but the brush would be full after blow drying and in the shower hair would be all over. Over the past 2 years I have been to a multitude of doctors about it, had my thyroid tested, went to an Endocronologist, Dermatologist, Gynocologist, family doctor..had my ferritin checked..you name it was done. All I was told between all of them was it was NOT hormonal, ummm..have not heard of it being related to hormones, use Rogaine...and the every popular "huh"..uttered by the doctors. Of course, I had a full head of hair, very thick, thankfully, but now my hair is no longer thick, I have lost over half the volume and everyday is stressful as I watch more and more hair fall out.

I don't take any medications, I eat very healthy, don't smoke or drink, exercise everyday on the treadmill...need I go on?!

The only thing I can think of is 2 years ago, I got viral meningitis and after I recovered from that, my hair literally started to shed massive amounts. But it did not stop..then I got sick again last year and was diagnosed with Epstein Barr..which I was told was no big deal.

My hair is now so thin where my bangs are that you can see through to my scalp..very depressing.

(Oh, I have all the other joyful stuff too..insomnia, interal shakes, mood swings, irregular cycles, shorter cycles...)

Any advice or input would so very much be appreciated.

Thank you for listening.

Take Care,

Sunny

Dear Sweet Sunny,

Oh I know your pain!

First let me tell you that a severe illness like you had can indeed bring about hair loss-- my daughter had dengue fever while living in India and afterward her hair fell out for months-- she was only 28 at the time--

I suffered ridiculous hair loss at the onset of my menopause year. It was beyond alarming, I acutally had a huge clump go down my back in the shower one day when I was washing my hair and I went into major panic. I was sure there would be a bald spot. I too went to all the doctors you mentioned, had all the tests, and then I was told that this kind of hair loss is quite often hereditary, and also hormones DO play a role.

I can tell you that I switched hairdressers, stopped foil highlighting my hair, and started to treat it much more gently, and then over the last year, the shedding has slowed to a normal rate.... my hair is definitely thinner than it used to be, but I am not bald. I even see some new growth. I also brush 100 strokes a day to stimulate my scalp, which the dr. recommended.

The rogaine and all that stuff...you have to use it forever to keep results...I decided not to go down that path.

I am sorry for your woes today with this. I remember how upsetting it was for me, and how I feared being bald. I am here if you need to talk.

Love, Jonesy

Internal tremors, insomnia, and hair loss mean that your estrogen is declining--probably fluctuating, as always in peri--but inevitably declining.
Although your testosterone is also declining, the lowering estrogen means you are becoming androgenic. This happened to me and to many.

Your recent serious illness also could have depleted your nutrients.

I would check out getting some supplemental biodentical estradiol. I think it is safe, indeed safer, than not doing anything.

It helped me. My hair is full again, it all came back.

Sorry you have to go through this, it is horrible; but thank goodness, it is a problem that will probably be easily solved, it you can find a good doctor who won't try to put you on synthetics or some weird birth control pill.

wordsmith

Thanks so much Jonesy and Wordsmith..your responses are very comforting, truly.

Is there something you would recommend as far a bioidentical estrogen? I am seeing my Gynocologist on Thrusday for a different matter, but it would be a good time to speak with her about this?

I was wondering about Estrogel? I have been reading about it on this board.

Thanks again so much!!

Sunny

Dear'sunny98'

So sorry for all the stress you are under.I know how my sister in law feels.She has suffered so much hair loss and now wears wigs when going out/I know there is female pattern baldness in her family and I am sure this has played a part.

I have been on HRT for many years and still have a full head of hair,albeit rather fine.

I wish you loads of luck with your appointment on Thursday
Hopefully you will be able to come up with some solutions together
Please keep us posted

God Bless
Elizabeth

Sunny,

You can ask your gynecologist to check your estradiol and fsh levels via blood test. You are 42, so she will likely say it is too early for meno, although it isn't so. After she checks your level, she will probably say it is normal, but you don't want 40's normal, you want 30's normal. Another problem is estradiol fluctuates, so she might catch you on an upswing.

I would appeal to her this way, say according to my symptoms, it looks like I am low on estrogen. And symptoms are as important as a blood test!
And my hair is falling out! Please give me a prescription for estogel!

My sisters and my mother had bald spots, quite young. They called it all manner of things, but I think it was hormones.

Good luck!

wordsmith

Thank you Elizabeth and Wordsmith!

I have had the bloodwork done and of course, it showed within normal ranges, no shock there.

Thank you Wordsmith, I will take your advice when I see my doctor Thursday. I think she will give me what I want, she better!!

Thanks again so much~

Hope you are all having a good Monday.

Sunny

I was just talking to my doctor about this among other concerns and he suggested I take Biotin. I'll buy it when I get paid this week and see how it works. I, too, used to have thick, curly hair--no more. Add to that the two places I had scalp surgery a few years ago where the hair never grew back & it is very, very depressing. Hair extensions? Wig? Let's see how the biotin works first. sigh.

Consider a vitamin formula called Hair, Skin and Nails. It has biotin and other good things for growth. Also, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) and its many derivatives are bad for the scalp and some women are much more sensitive to it than others. Maybe try a more natural shampoo without chemicals and see if that helps. Try to handle your hair like fine lace by eliminating chemicals and heat styling. Just a thought ...

yes i agree with Bella - i have a friend who takes the hair skin and nails formula and swears by it. I already take much of what is in there, have had a problem with thinning hair ,but just started taking biotin and my goodness i think it just might, might be working. Too soon to tell though have been taking for about 1 month but seems as if shedding has slowed down.

I too had thick, wavy, dare I say perfect ( for me ) hair and now its still a bit thick in places on my scalp but fine at the temples - oy! and finer than it used to be in the back - estrogen in decline and testosterone on the rise probably. Just part of the pleasure of peri -

short of bhrt - try the biotin. Like they say at NY lotto: hey, you never know!

xo pooks

Hi Sunny,

I use the Vivelle Dot estradiol patch .25 and change it twice a week (I cut it in half). It's very tiny and easy to use. Haven't used the Estrogel but my friend used it and said it can get messy (she switched to the Vivelle Dot also).

It comes in different strengths:

1.0 (highest dose)
0.75
.50
.375
.25

Don't start too high; if anything start low and work up. But the Estrogel may be good also.

I, too, had a hair episode about a decade ago from surgery/anaesthesia and birth control pills and stress. It was like thin baby hair. It took a while, but it did get better and now it's pretty thick. I stopped blow drying it, stopped using product, took biotin, but did continue to get highlights/lowlights because it made it feel fuller. I also used the Nioxin shampoo and conditioner for a while but don't remember if there was any correlation.

Take good care of yourself, eat well, get good rest.

L2

I have had the same problem. Almost 2 years ago, I went on a total starvation diet - shocked my system by eating less than 1000 calories per day and loads of exercise. Three months later, my hair began to come out terribly...major shedding. At the same time, I was experiencing all of these peri symptoms. I went to the dr. several times - he dismissed the hormone theory, said it was probably diet related and that my body was starved for nutrients. I researched and began an intense vitamin regimen - including Biotin. After about 10-12 weeks, my hair wasn't shedding like it had been and I even began to see regrowth.

I will say that I am no longer on the starvation diet, but I continue to see hair loss from time to time (I am not regular with the vitamins due to constipation/stomach issues). My mother is a stylist and said that hormones most certainly do affect hair - she's seen it time and time again. She also said that a thyroid can cause hair loss/hair changes - she can always tell when a client is having thyroid issues. I believe that it is hormone related and find that if I stick to my vitamin regimen, it helps.

In addition to biotin, the lady at the all natural store recommended silica, vitamin B6, B12, and zinc. I think she gave me horsetail as well - it has the silica in it. Definitely try the biotin.

Hope this info helps.

Wow..thank you so much Ladies!! Your advice/support..I am so grateful.

I actually have been taking biotin for about a year now..not sure if it helped as far as not seeing more shed, but I am afraid to stop just in case. I take Women's One A Day too. But I think I will try the Hair, Skin and Nails formula..can't hurt, right?

I have tried Nioxin and it made my hair worse actually..completely dried it out..brittle. I think it was too harsh for my hair.

I have done everything, and I mean just about everything for my hair. I just had it all cut really short last week in hopes that it would help..well, guess what? Nope..still shedding strong.

I will admit I had an eating disorder about 2 years ago, and then I got sick as I posted earlier. I exercised like crazy, ate too little. Well, I have gotten my weight back to a healthy weight again now in the past year. But, I am not sure if that threw my hormones out of whack too..I am sure it had something to do with it.

I have had my thyroid tested at least 3 times, all normal.

This might sound vain, but I can deal with the mood swings, forgetfulness, internal shakes, insomnia (well sometimes), night sweats..but to see my hair falling out..well..that is just not fair!!

Thank you all so much for listening and caring, it means so much to me.

Take Care,

Sunny