How long have you been losing your hair? I’m so so sorry for your sadness, I understand your pain and fear, if I could I’d give you a big hug. I’m here if you need to talk.

All The Best,
~Y

I think I’m at the same place you are. I’m going to do some research. It is a devastating thing and I believe that barring a medical condition it can be addressed. I will report back. I am glad to know I am not alone either. I have always been so proud of my thick hair and my mom’s stayed thick through her 80’s so I can’t understand why this is happening.

It could also be a thyroid (over active) condition. A friend at work had to take something to balance this and her hair came back. Get a blood test Ally and find out. I will keep you posted.

Lisa

I am glad that I found this site but also now I feel discouraged because it seems like so many of you have not found a permanent solution which I thought I had a good chance of finding. Like many of you mentioned, I used to have thick beautiful hair and get a lot of compliments. Both of my sisters have thick healthy hair and I’m jealous of that. I think that my hair is less than half as thick as it used to be. Nobody compliments my hair anymore. I’m afraid it’s going to keep getting worse. I am an obsessive type of person so I am constantly thinking about it, worrying, noticing other people’s hair, etc. I just want it to stop and grow like it used to. I hate running my hands over my hair and discovering about 15 hairs in my hand. Thank you all for not making me feel so alone.

I am so grateful to have found you all (and sorry for what you are all going through)! I have been dealing with hair loss since my teens – around age 17 (am now in my mid-30s). Like many of you, after several series of blood work, nothing has come up to suggest a reason for the hair loss.

I have tried all kinds of topical Rogaine/Minoxidil mixes over the years. I had about a year of a really good experience with Rogaine mixed with Retina A (but not all doctors will prescribe this and not all Pharmacies will mix the two – I think it leads to increased irritation; also, after about a year, it didn’t work as well and I started more shedding, anyway, but I had experienced significant regrowth with it prior). I am someone who avoids medications as much as possible, due to all the potential side effects (and would really love to find some natural remedies that actually work), so have not been thrilled about being on Rogaine/Minoxidil but a bit happier about that than oral medications.

I also had 2 hair transplants but, as my current dermatologist/hair specialist told me (and a lot of you probably know), women really are not good candidates, due to the usually diffuse hair loss (I think the hair from both transplants fell out a long time ago).

I’ve tried a laser brush (am currently trying it again). I also tried Saw Palmetto to block DHT (thought it would be safer than actual meds since it is herbal) and it helped my hair a little but I ended up with some acne (usually my skin is great, other than close to my period) and a lot of in-between menstrual bleeding (and even ended up having to have minor gynecological surgery to stop the bleeding and, a couple of months after the surgery, ended up with the worst hair loss I ever experienced – might have been the anesthesia, might have been a sudden change in hormones after the surgery and getting off the Saw Palmetto prior, when the bleeding had gotten bad).

At that stage, my mom found me a really good hair loss specialist (my current dermatologist/hair loss specialist) in NYC. He is expensive but takes women’s hair loss very seriously and has a good sense of humor – makes the appointments easier to deal with (his name – Dr. Michael Lorin Reed, M.D.). The problem (besides expense) is that I don’t live in NY so I can’t just easily make an appt. whenever I want/need to, which has been frustrating. I first went to him in May 2007; he put me on his Minoxidil mix (that only needs to be used once a day – at night!). Within a couple of months or less, a very noticeable filling in of my hair occurred and within 6 months, my hair dresser (who comments about my thinning hair at every visit!) said that my hair looks absolutely normal and asked what I was doing! We both know that I will never have thick hair again but “normal” suited me just fine!

Unfortunately, my “happy hair world” was just “turned on its head” (no pun intended!) about a month and a half ago when my same hair dresser told me how red and hot my scalp was at my last visit. My doc told me to take a break from the Minoxidil mix for few weeks (which then turned into longer). When I got back on it, I noticed more redness. I tried the Men’s foam for a short time, per his advice, but that also irritated my scalp. My hair has been falling out like crazy again and I’ve had a week of major anxiety, depression, and insomnia so far. I’m back to using the mix at least every other day, along with the laser brush, until my next visit with my doctor in about a month. I have a strong feeling he is going to suggest spironolactone next. I know that many of you have tried it but, after my last “menstrual bleeding” experience, along with my apprehensions about meds, in general, I am very nervous about giving oral meds (and ones that mess with hormones) a try. I just truly don’t know what to do at this point.

Although I’ve been dealing with this for so long, it is actually more depressing to have found a solution and then have it “taken away from me” – although I am very grateful for the last year of enjoying my hair again, don’t get me wrong)! If I was retired, I think I would just go the wig route but I just don’t want to go into work one day with everyone knowing that I went that route!

Like a lot of you, I find hair dresser appointments and washing my hair stressful; avoid allowing anyone to see me with wet hair; hate rainy and windy days; adjust my seating, etc. to avoid people looking at my scalp (and always think they are looking directly at it when talking to me!). I also find that this affects my dating life, at least from my perspective (although, I have had long-term relationships and the guys never mentioned a thing – I’m sure they noticed, though!). I wear my hair up in barrettes a lot to try and hide showing scalp as much as possible, although, when my hair is in better shape, I do like my hair better down (and don’t feel like I can wear it down and feel good about it at this point).

Anyway, thanks to all of you for being here, sorry for the long message, and I wish everyone the best!

-Alie