I have gone back and forth about whether my hair thinning is caused by poor nutrition, stress, genetics, or what. I think that genetics is the most likely culprit. My mom has very thin hair and my dad is almost bald. My mother’s sisters also lost a lot of hair and their daughters are experiencing worse hair thinning than I am (they are a few years older). However, both of my grandmothers have beautiful hair so I always held out that perhaps I was lucky and it was just stress or diet. (I’m in graduate school, after all!) I thought that my predisposition to androgenetic alopecia could definitely be one factor, but if I could control my stress and diet, then I could keep more hair on my head. Still, I got lazy and wanted a quick solution.

About 14 months ago, I saw a specialist at Phillip Kingsley Trichological Clinic in NYC. This visit changed my life. While I don’t use all of the products that PK offers (they are quite expensive), I have decided that I will never really know what is causing my hair loss. If it happens to be overproduction of androgens, then what can I do anyway? I refuse to use hormonal treatments like Propecia. The UK gov’t has warned that finasteride can cause irreversible sexual dysfunction. What is the point of having sexy hair if I can’t enjoy sex?

But this brings me back to the topic at hand: SHAMPOO. My first comment on shampoo comes from PK: Wash your hair every day. Even if it’s dry. This is because oil build-up on your scalp blocks your hair follicles, which are already dying, and this prevents the weakening follicles from growing. You will probably continue to experience hair thinning, but it will take place at a slower rate. I know it is depressing to see the shower drain turn into a hairy muppet. But you must clear build-up on the scalp, especially if you are using minoxidil. The cleaner your scalp is, the better it will absorb minoxidil.

Now when it comes to the type of shampoo to use … I’m not sure what type of shampoo is best. PK recommended a sulfate-free shampoo to me (their own) but the problem with sulfate-free shampoos is that they do not lather very well. However, I’m starting to think that sulfate-free is the way to go because sulfates cause your hair to become more brittle and to break. The last thing you want on top of dying hair follicles is to break the follicles you already have. I believe that Loreal just started make a sulfate-free shampoo that I will try. For the past year, I have been using Lush “Stimulating and reviving minty shampoo bar,” which is recommended for thinning hair. My primary care doc actually recommended this shampoo for me; apparently it helped her with hair loss. I noticed less strands were falling out per wash for a long time, but now that is no longer true. I suspect it is because the sulfates have, over time, done some damage.

The other reason for hair breakage, and even overall thinning, in my case may, however, be too much Vitamin A. This is something else that women, especially women who are using retinoids, should keep in mind.

I found out recently that Tazorac — a prescription retinoid I have been using since age 16 to treat acne — is a Category X drug. The high levels of Vitamin A can cause birth defects. I thought that there was no way for Vitamin A toxicity to happen for me, but then I realized I was using WAY TOO MUCH.

Since I was 16, I have slathered Tazorac on my face as if it were facial moisturizer. Probably about half a teaspoon of the stuff. Most people do not even reach this stage of toxicity because they experience intense peeling, redness, and sensitivity from overuse. But I have really oily (read: resilient) skin and therefore did not experience these side effects, which are really warning signs that you are using too much!

Case in point, Tazorac’s website strongly advises women to not use more than a pea-sized amount. They do not explicitly say that this will cause Vitamin A toxicity. But if most women are required to get PREGNANCY TESTS before they can even get a prescription (I was on birth control at the time so no one bothered to warn me about this), then it can be assumed that the cream can cause toxicity in women as well as a fetus.

I found this out literally a week ago and have since cut back on the cream. I use it every other night as opposed to every night and I only use a pea-sized amount. I have also switched to 5% minoxidil (Men’s Rogaine liquid brand) at night and 3% during the day (PK sells a 3% formation). And I am finally eating the right amount of protein every day. I also started taking Viviscal supplements.

I hope that all of these steps help me keep more hair on my head. I am not optimistic about growth. But that is no reason to not use the wide variety of technologies at our disposal.

Like I said, my hair loss could be due to a variety of reasons. Each hair follicle’s growth cycle is distinct from another. Moreover, some follicles on your head will never fall out and some will (it is rare for a woman to go completely bald). This means that SOME follicles on my head could be falling out due to androgenetic alopecia and OTHERS could be falling out due to telogen effluvium (poor diet, stress, undesirable grooming habits, etc.). If I can try to keep the TE ones from falling out, this might mean I can salvage more hair than if I had done nothing. Maybe I am addicted to hope, but hope is so important for women like us. Thanks so much for reading.

my hair has been thinning out so bad recently, i realized it was from the conditioner. all types of conditioners were not working for me, so now i wash my hair only 2-3 times a week with a mild shampoo and i’ve ditched conditioning and i use pure coconut oil, just a little bit, rub it on ur palms then through your hair. it works wonderfully and smells fresh. my hair doesnt fall out as much as it used to.

also go out in the sun!! vitamin d is good for strong hair i hear 😉

good luck ladies