Comments on: Hair Biopsy Results – Diagnosed with Both Telogen Effluvium and Androgenetic Alopecia

By: LRR

LRR — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 04:15:42 +0000

Hey ladies,
I´m new to the site and for some reason I´m unable to set up an account.
Regardless, I wanted to come back and contribute with my success story because they´re always much needed when you think you´ll never see light at the end of the tunnel …so I promised myself that when and if I recovered, I would post my experience and what helped.

So first, some background. I´ve been suffering from what I now know to be Chronic Telogen Effluvium for the last 27 years (my first shed started when I was 12 and I´m now 39).
Initially, I developed Anorexia at 12 years old and that caused my hair to fall out for months at a time. Luckily, I started out with a lot of thin hair and I recovered both from the eating disorder and from the shed after about a year. However, that would be the starting point of a life long battle with hair loss.

From then on, my hair started to fall out whenever I went through periods of stress (anything from breakups to new jobs or moving) and would usually last anywhere between 4 1/2 to 6 months. It would mostly all grow back eventually but it always came with bouts of depression and an itchy, needle like painful sensation on my scalp (trichodynia) and the uncertainty of not knowing if I would recover this time around.
I always used thickening shampoos and conditioners, took Sho Wu Pian pills and anti depressants. I would also either get extensions sewn in to conceal the thin strands or if it was really bad, I´d get my hair cut to a pixie cut (which I´ve had to do about 6 times in my life at this point).

However, this last time it was different. A month before the pandemic started, my hair started to shed massively like I had never experienced before. It went on during the pandemic and nothing helped. It lasted the longest that it has ever lasted and I feared that it would never stop. On top of the stress from the pandemic, I got Covid which is said to cause shedding as well.
During these painfully long and depressing months, I tried everything under the sun to no avail (I´m talking Davines Energyzing products, Hair Loss vitamins like Pantogar and Folexin, Biotin, Ducray shampoo, etc). I was also forced to cut my shoulder lenght hair into a pixie cut which I kind of hated because my hair got so thin that I had bald spots all over (temples, crown, etc).

I went to a hair loss clinic and not only were they super rude but insisted that the only way out was Rogaine without even looking at my scalp. I refused because I had never needed it in the past, even though my mother has Androgenic Alopecia.

Months passed and I felt worse each day, not knowing how to style my hair in order to conceal that I was thinning at 38.

After one year and four and a half months of non stop shedding, I can finally say that I´m on my road to recovery- at least until the next round…because
I´ve finally come to terms with the fact that having chronic telogen effluvium is a life long condition and it´s about finding out what helps you the most in reaching recovery periods.

So, I truly believe that it was a combination of all of the following things that led me to recovery and I want to share it in case it helps somebody reading this (also, I was finally vaccinated so I´m assuming my stress levels went down):

-1 tablespoon of Collagen powder per day mixed into half a cup of water (I was very good about it)
-Mesotherapy injections (in the scalp) every two weeks (I was injected with vitamins called Hair XL that DONT contain Rogaine)
-Scalp massages with a vibrating massager whenever I remembered and always when I shampooed (I bought one from vanity planet on amazon)
-Organic Hair Energizer: Hair Booster with Pro-Vitamin B5

I think this last product helped me the most because it apparently boosts healthier growing hair and it contains a dht blocker (apart from vitamins and oils). After years of experience with hair loss, I realized that not every product works for everyone so I did some research on my own and decided to try this last product and I was greatly surprised. It calmed down the burning sensation on my scalp and made my hair feel thicker even though it does leave it a little greasy.

Even though I haven´t recovered the 60% of hair that I´ve lost, it has stopped shedding (which is the most important part) and I see many little hairs growing in with normal thickness so I´m hopeful. 😀

I really hope this helps at least one person and just know that recovery (even if temporary) is possible.

Sending much strenght and love your way.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 04:42:36 +0000

Hi everyone, last August I started losing my hair (TE). I think what triggered it was a diet that a doctor had told me to try due to having IBS. He said go on a gluten free diet, because it makes most people feel so much better. So I took his advice, and about 1 week into the diet my hair started shedding rapidly. Now 4 months later it is still shedding and also itchy and flaking. I’ve gone to doctors, specialists, and natural-path doctors and no luck so far. The only thing they’ve found so far is that I am a little low in iron so I’ve been taking iron supplements. I go to the dermatologist in a week to have a scalp biopsy. Hopefully this will give me some answers. This hair loss thing has been a nightmare, my hair was already thin to begin with. Not sure how I’m gonna pull off the bald look. Hopefully it stops before getting to that point. I guess any advice I would give to someone would be don’t go on any “diets” unless you absolutely have to. Because I think it somehow put my body into shock or created some kind of hormonal imbalance. Good luck to everyone!

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 22:49:25 +0000

Hi,

I’ve just stumbled across this website, and was relieved to see others in the same situation. I’m really surprised how young people are with this problem.
I’m 31 and was recently diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia. I has several biopsys taken and have had blood tests which found I was low on zinc. I am now on zinc supplements. I am also using 5% minoxidil and have been for 7 weeks, early days I know. All these posts on here are over a year old and was wondering if any of you ladies have had success with minoxidil. I am too feeling awful about myself and cry daily over the diagnosis. I have great support from my family but not from other significant people in my life which is difficult so I can really relate to Maria in a previous post. Any updates from people would be great and also would possibly give some hope to people coming to this site for the first time. Thanks

By: UD

UD — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 00:30:53 +0000

I HAVE HAD THIN HAIR ALL MY LIFE BUT JUST REALLY STARTED STRUGGLING WITH HAIR LOSS THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS. MY HAIR HAS BEEN COMING OUT IN PATCHES IN THE TOP AND REAR, I DID NOTICED SEVERE ITCHING ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO AND SEVERE THINNING THE LAST 4 MONTHS. I WENT TO MY GP SAID I HAD ALOPECIA HE PRESCRIBED CEPHALEXIN FOR A BACTERIA INFECTION OF SCALP A BETAMETHASONE LOTION FOR ITCHY & REDNESS, MY BLOOD WORK CAME BACK NORMAL. AFTER A MONTH WITH NO IMPROVEMENT I SAW A DERMATOLOGIST. THE DERMATOLOGIST DIAGNOSED ME WITH CENTRAL CENTRIFUGAL SCARRING ALOPECIA AND PRESCRIBED CLOBETASOL FOR ITCHY AND REDNESS, I WAS ON THIS REGIMEN FOR 1 MONTH STILL NO IMPROVEMENT, I JUST HAD A SCALP BIOSPSY AND WAITING ON RESULTS. I SAW AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST EVERYTHING CAME BACK NORMAL. IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME OR SIMILAR TESTS WITH SIMULIAR DIAGNOSES BUT VERY LITTLE RESULTS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE CAN SEND A MAN TO THE MOON BUT CANNOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO GROW HAIR! HAS ANYBODY HAD AND LUCK WITH CENTRAL CENTRIFICAL SCARRING ALOPECIA? AND ANYONE HAD ANY LUCK WITH LASER LAMP? I APPRECIATE ALL THE POSTS AND KNOWLEDGE YOU ALL PROVIDE.

By: nini

nini — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 08:58:35 +0000

Hye, reading this site makes me feel like there are people who actually understand how i feel. As an asian woman, most women here have thick and healthy hair which i envy so much. When i was a teenager, my hair is so thick that the barber would charge extra. But at that time i had bad acne. I prayed to God “please bless me with good skin. I dont care if im bald as long as i have flawless skin’. Guess what, years later my hair is thinning on the crown part and my skin is flawless. Be careful of what you wish for eh? I started to notice the hair fall when i went to uni. I thought it was because of my habit of pulling out my hair while studying. I stopped after my colleague told me my hair is thinning. But the thinning doesnt stop there. I dont experience shedding. During shower there are only less than 10 strands coming out. My hair fall is very gradual. It’s like whatever my head sheds, it never grows back. My hair now is thin but i still can cover it with Toppik but i noticed it gets thinner every year just not in a drastic way. I feel so depressed. I avoid swimming and snorkeling at all cost. I havent seen any dermatologist yet but i suspected this is hereditary. My dad is bald on the crown area. What convince me more is now i notice all my siblings experience the same thing! Is this Androgenic Alocepia?

By: Danielle

Danielle — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 22:55:31 +0000

Hi Stacy, Id just like to say that ae unfortunate as it is I am so happy to hear that there are other women out there such as yourself that are battling the sane issues that I am.
Im 25 years old and in August of 2012 I decided to stop taking my pill so my boyfriend and I could start trying for a family! Everything was fine except I was mensturating which I had had can happen to women that I have been on the pill for countless years, I had been on it for 10yrs. It was until that October I had noticed my hair was starting to thin dramatically. Again I wasn’t fazed because I thought it was just the hormone change from my pill. Well it didn’t go away and it started to get worse, I was receding from the front so I thought I would go to my GP! They were as much help as they could be and told me to start on Rogaine but I would not likely see a result until 3months. I secretly started using this because I was extremely embarrassed that my partner would know I was using hair loss treatments. I was hiding too, I would never shower with or around him for fear he would see me with my thin hair and think I was hideous! I became down and depressed as I was losing more & more everyday, large amounts would pull out if I just ran my fingers through my hair. I told no one but my family noticed. They confronted me and started making the right doc app with a Dermatologist which diagnosed me with Alopecia. I was scared & had no idea what it was. At the same time I was relieved that I could finally put a name to it. I was put on hair drops and prednisolone to stop the hair from falling out! I was a mess, I stopped going to work, going out with people just plain old making excuses not to go anywhere. By this time ask I had left was strands of hair on the top of my head, I had lost around 80-90% of my hair. As the medication started to work I started to feel a little better but I would not leave the house unless I had a scarf or bandana on my head which was even worse by this time because it was December and it was Summer! I gradually started to get my confidence back & learnt who my real friends were. My fiancee was ever so supportive. It was only a few months ago that I decided to go ti a Gyno because my period had still not come back. Again I put it down to another side effect of prednisolone. She put me on medication called Primolut N which helps you to bleed and booked me in for blood tests & ultrasounds. By my next app I had had a period but my results were no so good. I was then told I have PCOS! After being informed with all the details I was devastated. I have now been taking this Primolut N for 5 months every month to help with ovulation but and looking to seek another Doc opinion and advice to not only help with conception but can help me with my hair loss! I don’t have much left on top but am slowly becoming a stronger person from it. Its the hardest thing I have ever been through, I am not a vain person but this has no words to describe what we are all feeling. Im happy to say that in August of his year I was brave enough to walk down the aisle to marry my best friend! When it all started I said I would never until I had long hair again. With the help of a small amount of hair growth and a fantastic hair dresser he was able to create an illusion of a full head of hair. With single hair extensions brown powder and paste he was a miracle worker! My message today is, although from time to time I am still struggling with my appearance, the sun will always keep shining! We are much braver than we give ourselves credit for! I am hoping for more hair growth and possibly a bundle of joy in the not too distant future and I pray that I and all the other women out there can find some comfort, peace and joy within themselves no matter what!

By: pam

pam — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 22:00:21 +0000

hi, i am 31yrs old and my hair has been thinning for..well as long as i can remember after the birth of my 2nd child.8yrs ago..i wear bangs to try and hide the thinning on my head and rogaine for women along with a one a day vitamin with a d3 vitamin my thyroid is always swollen but dr said it was functioning fine, but i was severely vitamin d deficient my husband is very supportive and said lets just shave our heads and you can get a wig.. but im not 90yrs old, and i am no long happy going places because i feel people are looking at me the same way i search for others who have thinning hair,i was on birth control (IUD) for 8 yrs and then had my tubes tied after my last baby last September, and no my periods have stopped but dr;s say nothing is wrong with me its all in my head??. could i really be making my own hair fall out….

By: ana

ana — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:51:00 +0000

My name is Ana and I am 27 years old. I began to notice my thinning hair about two years ago. Since I always had thin hair at first I did not think much about it. Although my hair was thin it was always full and my scalp was not visible. A year ago I began consulting a dermatologist who did a biopsy and determined it was alopecia. I consulted a second doctor and he said the same thing and gave me spirnolactone 100mg. I began taking the spiro for about 5 months, but stopped when I decided to go off birth control. Now my hair seems to be worse! I can see my scalp and when I comb my hair a certain way it is very noticiable. I am so sad and depressed. The worst part is that I want to have a baby this year and I know that I can’t take spirnolactone. Is there anything I can do? Also, I have not been succesful at conceiving with makes me think that my hair loss can be related to infertility. Has anyone heard that? I am visiting the gynocologist this week. Hope I hear good news. I think this is so unfair and I can’t believe the only solution is a hair transplant. All I keep thinking is by the time I am 35 I will be bald. I just got married and it makes me so sad. I am not even the type of person to write on blogs, but I have no one else to talk to. Please some advise or some suggestions would help. Also do any vitimins help?

By: Ann

Ann — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 03:02:48 +0000

Kristy:
Hi! I wanted to check in with you (it’s been about three months since we were posting here) and find out how your regrowth is progressing and just an update on you! I hope things have continued to go well for you.

I have a bit of an update. First, I have been using the Men’s Strength 5% Minoxidil solution from Dr. Griffin’s office (with the Propecia in it) since my post in March. Just in the last week or so, I do believe I see some regrowth! The hairs are small and I continue to shed my longer hairs, but I’m so hopeful that one day I will be able to put all this behind me. I have definitely lost about 65% of my hair. I am trying hard to remain hopeful and positive but it is SO hard some days.

In addition, I found out in April that the Thyroid hormone medicine dose I was on for FIVE YEARS was way too high for me. My TSH was .06 and the normal range is .4-4.0! So, needless to say my Dr. lowered the dose, my hair fell out massively for a few weeks and now, I think it is at least going back to normal shed amounts vs. the increased shed. AND I am seeing the regrowth I mentioned. I’m just not 100% sure that the short hairs I’m seeing are regrowth and not just broken off hairs. I THINK it is new hair. Fingers crossed!

In addition, I take Biotin- 5MG and B vitamins, Eve. Primrose Oil, Iron, Calcium and Lysine every day. I hope that this will help me grow some new, stronger hair.

Stay strong ladies…and be your own best advocate! I have learned through this process that you really must be a squeaky wheel, visit multiple doctors and do your research. There is no way you will get your answers without this. GOOD LUCK everyone! Hugs- Ann

By: K

Tue, 03 May 2011 14:19:36 +0000

Pesca, I hope you read the comments posted on this page. I’m not a member of the forum so I can’t reply to your post. However I have severed itching, burning and sore (like a bruised sensation) on my scalp. The only think that didn’t burn my scalp is Johnson and Johnson Baby shampoo. It is all I use. I can’t use conditioner, any styling gels or lotions or hairspray. I can only use Johnson and Johnson. The derms tried different shampoos and medication to help with the burning but the only thing that didn’t exacerbate my pain was baby shampoo after using only it for six months my scalp is in much better condition. I also bought over the counter coritsone oinment that came in a bottle that was in liquid form that had a little pad thing at the top where the liquid seeped through by padding it on the spot. I use this when I have a flare up. Now the severity of my pain went on for about a year before it was resolved. And I do have damage. But you should not use rogaine until your scalp is healthier. If you wanted to do something I would get the laser comb and use it. It is suppose to help with the condition of your scalp, but as far as helping grow hair I’m not so sure. Also keep your hair dryer on cool like press the cool button while you are blow drying the sensitive areas of your scalp. This helped a lot. What your symptoms are a lot like is eczema and heat exacerbates the symptoms. Good luck and I wish you the best.