Seeking Advice on Hairloss

Switching from brand name birth control pills to generic made me start to lose my hair to the point that I had actual bald spots! As soon as I went back to brand name pills it stopped. Just a thought.

Hi J. - I hope all of the great advice your received helped you. I was just wondering what you thought of my advice and if you would like to try Juice Plus whole food nutrition to improve your internal health that will protect you from stress and most likely
also reduce your hair loss. It's not a magic pill, it's truly what it says, micronutrients/enzymes from 28 fruits, vegetables, grains and berries in their natural combination in convenient capsule form. It has so many protective health benefits. Please let me know if I can help you out. ____@____.com

If you do feel stressed, I'm sure that is one of the culprits. How's your diet? Do you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables? Do you eat processed foods, fast food, etc... How much hair do you lose? I used to lose clumps of hair, more than what I would consider a normal amount. I'd have to spend time in the shower pulling the strands out of my fingers and my husband couldn't stand when I'd forget to remove the big clump of hair from the shower. My diet wasn't that great and I had a stressful job. When I added Juice Plus to my daily routine (the micronutrients from 28 fruits, vegetables berries and grains) a lot of things improved for me, one being that I no longer lost so much hair. This happened gradually after a few months on the product. I then quit my job and I have never lost that much hair since. I truly believe it was a combination of my body desperately needing the nutrition and needing to reduce the stress. Vitamins just don't cut it, because it's isolated nutrients. More and more studies are showing they don't do much good. That's why I think Juice Plus is so effective because it's the fruits and veggie nutrition in it's natural combination which our bodies know what to do with. I wish you the best! www.wethriveonjuiceplus.com.

Hello J.. I started using Biotin a few years ago when I read about it in a hair magazine, but I think it is more or less for length, as opposed to hair replacement (is that the right term???). Anyway, I wanted to let you know that my former boss lost her hair due to chemo, and used a product that she got on Amazon.com. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of it for the life of me, but I am pretty sure it starts with an "A". She orders a pack every month, and it comes in little brown glass vials that you have to break to use. She gave me a few once when I mentioned that her hair was growing in so nicely, and that I was embarrassed about my balding spot in the front. I don't think I used it long enough to see results, but it definitely worked for her. I just wish I had more information for you, but if you do a search on Amazon, it's on oil (though not oily at all) type of product, maybe liquid is a better word. The pack has probably twelve vials, and you break the glass tip off and pour it on to your scalp. I think she pays about $26.00 for the pack. Again, wish I could help you more, and good luck to you :)

Hi J.,

How about hormone testing, the real kind? Have they done the blood test that checks for the unbound hormones, not just the estrogen that is already bound? Have you done a saliva test that checks even further? Typically you will find that the testosterone has dipped too far down or gone too high. Progesterone is also a factor in this.

What happened to me is the primary care doc and the OB/GYN doc kept looking at just the main one they do when you get a physical. It showed that the estrogen was within normal range. When I did the above tests, true my estrogen was within normal range but at the low end and I had NO testosterone and extremely low Progesterone. I went on bio-identical hormones (this is very important, do not take prescription birth control pills unless it is the last step after trying everything else.

Two books that got me going on a path that makes total sense and spelled it out, were:

Womens Bodies, Womens Wisdom, by Dr. Christiane Northrup
The Sexy Years, by Suzanne Sommers

Hi J.-you might check out the 'Secrets of Self Healing' by Dr. Maoshing Ni - he said he has helped many patients regain their hair even after chemotherapy. one thing he says to do is: massage the affected are on your scalp with ginger juice. wait 10 minutes and tap the affected area with the bristles of a stiff toothbrush for 3 minutes stimulating the scalp - he says to do 2x daily for one month -it promotes circulation and decreases oily deposits that block follicles. Also practice handstands, shoulder stands or headstands for 1 to 2 minutes everyday-it will increase blood flow to your scalp. There are also daily supplements he recommends - Good luck to you!

Go to the root cause, the stress. Meditation is the best way to manage it. There are several sites on line to teach you how to meditate. There are books, there are guided meditations on CDs, there are classes available. There are many techniques. Don't get discouraged if you have trouble at first, everybody does. You can count 1-4, over and over; stare into a candle; sit comfortably or lie down, close your eyes and quiet your mind. Listen to music.
Here's one site
http://www.martrix.org/music_meditation.html

Yoga is a great way to relax. Meditation is an integral part of yoga. Deep breathing is very relaxing. Yoga tones the organs and the hormonal system Walking is also very meditative.

I would also recommend building up your immune system. The best way to do that is with foods. Superfood is a must. It is available at any health food store and is dehydrated greens, wheatgrass, spirulina, rye grass, etc. Mix it with juice. Get a juicer.
Royal jelly is a great supplement that evens out your hormones and builds up your immune system. It is from the bee hive activity.

Here's a couple of links to check out.

http://allwomenstalk.com/how-to-restore-hormonal-health-9...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=251EdwY25Eg

have you looked into homeopathy? i don't mean quick-fixing solutions sold OTC. yours will take constitutional treatment done by Classical homeopath. find one in your area(may want to check CCH website for geographical recommendations). just make sure you understand what qualified homeopath should do before you go with MD or ND or OD who do homeopathy "on the side"
Good Luck, it is definitely can be helped with homeopathy.
V

Hi J.,
I was also in that situation. I did go to the doctors for it and again they said it was just stress along with all my other symptoms. He then asked me if I had any changes in my personal life (I bought a new house with my fiance and his son isn't happy we are getting married), any changes with my daughter (she is just hitting the teenage years), any financial changes (again bought a new house, renting out old house), planning a wedding, working full time. So do I have stress. Yup...I think we all have stress. However, the only thing that helped me was going back to my old hairdresser. I stopped going because I was spending too much money and she was far away...and traffic just causes more stress. After going to a wonderful girl for two years who was very close by, I noticed my hair thinning at the top. After nothing worked, I decided to try my old hairdresser again for 6 months to see if there was a change. There was a huge change. I don't know if it was the chemicals that were different. But my hair is fine now and guess what? I still have the same amount of stress...plus the added bonus of getting to sue my renter for not paying rent. However, at least I have great hair!!!!

Hi J.,

Bionexia is a great brand. I use their shampoo, conditioner and occasionally their re-growth formula.
These are the only products that helped me. Hope they help you too.

try Mane n tail shampoo and conditioner, you can find it at wallmart sometimes in the pet section (as it was originally developed for horses). I'ts about $6 a bottle. I can't guarantee that it will make your hair grow, although some swear by it, it more than likely it will make the hair you have fuller. Good luck

When My 9 year old daughter had chemo I researched what made the hair come back right away. I found the most important thing was amino acid capsules or tabs. They are for both hair and nails. You probably found that out already. Also minerals are very important especially magnesium. You may want to start out higher if you are low in that area. B vitamins is the other that my daughter took. Her hair came right back and very thick each time. My friend took magnesium and her hair stopped falling out she had kidney and bladder problems. I think if you take these three things you will be pleasantly surprised. M. R

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Hair Loss Press Blog

Women Hair loss
May / 20 / 08 - 10:12am › Dr.Cole
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My reason for writing to you is over the past 8 to 9 months I have noticed an “excessive thinning” of my hair. My hair has also been dried out and brittle. I am a natural dark haired individual and do bleach my hair. I have been doing so for over 20 years with no negative affect.
I moved to south Georgia in September - into an older home, which has well water. I immediately noticed the texture of my hair changing. It became much drier and hard to style. I was told it might be because of the well water and the pH of the water.
What is your opinion? Are there any tests I can do on the well water? Would that cause hair loss? Is there any other tests to perform that might indicate something bad or missing in the water that would be so negative on my hair.

There multiple reasons people loose their hair. With female hair loss the causes may include hormonal problems. One should consider a thyroid problem. This could be due to an elevated thyroid or a low thyroid function. A change in medications might stimulate hair loss in women with female pattern loss and this should be considered too. One would generally see female pattern loss prior to age 62 if this were the cause. female hair loss causes

I think you should consider the well water as a possible cause. There are numerous heavy metals present in well water and you can absorb heavy metals through the skin or through ingestion. There would include thallium, arsenic, mercury, copper, cadmium, or bismuth. A half gram of bundled hairs kept in their normal orientation (tops toward the top) sent to the National Medical Services in Willow Grove, PA can evaluate your hair for arsenic.
A low pH can sometimes cause copper in the pipes to precipitate out into the water and this can result in an accumulation of toxic levels of copper in your system.

You could have your physician work you up for heavy metal exposure. Blood levels, urine levels, and hair levels will generally tell you if you have been exposed to heavy metals. Often times you will have neurological findings or symptoms with heavy metal exposure.

Lab tests in addition to a heavy metal analysis include thyroid function tests, a CBC and ferritin level to evaluate you for iron deficient anemia, a dihydroepiandrosterone level to check you for elevated male hormones, a testosterone level, a FSH and LH. If the work up comes back negative, you could consider a properly performed biopsy. The dermatology department at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta could perform most of this work up.

Heavy metal poisoning produces a characteristic form of anagen hair loss. A dermatologist should be able to assess you for any particular hair shaft abnormalities. Heavy metals were often found in pesticides and herbicides that could have found their way to your well water.

Of course hair coloring can make your hair brittle and cause breakage. This could be a factor currently and might result from a change in salons who use different chemicals or leave the agents on for a long period of time.

I usually see progressive female pattern loss begin after pregnancy or in the 40s to 50s. I do not see it begin in 62 year old women typically. Often times there is a family history, which means your mother would have exhibited these symptoms. Medications high in progesterone can stimulate hair loss in women prone to this form of hair loss. Any therapy would be directed at the cause. Therefore, it is best to determine the cause first. I think most of this work up can be done closer to your home. If it comes down to a biopsy, it probably is better for me to take, but I’d get the lab work up first.

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Categories: Hair Loss In Women
Tags: female hair loss, female pattern loss, hair loss, Hair Loss In Women, male hormones, physician, testosterone, thyroid
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4 Comments

1.
kathy said:
05 / 27 / 20:35

Hi, I have also noticed an overall thinning of my hair for the past 2 years. I moved into my present home 2 1/2 years ago that runs on well water. We put in a water purifying/softer when we moved in. I have done all kinds of tests that came back normal except for a vitamin d deficiency. I began having thoughts about the negative effects of well water after I came back from a trip. When I shampooed my hair at the hotels, I noticed less hair fall and I no longer had an itchy scalp. I have lost a 1/4 of my hair since it started. I am hoping that maybe trying a shampoo that gets rid of the minerals in well water will help to improve my scalp condition. I found a line of hair care products called Malibu 2000 that promises to combat the negative effects of well water. I will order and see what happens.

k
2.
John Cole, MD said:
06 / 08 / 09:00

it is possible to absorb heavy metals such as arsenic through your skin. if this occurs, you might loose your hair and of course some very serious neurological complications might occur. You should consider having your well water tested for heavy metals. No shampoo is going to eliminate these heavy metals. Of course there are many other reasons to loose your hair. If you have performed all tests including thyoid tests, anemia, DHEA, FSH, feritin, an ANA, and a sedimentation rate, you might consider a biopsy to check for alternative causes of hair loss.
3.
barbara pierce said:
08 / 06 / 21:07

Four years ago I moved into my brand new house which has well water. Prior to living there I always lived in homes with city water, even though I highlight my hair and have been doing so for over twenty years, I never had a problem with my hair before. After living in this house within the first six months I noticed my hair thinning. My highlights don’t last as long as they used to (the color fades right out), and the worst part is the thinning of my hair. The hair does not fall out from the root, it breaks off at different points. I have had the water tested many times. It has a low ph count. I had a neutralizer installed to correct the problem, it made no difference. I’ve inquired about a softener many times, but was actually told my water was only border line hard and that a softener wasn’t necessary. I have lost so much of my hair, it looks badly damaged and broken. It is so upsetting and feel that there is no solution. Very, very upsetting! If anyone has any ideas about what could be done, I would love your input.
4.
D.A. said:
08 / 16 / 02:46

I was kind of relieved to find I am not the only one who is experiencing this problem. The water softner attached to my well has been acting up for the past two months. The tech’s have been in and out of my home trying to get this thing settled. In the meantime, the water was so bad, it had a metal smell and was often orangey. Since this all began, my hair has been absolutely horrible. Dull, not body or shape, and now its thinning terribly, and I am just sick over it. I noticed my daughter’s hair is also thinned in places and is dull and dry.
I normally have thick bangs, but they are now noticably thin, and I have broken pieces of hair all around the front hair line. I have had problems with my hair in the past if the salt was properly maintained in the brine, but never ever to this degree. I agree with the previous post about how much better your hair looks when it’s washed in water that is not from a well. So…where do we go from here? I am ready to sell my house and make sure my next one has municipal water. Will the hair grow back?

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Good for you to seek help from MD's to make sure there is nothing medical that needed attention. Now listen to what they say and try some stress reduction methods.
Learn or renew a sport, exercise, start yoga, pray...
put aside some time each day for you (even just 5 minutes), there are many ways to reduce stress and are on line, in books, magazines, etc.
We have a tendency to want to be the Super MOM, be good to yourself and you will be the best Mom and wife ever.
Good luck and give it a try. Deb

Hi J.,

You mentioned doctors have done many test.. Did they check your hormone levels and your thyroid?

Baldness in men is a sign of high testosterone levels and thyroid imbalance can cause a myriad of symptoms and problems.

I wish you all the best.
Blessings,
R.

Dear J.,
I have quite a bit of stress and some hair loss too...along with advancing age!
Well, I didn't try any special treatment but I keep a very short style.This seems to be very good for hair.I have also noticed that my hair is thinner where I stand under the shower. Some hair loss (for some people) may be less drastic with mild hair-washing water temperatures. Another problem is thyroid medication. If you are taking levithroid or something like that, some hair loss is part of the side effect.Good luck and don't worry!

J.,
If your doctors have determined that your hair loss is due to stress, then managing your stress is the only way to diminish your hair loss. Everyone's body copes with stress differently; hair loss, lumps in the body (really scary my sister had them along the back of her head and neck), diarhea, vomiting, stomach pains, red blotching on skin, and the list goes on and on. Now these are symptoms of severe stress on an on going basis. Minor stress can just be dry mouth, sweaty hands, etc...
My sister in law recently went through a few months of very high chronic stress, and she lost so much hair that she had to start wearing a wig. It didn't improve until she removed the stressors. She is finally styling her hair without a wig. My hair loss on the other hand is due to a thyroid condition (I am assuming your doctor has already screened you for this as well.)
No hair product worked for my sister in law, only reducing/eliminating her stress. I hope that you at least know what your major stressors are so that you can hopefully remove them or at least reduce them. Best of luck to you.

Try NIOXIN
I got it from my hairdresser and it really helped me

Could it be alopecia? My 7 year old son has alopecia. and rogaine works sort of. He has more hair than he did. The cheapest place is Costco. and make sure you get it for women-I think it is called monodox? it is right next to the rogaine. But, if are nursing, or pregnant do not use it.

Hi J.

I've been meaning to go to this place that offers scalp massage for $15/hr. If nothing else, you can be pampered and de-stress for an hour. If you are interested, I can get the info of the place the next time I drive by. What area do you live in? Also, if it makes you feel better, one thing you can do temporarily is to ask your hairdresser to tease your hair when you get it done next. Maybe you'll try it on yourself afterwards. It looks fuller (believe it or not some stylists use this method on some of the balding male news reporters).

Sorry if this is a repeat.. but what I've seen work best (for me atleast) is to get B12 shots. The pills aren't as effective as the injections. I lost a lot of hair after I had my daughter and it kept getting worst and worst... I got 1 shot every week the first month and 1 every month after that