Hair loss..I'm trying really hard to rationalize...

[.Poppy.]

...but I could really use some encouragement.

Hair loss has been something I've been preoccupied with recently, ever since reading complaints about accutane (which I stopped taking mid-March) and hair loss.

Up until this point I was concerned mostly with eyebrows and the feeling that my hair just generically felt "thinner", not so much that I was shedding too much because I really wasn't.

The past month or so I've had increased shedding, but mostly just on days after I wash my hair and I felt like I was still under the "100 hairs per day" rule so I let myself rationalize that everything was mostly fine.

Yesterday, I wore my hair in a ponytail all day, which I don't normally do, because I had to help work cattle. Last night I showered and shed some..maybe 20 hairs after shampooing. This morning I woke up and I've been shedding quite a bit. I haven't strictly been counting but I'm easily up to 60+ hairs and it's only 11:30! A few times I've run my hands through my hair and gotten 8-10 in a single hand!

I have an appointment with my new therapist on Tuesday and I'm really going to talk to her about it then because right now I am in major super panic mode.

I'm trying so hard to tell myself that it was because of the ponytail. I'm also trying to tell myself that I'm not going to go bald, my hair is still growing (at least I know for sure it is on my legs and brows!) and that if something is out of whack or needs to be taken care of I will get the appropriate medical care. I'm trying to tell myself that this isn't a huge deal, that it will be okay, that it will get sorted.

I'm just so tired of sorting things. I'm in major freak out mode and kind of stuck there. I'm scared it's my current meds doing this. Or a post accutane reaction (who even knows if that's a thing?). Rationalizing provides SOME comfort which is better than nothing but I'm in a bit of a spiral right now. :doh:

[Magic]

Poppie, some of my medication has hair loss side effects, and my hair has thinned slightly. I have stopped counting the hairs I shed. Anxiety and depression is one of those things that can course hair loss.
Vitamin b complex would probably help. Healthy eating of green veg, sprouts etc.
wearing a ponytail is ok as long as it is not to tight.
I am glad you are seeing your therapist on Tuesday, it would be a good thing to mention it. You should talk about all your problems. It helps x

[.Poppy.]

Magic - thanks. I'm very concerned it could be medication but I've been on the meds since February-ish and the actual shedding hasn't really been an issue until now.

I totally know anxiety can cause this - what a vicious cycle!

I do remember several years ago being afraid that I was losing hair and then I'd start to shed.

I'm hoping that it's just because it's getting warmer. I do remember when I was younger I'd shed a lot a couple of times a year...at the time I wasn't as good at combing my hair out and it was really long so it would mat.

I am very excited about the therapy appointment, though. I miss my old therapist, badly. I was really hoping I'd be able to get in to see this new woman and I did. She does a lot of self confidence things that I'm eager about and I really want someone to talk to. I don't always talk to my family about my anxiety/depression because they don't understand it OR will over react over certain things which cases me to overreact. It's nice to have a trained party to sound off with :)

[claireypoo]

Hi,

I had excessive hair shedding 18 months ago, (see my posts re hair loss) mine was either from products with keratin in, or weight loss, but I think it can just happen naturally too. Sometimes we just shed more. I lost HANDFULS of hair a day! Masses of it! It made me feel sick TBH - But it never showed, no bald patches or anything, and it just stopped gradually about 6 months later. New hair was growing the whole time this was happening and I'd see new growth sticking up! It's all fine now - thicker than ever - please don't worry. X

[eastofeden]

I was shedding about 300 hairs a day during winter 2015. It was scary. Handfuls were coming out and I would cry after brushing my hair as the brush would be absolutely full of hair. I have extremely thick hair and it used to be hard to get a hair tie to go round it even once. I've never had shedding before in my life. But now my hair has lost about 1/3 of it's volume and my scalp also became more visible :(

The shedding has slowed down now but I still have no idea what caused it. I think it may be because I started wearing my hair in a ponytail everyday for work, and the traction caused pulling which in turn caused the shedding. Before this job I never ever tied up my hair.

My mum assured me it was probably just something to do with the weather. Maybe my head was starting to sense it! I can see baby hairs sticking up now which means they must be growing back in, which is a good sign. Don't wear your hair in a bun, plait or ponytail. The pulling will cause more to fall out.

[Savvy_Darling]

I can totally relate to you poppy! My hair has been shedding more since September. I also agree with after the shower. I've been trying to tell myself it's from stress & anxiety. Because my anxiety got bad and has been bad since then. I'm not on any medication and I haven't gotten it checked because I've been hoping it would stop on its own.. Nobody notices a different in my hair but me personally I feel like it's thinner. I hope it's from stress. As I have been under so much emotional stress from anxiety for a year now. :(
Just letting you know you're not alone... And I know how hard it is to stay rational when it comes to loosing hair.. I've been scared that I'm gonna go bald or it's just gonna get really thin for awhile now.

[.Poppy.]

Thank you.

My hair feels kind of funky today so I should wash it but am scared. I combed out probably 20 hairs this morning but that's not *too* many.

I rarely ponytail my hair. It may just be a shedding time for me but I'm still of course freaking out about it. I haven't felt too well the past couple of days either so my anxiety in general is just really high.

It's all very exhausting.

[ker92ri]

Hi Poppy,

I'm in exactly the same boat and very scared. I saw a dermatologist privately today who diagnosed tellogen effluvium due to stress. It's been falling out really bad over the last month or so and I have thin hair anyway!!!

[.Poppy.]

It's terrifying, isn't it?

Last night I washed my hair and this morning I brushed it, ran my hand through and got 32 hairs at once!! I am in a place of pure horror.

I have NO idea if it's stress, poor diet, meds, or just natural shedding. My hair has always been fairly thick and I'm afraid of losing too much. I need to get a hair cut but am terrified she'll comment on the shedding and it will be that much more horrifying.

I just have no idea what to do.

[.Poppy.]

Welp, I was still shedding but actually not freaking out about it until I went to get my haircut today and my hairstylist commented that I shed a LOT. So, let the freakout commence.

Funny thing, when I went through the same fears several years ago, my friend made the same comment to me and it also sent me into a spiral.

Definitely going to the doctor next week.

[Mojo61]

Mine is falling out like mad. I've now stopped washing it more than once a week because I just can't stand to see the amount blocking the shower plughole when I do wash it. There is loads in the brush too and bald patches seem to be appearing at the sides and temples :(

[Josh1234]

As a male in my 30s, I can relate, sadly, lol

[.Poppy.]

I'm just hopping back to this thread :)

I'm still shedding hair, but not as much thankfully. I usually count and shed maybe 20 hairs in the morning and a few throughout the day so that seems normal.

I was in a terror state because I went and got my hair cut and my hairdresser said I was shedding a LOT of full hairs. That nearly put me into tears. :/

However, I now have many, many little hairs growing out, some quite quickly, so I'm a bit more hopeful. It looks a bit silly really as they're all kind of sticking out but I'm happy they're there. :)