new thread
As most of you know I have super long hair. Recently, I have been having severe shedding when washing my hair. It sheds little between washings. This most recent wash I lost 770 milligrams of hair. Is it a shampoo allergy? I just don't know. All those shed strands get wrapped around healthy growing hairs, tearing some of them out too.
My question is what triggers severe shedding? I need to know all known causes so I can get a handle on this and how to put a stop to it, permanently. Otherwise, I am going to have to trim back from knee length to waist or low back length to put a stop to all the damage caused by shedding. I rarely ask for help, but I really need advice on this.
I tried going water only back in 2008 and that triggered severe shedding.
The tangles shown in the photo do not respond to starting at the ends and working my way up. The comb just jams when I reach the tangle caused by all the shedding. The hairs wrap around each other with knotting. This can take hours to fix, and I am really frustrated. I have fine hair with some wave, making it far less than ideal to grow to extreme lengths.
Scott
Sorry to hear about this, all I can say is I wash and condition mine weekly, and a lot seems to come out each wash. Also I get a lot of tangles which I have to carefully comb out, which sounds similar, they also tend to wrap around the other hairs as you describe so just when you think ther are no more tangles you try to finally start brushing and there's another one! I know since you have much longer hair that mine and for a much longer time, there isn't much I can add to help sorry to say..
I really hope it sorts itself in time or is just a temporary thing!
Matt
--------------------
Hi Scott,
I'm very sorry to hear about the problems you've described with your hair but I can honestly say I shed the most after washing my hair also.I normally only wash my hair with shampoo and conditioner twice a week.After it dries and I brush it out is when I yield the most shed hairs as there are not nearly as many on my non wash days.With that said I know where you are coming from but my situation is likely less severe as my hair is not nearly as long as yours.I'd hate to see you cut it back so drastically but based on what you've described I would leave it as a last resort!Typically I try to brush out my hair twice per day to keep up with the tangles and also remove the shed stands that are stuck in my hair.Maybe something you should consider if not already doing it.Anyway not sure if this of help Scott but maybe others will chime in as well to offer some other tips:) Cheers
Mârk
-------------------------
Thanks, Mark. I just realized that I have been mixing coconut oil into my shampoo. The severe shedding started shortly after. I may be allergic to it. I won't use it on my scalp again. Looking back on my hair shed spreadsheet the last time this type of shedding happened was when I tried water only for several weeks in 2008. The only other thing different is a chickweed supplement that I am taking to rid myself of a fist size lipoma on my chest. I will stop taking it and use chickweed salve topically applied only.
Scott
Hi Scott,
Maybe that's the problem but you'll know soon enough when you stop mixing the oil with the shampoo.I remember that lipoma that you have.Is it actually getting larger? I don't remember it being as big as you've described.
Mârk
------------------------
From now on, I will keep the coconut oil far from my scalp. I will probably still apply it to the ends of my hair.
The lipoma is slowly growing. It is actually about baseball sized, if you bunch it up to a round shape. A costly treatment with high energy ultrasound can rid me of it, but I am trying chickweed salve first.
Scott
Sorry to hear that you have one these things. I started getting them when I was 12 and have them all over my body. I've had about a dozen surgically removed either based on their continuing to grow or because of them being in a particularly unpleasant part of my body like my forearms.
The good news is that they're "harmless", just annoying. I didn't know of any way to get rid of them short of surgery. None of mine were as big as you're describing yours to be but some were quite large. There was only case of the wound getting infected, the rest of the surgeries healed quite quickly and I was active again in a few days. Have you considered the surgical route?
Hi Jason,
Sorry to hear you had that many of these but thankfully they are harmless and you were able to get rid of a lot of them.I actually think I have a couple of those but never had that confirmed.One is on my stomach just above the belly button and I noticed another small bump on one of my shoulder blades.The one in front I've had for a while and it feels hard when you squeeze it.Not really painful but looks funny when I have my shirt off.Maybe someday I'll have it looked at but since it wasn't causing a problem I just didn't bother.
Mârk
I have a huge lipoma that has been growing inside my stomach for at least 20 years; it got too big to be operated. It has been the main cause of my weight gain during the recent years.
--
A Linux Longhair
I'm sorry to hear about that and the fact it can't be removed is unfortunate especially if not having it there would make life easier for you.The one I have is at the surface, or it feels like it is, and is relatively small but noticeable.I'm not sure what's involved to remove it but as long as it doesn't grow really large I would just leave it.If it were as big as what Scott has on his chest I would definately have to do something about that.Thank you for your input my friend.Cheers
Mârk
If it's not really bothering you then it won't cause any harm to leave it for sure. Especially for small ones near the surface of the skin, it's a simple procedure for their removal. Some just bug me and I am always feeling them to the point where I want them gone. The last one I had removed was from my back and I felt it when I would lie on a hard surface to do crunches. I was out running again two days later.
I would have had mine removed a long time ago if it had been discovered early, but I thought that my growing belly was just plain age-related weight gain; I have been overweight for most of my life, so I wasn't bothered too much about it. The lipoma was discovered a couple of years ago after I gained a lot of weight in a relatively short time - it was already very big (over 150 lbs) at that time. It is also situated quite deep inside my belly. However it hasn't caused me more trouble than the discomfort caused by its size and weight.
--
A Linux Longhair
--------------------------
I am utterly amazed at the size of that lipoma as I guess they can grow to any size if left alone.It seems what I have has remained dormant in that it seems to stay th same size.Still I can't believe there isn't something they,the doctors, could do for you to eliminate that or at least shrink it.I mean the weight of that is like what I weigh as a person! I appreciate you adding to this discussion but I feel for you having to live with something like that.
Mârk
-------------------------
I saw those on your back in post 293053. Mine is really large. I will only consider non invasive treatments.
Scott
... what is the reasoning behind your decision to rule out any invasive procedures?
--Val
---------------------
Infection risk is too high for my likings. I would definitely consider injection of a fat disolving enzyme into the tumor, but not cutting it out with a scalpel. There is also a new method of chilling the tumor cold enough to kill the fat cells while sparing surrounding tissue. If I understand correctly, when cold is applied, fat cells die at a higher temperature than muscle or skin cells do. I have also found out that high intensity ultrasound can break up lipomas as well. Even just shrinking it substantially would be acceptable to me at this point.
Scott
Thanks for responding, Scott... I know it's sort of a personal question, but as a nurse, I find it valuable to gain an understanding of the many perspectives people have. Yours is certainly a valid one, as hospital-acquired infections have become a tremendously serious issue in recent years, especially considering the new, drug-resistant bacteria that have been cultivated by way of overuse of antibiotics (both directly and in our food supply). I'm glad to hear that there are other options for you to consider, and of course wish you the best of luck with the path of healing you choose.
--Val
I am very sorry to hear of this problem, as I have always admired your extreme lengths and envied your ability to achieve them.
I expect you have done all the obvious things - checking that the ingredients of the products you use haven't been changed, for instance, or going back to the products you used previously if you have made a change?
Another factor to consider is the weather. Yours will not be the same as ours here in the UK, but it seems that all over the world, every month is a record of some sort and hot, cold, humidity etc aren't ehaving as we would like. Does what you have observed match any recent extremes in the weather?
Have you had extra stress, extra hard work, or ill health at any point in the last 6-12 months? I am sure shedding could be a delayed reaction, so you would need to look back into your memory a bit.
And finally, a suggestion. Although it might not be something you would choose to do, have you considered not washing your hair at all for 3 or 4 weeks? It might give it a chance to rebalance itself, and at the very least might encourage any shed hairs to be removed dry before they wrap themselves round others.
Just a few thoughts, hope they might be of some help.
Thank you for your input, bte.
I just checked. I recently added coconut oil to my shampoo. I will stop it immediately. I will also stop taking a chickweed supplement as well.
Weather is probably not an issue here.
I had a flu like illness the last week of May. I noted it in my hair shedding records spreadsheet. I may be the only person in the world to keep a hair shed spreadsheet.
Not an option. Not washing for long periods makes shedding much more severe. Very bad idea for me.
Again, thank you for your input.
Scott
Thanks for the detailed reply.
I would guess that having made the coconut oil change, and having had these flu like symptoms, it would be worth waiting for a few days to see if the situation settles down on its own.
I certainly hope so, and/or that you get some good suggestions from people far more expert then I am.
i always put my hair in a pony tail before i take a shower to lessen the chances of tangles.
Scott, I am so sorry about your shedding. There are so many factors as to why this happens. Most importantly, I would make an appointment with your doctor so that he or she can help you better assist you in diagnosing the root cause. I would also have some blood test done in the process. Of course I can give you a partial listing, and that is why I suggest you see a doctor if it is extreme shedding than your normal pattern.
Here's the the partial list again:
-Do you have an extreme stress related to a problem in your life.
-The weather/season
-Are you sure it's not shedding season for you.
-Are you taking any new kind of medication?
-Do you make sure to eat a highly balanced nutritional meals?
-Are you drinking enough water on a daily basis?
-Are you exercising (I know you cycle)
-do you section your hair when you take a bath? There are methods for your length that people practice, which i'm sure you have heard about.
Good luck and I hope for the best for you,
rowie
I am in panic mode right now. This happens spontaneously every so often with no known cause. It takes a few weeks to go away.
The weather is alright at this time.
I really don't have a set in stone shedding season. I will have to check my hair shedding spreadsheet. My worst sustained shedding was June, July, August, September 2008. High shedding seems to trend up in summer, according to the spreadsheet. I have kept records since 2005.
No.
Varies, but I avoid junk food.
Maybe, not sure.
Yes, as much as I am able to. (I have bad irregular heartbeat so I cannot do long sustained efforts. Multiple efforts of 1 to 5 minutes each work best for me.)
I have been a bit lax on this. I will always do a split wash from now on to limit loss of hair due to tangling and knotting.
Thanks Rowie.
Scott
I'm sorry you're suffering another shed, Scott. We both went through a bad one in 2008 as I recall. Mine has been steady since then. I came to the conclusion that mine was triggered by stress at the time.
I feel like you're an expert on supplements and have spent a lot of time honing your regimen so I have little to suggest in that regard. You talked about some massive cutting. Why not try a much smaller amount - say even 6 inches - it might really reduce the tangling to have fresh ends. It's worked for me.
------------------------------
Hi Jason, I will do a big trim only as a last resort. I will first make every adjustment that I know of to fix this first.
Scott
Wow, Jann, that's a really impressive photo. I love how blunt and perfect your ends are. That's very inspiring to me on my quest. How often are you trimming now to maintain this?
Hi Jann,
Your hair looks wonderful after that trim but I have to ask who is the stylist you used in NYC?I live a short train ride away from the city and if I ever consider a trim, going to a stylist recommended by another longhair is the best way to go:)Thanks and Cheers
Mârk
Jann
Thanks Jann. The trimming routine certainly works well for you. I'm thinking that around the 4 month mark, I'll consider a small trim of the ends.
-------------------
Hi Jann, I don't take statins. I take lecithin which does the same thing. Maybe I am taking too much. The last time I cut back on lecithin, my shedding went up. It may be a new dietary supplement. I will stop it to see if it makes a difference. The only other new thing was mixing coconut oil with my shampoo. I will stop that too. I may be mildly allergic to it. I may still use it on my ends, but will keep it off my scalp.
BTW, Your hair looks absolutely gorgeous.
Scott
Have you considered this might just be a normal shedding phase? Your long terminal length means you have a very long growth cycle followed by a long rest cycle. When the eventual shedding begins that's a lot of hair to deal with. Keep in mind that the extra weight of wet hair is going to cause hair that's ready to shed to fall out easier. With that in mind, can you just rinse the scalp without wetting the rest of the hair? If not, my suggestion would be that during these shedding periods you apply additional conditioners/lubricants to the hair shafts so they're less likely to stick together and tangle.
Hopefully this is just a short term situation not related to an underlying medical condition. Good Luck!
--Dale
--------------
I have tried washing just my scalp. It was a disaster. The only way I could possibly do this would be to tie the ends of my hair to the ceiling to keep that part dry.. Totally impractical.
Using extra conditioner to make the shed hairs slip out, tangle free, may be a good plan, though.
Scott
I would not presume to offer advice to the King, but I will offer consolations.
I am sure you and the members of MLHH will find a solution.
Relax...
Walter
Sorry to hear your fantastic mane is shedding more than it used to, and that the hair strands stick to other strands more, when you try to comb them out.
Scott, maybe you are getting older. That can cause both of those things. Get a calendar and look at it. Maybe you have been having birthdays.
Bill
"...maybe you are getting older. That can cause both of those things. Get a calendar and look at it. Maybe you have been having birthdays..."
That was just mean spirited, Bill ! Ha !!
I just had one of those nasty things...giggle
Yeah, the old gray hair, she ain't what she used to be...
We both know that.
I hate to see Scott on a wild goose chase, and this thread has dropped lots of geese at his feet to chase.
Older age brings about less hair strands (you get there from "dense hair" by an increase in shedding), rougher hair strands (they stick to other strands rather than just sliding out as silky strands do), and less terminal length. Rougher hair strands also stay in your mane rather than slipping out over the course of the day. They then all come out when you wash. You don't notice many of the hairs that come out during the day, but you do notice the ones that come out when you wash, so you think you are losing more hair strands.
Changes can seem to arrive in spurts. Maybe the shift is linear and we just notice it in spurts. Or maybe it really arrives in spurts. Either way, it's not likely to reverse.
All one can do about aging is to make light of it, because it's gonna happen. Just remember, when it comes to the game of life, he who has the most birthdays wins!
Bill
------------------------------------
There are people in their 80s with long thick hair. Excess hair shedding is most likely due to some kind of chemical imbalance which I have not been able to figure out.
Scott
True, but a majority of longhairs have the aging effects I mentioned, so it's a culprit that should not be overlooked.
If not accepting it is due to aging, the first thing I'd do is have that huge growth removed. It takes a lot of nutrients and other body resources to feed and grow that thing. These are resources your mane would like to have.
To recap:
1. Most likely cause is aging.
2. Second most likely cause is that growth.
My 2¢,
Bill
God, I can only hope that you will find what triggered it!..
I don't know more than what you already do know.. stress, harsh shampoos, season change...
Have you consulted with a doctor?
I don't know the type of exercise you do but I've found aerobics to reduce my shedding, as I've stated before in a thread I opened just for that.
I wish you the best luck with solving this Absalom. I'll keep you in my thoughts and I'll get back to you if I remember anything else.
A hug to you
João David
Yes, but I can only guess. I have eliminated all new stuff to start.
I will try gentler shampoos. Stress is a tough one. I get into panic mode every so often. It occurs with NO apparent cause, it just happens. It takes weeks to go away. I have seen the doctor in the oast regarding this very problem.
My aerobic capacity is limited by irregular heartbeat. I am best doing intense 1 to 5 minute intervals for a total of 50 to 60 minutes of total training time.
Thanks Joao, hugs.
Scott
Oh no Scott. I am very sorry to hear of this. Just awful. I know we both used to have the same time of year where we had alot of shedding (normal for us) and then the same would happen again the next year right on schedual, but right now is too soon for this to start so I will chalk this one off as not being the cause.
Severe shedding of course can be (and is) caused by severe illness. I can attest to that one. It can also be that all of a sudden the life span of those hairs is over, and in falling out really gives a mess of a problem with tangles and knots. (Perhaps a "possibility" in your case?)
If the ends become too narrow and wispy, this helps create a mess of tangles. Also, not always just the tip ends but leading up higher by quite a few inches. (Normal wear to hair that has been around for many years.)
It almost sounds as if I am hearing (and seeing) about myself in the early stages (not having to do with the Salon) but the Diabetes and Precardia surgery that followed where for 9 months after my hair kept falling out as if in a constant non-stop shedding period. It was an ugly cycle and I DID note that most (at 1st) hairs fell-out at wash time. The more that fell out, the worse the tangles. At the end of nine months my once long hair was a shabby mess and all I was left doing constantly was trying to detangle all day long and losing even more hair by the then (almost every 5 minutes) newest tangle and knot problem and losing in that battle just about every time. I don't think most people really understand what led to me to cut. When it gets this bad and is still getting worse with hair hanging like cob webs, why save it? There is nothing left worth saving. The detangling was just about like you describe now and did not respond as did the "usual" way it always had.
But back to you Scott and see what other advice may come in. IN the meantime, here is what I would do:
1. I would check in with a dr. just to make sure and also peace of mind.
2. I would cut back as far as needed until I got to the hairs that are still nice and thick and not of the type to tangle all that easy. If this means waiste length, so be it. Better this length than ending up with less "if" this shedding continues as it has been. (And please rememember that yours and mine "usual shedding period" isn't due in until about mid July and ends about 1/2 of the way through September every year without fail.)
3. We are hardly getting any younger and this may very well be playing a part.
Other then that, I cannot think of anything else but I DO have my fingers crossed for you Scott that all things considered, you will still have gorgous long hair. Take care Scott and my very best to you.
Justin~
My shed cycle varies a bit. I looked at my hair loss SPREADSHEET to see. I do shed more in summer, but not always.
Yeah, I had a flu like illness in final days of May. That may be the problem. I also started taking a CHICKWEED supplement to rid myself of a baseball size lipoma on my chest. I stopped that supplement and will just use topical salve.
I am not giving up yet. I am determined to try to fix this first.
Been there, done that in 2008. They were of little help.
Perhaps I will trim, as a last resort, if all else fails.
There are people in their 80s with long thick hair.
Thank you for your input. Hopefully you can regain some of your hair length. Try for a bit past shoulder length.
Scott
I’m sorry to hear that you’re having so much difficulty with that magnificent mane. My hair is even finer than yours, so I also deal with constant tangling. I usually go through a severe shedding cycle during the early part of the summer, so the time of year could be contributing to your shedding. After having to cut out a few marble-sized tangles last year, I had about a foot (!) of my mane lopped off. Since then, I’ve maintained my mane at mid-back length – and STILL have problems with tangling. I’ve been carefully detangling with finger combing, then putting my mane in ponytailers for washing. This seems to spread out the shedding so I don’t get a huge amount of tangling while washing. Let us know when you have a solution that works for you. Regardless, you will still have a mane to envy!
----------------------
Phoenix AZ in summer is very hot. This may be the cause of excess shedding for you. Heat can trigger shedding for me too. Super fine hair does not like heat at all. I measured a shed strand that you gave me and got a diameter of 60 microns. Mine is 65 to 70, which is still fine. Hopefully I will be able to solve my shedding issue. I will take a scientific approach to the problem, starting with my hair loss spreadsheet. I keep very detailed notes on diet, weather, shampoos, and washing methods to see what works and what doesn't work. It goes back to 2005.
Thanks for your input.
Scott
Hi Scott,
Of course I am sorry to hear that you are going through such a servere shedding episode, and my thoughts will be with you that you find a solution that works for you. Although I have no advice of my own, I think some of the others have given you some advice of their own, and Justin's post is a truly excellent one.
Good luck, and I hope all works out in the end.
David
Hi Scott,
Happens to me once in a while. I have fine hair, too. I'll push one or two large smooth needles (e.g. a large sewing needle that's a few inches long) through the knot/loop and working them an a manner to spread the knot apart. A drop of jojoba oil on the mess helps with the job.
In my electronics shop, I have a small screwdriver that I've sharpened into a mini awl that works nicely in that situation.
Best of look with it!
- Oren
------------------------------
Yes, I have a probe to separate knots. I made it from an old bicycle spoke. It usually works.
Do be sure to keep that gorgeous beard away from the soldering iron. (I have burned the ends of long beard hairs while soldering.)
Thanks for your input, Oren.
Scott
Hi Scott, I keep the beard in two braids 95% of the time. That keeps it well out of trouble and safe from wind damage. So far, I have never burnt it soldering.
- Oren
The first thing i'd suggest is to look at external causes.
Maybe your water supply is contaminateded?
Maybe the water department in your city/town is using
some harsh chemical to clean the water/clean the pipes?
Maybe the water has some harsh additive?
Are you taking some medication that has the effect of damaging hair?
Maybe the shampoo you use has a new formula that contains an
ingredient you're allergic/adverse to?
Maybe for a month or so try washing your hair in Distilled
or bottled water?
Try a di9fferent brand of shampoo?
Finally you may want to try one of these places that will
test your water supply?
Good luck in the search for the cause of this issue.
I'm sorry to hear about this problem. I couldn't give you a very useful answer as to the shedding, but I'm sure you can prevent the tangles and the extra hair breakage it causes. If you ever wear your hair down, stop doing it for the time being. Wear it in a simple bun or so. Then when you open it, comb it with your fingers, starting at the tips and working your way up. After that you can use your comb/brush. This way the loose hairs should be removed before they can cause any tangles.
You probably know all this, but I'm telling it just in case. My hair is much too long to wear down, I always have it in a bun, rarely in a braid or segmented ponytail. The advantage of it is I never have any tangles anymore.