I'm 16 and I'm losing my hair!

I am 16 years old, and I have been losing a lot of hair for the past month or so. My hair is less than half as thick as it once was, and most of the loss is around my hairline, behind my ears. I hate to shower now because of all the hair that falls out, and when I comb my hair, I have to use one hand to catch the hair that falls out. I can't put my hair in a pony tail anymore! About 3 months ago, I was sick for 3 weeks, sometimes with a fever as high as 104 degrees. Also, a thyroid condition and diabetes run in my family. I haven't changed my shampoo brand, but I recently moved into a new house, and my shower head has a lot more pressure than my old one. Please help.

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Dear Rachel,

It's either because of your illness or because of a thyroid condition or a combination of both! It sounds as if you have had a really bad time of it recently and this is probably why your hair is coming out.

First get a blood test for your thyroid, I'm no expert but hair loss is a common symptom of an underactive thyroid. Do you also have ridged nails, feel lethargic and depressed, have you put on weight and does your skin feel dry? If so chances are that you may need thyroxine or something like that from your doctor. That should sort out the hair loss if that is the cause.

If your thyroid is normal then I think you should put the hairloss down to your fever and just look after yourself, eat well and try not to get too upset about your hair, it will only make things worse! (Easily said I know)

I have suffered hair loss a couple of times and believe me I know how you feel. Back in 1997 I lost tons of hair but I got it cut shorter and eventually I saw the little short hairs coming through, that's a really good sight! It all grew back and looked great for a while but it's happening all over again now, so it's back to the hairdressers for me.

I doubt the pressure of your shower is doing any harm, the stress of moving probably didn't help. A good thing to do is to get your hair cut shorter, this makes it look better, it also helps psychologically as the hair loss looks less because the hairs are shorter. I think that is almost the worst thing about hair loss, seeing all your beautiful hair on the carpet/pillow and in the plugholes....

Please don't think you are never going to get your hair back, give it a few months and I'm pretty sure you'll see it thickening up again. Take some vitamins especially for hair, I think b vitamins and zinc are supposed to be good.

Good luck and don't worry.

Jo