new thread
I have had long hair off and on since the seventies. I now want it all one length just past my shoulders and was almost there back in July of this year. Since then I have been shedding hair at the rate of from 200 to 300 a day. It seems like it is just the longer hairs that are falling. I have probably lost about 30% of my hair all over since then.
I wear my hair in a pony tail most of the time and have been getting a semi-permanent hair color done about every 6 weeks to keep the grey covered. The stylist has been working the color through to the ends each time. I have now limited the process to roots only to avoid any chance of cumulative damage. I'll see how this works.
I have some thinning on top but I don't think I have significant male pattern baldness tendencies. I switched from Rogaine to taking Propecia about 1 1/2 years ago and am still taking it. I resumed using Rogaine about two months ago when this shedding thing continued. The shedding seems to be less now. (Almost normal at about 100 a day.)
I am 56 and in good health (no thyroid problems)and have been taking Hair Formula 37 for over a year now. I went on the Atkins diet last May and lost about 30 lbs. over a 5 month period.
Does anyone have any ideas about what has caused this sudden hair loss and will it be permanent? Please help with any experiences or advice.
I'm leaning toward the diet and rapid weight loss as the cause.
Help !!!
I've no experience like this, but I would see a doctor right away about that drastic a hair loss. It sounds like it could be the temporary result of some factor like the diet. Get a doctor's opinion.
Losing hair can be an alarm signal for nutrition. The fact that you are on a diet is another alarm signal. The Atkins diet program is controversial because of nutrition considerations. You should consult a nutritionist to make sure that your diet is not compromising your health due to inadequate nutrition. A blood test can probably help you out here by testing for specific areas where you might be lacking in nutrition. If you want to do some more research on the topic online, probably the best place to start for objective information is healthcentral.com.
You also mentioned that you had been taking minoxidil (Rogaine) and then went off it for a time after which you started taking it again. Note that one of the side effects of stopping minoxidil treatments is hair loss. You don't revert back to more hairlessness than you would have had without ever having taken the drug, but you do revert to what you would have been like had you never taken the drug.
It is important to also note the timing involved in hair loss. You actually lose your hair during a growth phase, not a rest phase. The new growth phase is what causes the previously dormant hair to fall out. So in your case, the fact that you are having so much hair loss at the moment could actually be a sign that growth is resuming again after a rest period.
Since you have been taking Hair Formula 37, my speculation is that what you are seeing is a result of the changes you made in minoxidil treatments rather than dietary considerations, but a consultation with a dietition is still advisable.
You need to resume the Minoxidil, then you will stabilize the hair again. I am almost your exact twin by your description, and went off of Minoxidil briefly and wow.....had to get right back on before I lost my tail completetly!
You should always have concern for adequate diet, but let me say that many physicians are not up to speed on high protein,lo carb diets. I am hypoglycemic and have been using hi protein, lo carb eating now for several years (though not necessarily Adkins). I am 41,and I have noticed no changes over that time in hair loss. I do not have male-pattern baldness, only receding sides with otherwise thick hair, which I began growing out about two months ago. I supplement my hi protein eating with a multi vitamin (Centrum Silver), Vitamins C and E,Silenium, Potassium and GNC's NourishHair. The Potassium is recommended by the Protein Power diet for people on hi protein diet as it helps process the protein. The Protein Power diet does allow a little more in the way of carbohydrates than Adkins, I think. You might want to look at it.
Has anyone had their hair thinned at the barber? I got an ungoldy amount of hair, every lady that ever cut my hair tells me how thick it is. Its really a problem to comb reasonably flat. They have special scissors with lots of teeth with small space in between, it cuts half of your hair and leaves the rest long. If anyone has had it done lemme know how it went.
Many years ago, I had the same advice given to me by a well-meaning barber...so I had my hair "thinned" by that method...the problem was that the barber kept going over the same areas until I didn't have much hair left. He said that he was "layering" the hair as well...when I got home and took a look in the mirror...the end result was awful...I ended up growing out my hair for about six or eight months then had it all cut to the same length. My advice is "don't do it"!
You had it thinned more than once? My barber said that onec you do it you shouldnt do it again until the thinned hair catches up in length, or like you said, their wont be much hair after 2 or 3 thinnings