I started losing my hair about a year and a half ago. I was twenty six. My hair was to the bottom of my shoulder blades. Huge clumps of hair would fall out in may hands. The first thing that I did was cut all my hair off to about 1/2" all around. I would not recommend that for everyone. I was chemically treating my hair and using blow dryers, curling irons and hot rollers. I was also using grocery store bought shampoos and conditioners. On top of all of that I was following a really bad vegetarian diet filled with a good amount of junk food (I love dessert and snacks). So I cut all of my hair off so I wouldn't cry when huge chunks would fall out and started to learn alot about hair. This is what I learned and it worked for me. You can try some of it, but remember it is often trial and error to find out what really works for you.I got my hair off of it's chemical dependency. I switched to a shampoo and conditioner I found in my health food store called Nature Clean. It has no synthetic ingredients and leaves your hair squeeky clean. I stopped dying my hair and found out that my hair is a really great dark brown color (I had been dying it light red since I was sixteen). Since my hair was so short there was no point in blow drying it and I have only blow dried it once since I cut it when I had taken a shower and had to go out right away (it was -10C and my hair would probably have frozen if it was wet). Since then I have grown my hair into a bob and still let it dry naturally. My hair is thicker and I have more of it than ever so I have tons of body and shine. A really great cut also helps. I tell my stylist that I just never get around to blow drying my hair and so she cuts it with that in mind.The second thing that I looked into was my diet. I knew that my nights of cheezie binging and cake gorging couldn't be that great for my hair or body. I found out that kelp is great for your hair and body. Some people have a thyroid condition which causes them to be tired and lose their hair. I had my thyroid tested and it came back normal, but I thought I would try kelp anyways. Wow, what a difference. My hair stopped falling out and really started to grow. The second thing I discovered was flax oil. This contains those omega-3 fatty acids that are always in the news. This is really great for your skin, scalp and gives a great gloss to your hair. It doesn't taste too bad is you mix it into a shake. The next thing I discovered was silica. This strengthens your hair, skin and nails. This was another real boost to my hair and really made a big difference in my nails.I formulated a morning shake which I drink to incorporate these and other good stuff:1 banana 1tsp bee pollen 1tbl kelp powder 1tbl alfalfa powder 1tbl wheat germ 1tsp brewers yeast 1tbl silica gel pineapple juiceThis is not only great for your hair, but is a good nutritional start to the day.I still follow a mainly vegetarian diet, but now have salmon Wednesdays. I live on the west coast of British Columbia, so we have a good supply of salmon which is high in those excellent omega-3 fatty acids. Not only is is great for your hair and skin, but reserch has shown that it can help prevent heart attacks (this is good for my highly stressed husband). On the other days I eat alot of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans. I also allow myself snacks on the weekends. I try to stay away from chocolate because I read that it can contribute to hair loss. I eat three meals and two snack a day. This really revs up your metabolism and feeds your body. I eat alot more than I ever used to and have actually gained weight but am smaller. I guess it is true that muscle weighs more than fat.I don't know if any of this has helped or if you're just thinking "man can this woman ramble on." But don't worry too much. Look for the root cause of your hair loss. Is it stress? Nutrition? Lifestyle? My hair is now thicker than ever, really glossy and full of body. It used to be thin and lifeless. It was 1/2" all around and a year after I cut it is now in a jaw length bob (I have had it cut four times) and heading down to my butt.Good luck and I am sure it will all work out.
KAREN
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Hi Kira,Thanks so much for all of this good info. Abuse from coloring, hair dryers and all the things you mention can definitely be the cause of hair loss.I personally lost a lot of my hair in 1986 as a result of a Oprah - Optifast - type of diet. So as you mention, nutrition is also a big factor.Of course there is heredity and stress issues as well. Princess Caroline of Monaco recently lost all of her hair because of stress. This is becoming more common.Spencer David Kobren who wrote The Bald Truth is a big believer in good nutrition for good hair. He has found The Zone Diet to really help with his own hair growing efforts.Thanks again for all the good info.Karen> I started losing my hair about a year and> a half ago. I was twenty six. My hair was to the> bottom of my shoulder blades. Huge clumps of hair> would fall out in may hands. The first thing that> I did was cut all my hair off to about 1/2"> all around. I would not recommend that for everyone.> I was chemically treating my hair and using blow> dryers, curling irons and hot rollers. I was also> using grocery store bought shampoos and conditioners.> On top of all of that I was following a really> bad vegetarian diet filled with a good amount> of junk food (I love dessert and snacks). So I> cut all of my hair off so I wouldn't cry when> huge chunks would fall out and started to learn> alot about hair. This is what I learned and it> worked for me. You can try some of it, but remember> it is often trial and error to find out what really> works for you.> I got my hair off of it's chemical dependency.> I switched to a shampoo and conditioner I found> in my health food store called Nature Clean. It> has no synthetic ingredients and leaves your hair> squeeky clean. I stopped dying my hair and found> out that my hair is a really great dark brown> color (I had been dying it light red since I was> sixteen). Since my hair was so short there was> no point in blow drying it and I have only blow> dried it once since I cut it when I had taken> a shower and had to go out right away (it was> -10C and my hair would probably have frozen if> it was wet). Since then I have grown my hair into> a bob and still let it dry naturally. My hair> is thicker and I have more of it than ever so> I have tons of body and shine. A really great> cut also helps. I tell my stylist that I just> never get around to blow drying my hair and so> she cuts it with that in mind.> The second thing that I looked into was my> diet. I knew that my nights of cheezie binging> and cake gorging couldn't be that great for my> hair or body. I found out that kelp is great for> your hair and body. Some people have a thyroid> condition which causes them to be tired and lose> their hair. I had my thyroid tested and it came> back normal, but I thought I would try kelp anyways.> Wow, what a difference. My hair stopped falling> out and really started to grow. The second thing> I discovered was flax oil. This contains those> omega-3 fatty acids that are always in the news.> This is really great for your skin, scalp and> gives a great gloss to your hair. It doesn't taste> too bad is you mix it into a shake. The next thing> I discovered was silica. This strengthens your> hair, skin and nails. This was another real boost> to my hair and really made a big difference in> my nails.> I formulated a morning shake which I drink> to incorporate these and other good stuff:> 1 banana 1tsp bee pollen 1tbl kelp powder> 1tbl alfalfa powder 1tbl wheat germ 1tsp brewers> yeast 1tbl silica gel pineapple juice> This is not only great for your hair, but> is a good nutritional start to the day.> I still follow a mainly vegetarian diet,> but now have salmon Wednesdays. I live on the> west coast of British Columbia, so we have a good> supply of salmon which is high in those excellent> omega-3 fatty acids. Not only is is great for> your hair and skin, but reserch has shown that> it can help prevent heart attacks (this is good> for my highly stressed husband). On the other> days I eat alot of whole grains, fruits, vegetables> and beans. I also allow myself snacks on the weekends.> I try to stay away from chocolate because I read> that it can contribute to hair loss. I eat three> meals and two snack a day. This really revs up> your metabolism and feeds your body. I eat alot> more than I ever used to and have actually gained> weight but am smaller. I guess it is true that> muscle weighs more than fat.> I don't know if any of this has helped or> if you're just thinking "man can this woman> ramble on." But don't worry too much. Look> for the root cause of your hair loss. Is it stress?> Nutrition? Lifestyle? My hair is now thicker than> ever, really glossy and full of body. It used> to be thin and lifeless. It was 1/2" all> around and a year after I cut it is now in a jaw> length bob (I have had it cut four times) and> heading down to my butt.> Good luck and I am sure it will all work> out.
> i am losing my hair, i am only 20 years old,is> there anything ican do?One thing that can cause hair loss that hasn't yet been mentioned is hormonal imbalance. If you're really losing a lot of hair, ask your doctor about it. Thyroid problems can contribute to this, and so can improper levels of other hormones such as estrogen.Also, if you have just given birth or just gone off birth control pills, some hair loss is completely normal. One study (sorry, I don't have a specific reference - the book that reviewed it didn't give one) found that over 50% of women notice some postpartum hair loss.As Kira said, make sure you're eating right. Make sure you're getting enough of the essential vitamins and minerals, and be sure you aren't protein deficient. Don't mistreat your hair. And try a gentle scalp massage periodically - it's also a great stress reducer.Good luck!Laura Jane lswanson@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu
>> One thing that can cause hair loss that hasn't> yet been mentioned is hormonal imbalance. If you're> really losing a lot of hair, ask your doctor about> it. Thyroid problems can contribute to this, and> so can improper levels of other hormones such> as estrogen.> Also, if you have just given birth or just> gone off birth control pills, some hair loss is> completely normal. One study (sorry, I don't have> a specific reference - the book that reviewed> it didn't give one) found that over 50% of women> notice some postpartum hair loss.> As Kira said, make sure you're eating right.> Make sure you're getting enough of the essential> vitamins and minerals, and be sure you aren't> protein deficient. Don't mistreat your hair. And> try a gentle scalp massage periodically - it's> also a great stress reducer.> Good luck!> Laura Jane lswanson@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu> Thanks for the tips about the hair loss. I agree with the statement about the postpardum hair loss. I remember running my fingers through my hair and not believing the amount of hair that was stuck in my fingers. I clogged up the shower drain weekly. Now, two years later, I am noticing the same type of hair loss and I am really beginning to get worried. Due to your suggestion about the hormonal imbalance, I am going to get my thyriod checked to make sure that it is normal. I thought that my hair was falling out because it was getting too long, but this is something that I am going to check into. I do not color treat, perm, blow dry, or otherwise abuse my hair, so I am not sure what is happening. I also have not started any kind of crash diets or started any new jobs that would cause stress. The only thing I can think of is that my dad and uncle started losing hair in their thirties, but for men, that is normal. I am only 23. I will get my thyroid checked and then I guess I will see what happens.Lindsay
Maybe the hair loss is due to your baby's terrible 2 stage! I have a 2 year old grandson and wow.. that's stress. I would go for the test to make sure everything is ok healthwise then go on from there if it were me. I notice more hair loss when one of my teens start acting up. Instead of it being my hormones ..it's theirs that give me the hairloss!;-) Thank goodness my oldest is calming down and is leaving the teen years behind on Friday when he turns 20. I notice more hair loss when I confine my hair for days, in a braid or bun and do not get to comb it more than usual. Then when wash time comes, I contribute the more hairs to that. Also, the length makes a big difference in the wad of hair on the drain.. the longer the hair the more it looks like is there. But if I could tell by the thickness of my hair that it was noticably thinner, I would definitely seek out a doctor. Good luck.. Cher~>> Lindsay>
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