Hair loss worry [Archive]

NewYorkgirl

18-09-17, 13:51

Hi I'm new to this..i have been noticing my hair shedding excessively since july...i don't have any bald patches yet but my scalp is more noticeable. I moved house at the end of March this year and ridiculous as it sounds was a really traumatic and stressful time that resulted in me not eating and losing almost a stone in 2 weeks..ive since read about a condition called Telogen Effluvium which can present itself 2 to 3 months after a trauma or stressful event. I'm terrified I will go bald. I haven't been to the doctors yet but have started taking an iron supplement, a hair skin and nails supplement and using a caffeine shampoo..i hate washing or brushing my hair, I'm constantly checking my hair, counting hair, checking the carpets ..Has anyone else experienced this and had a positive change? This anxiety is simply controlling my life as stupid as that sounds..i think about it constantly and juat want my life back..
Many thanks

hanshan

18-09-17, 15:36

Hi NewYorkGirl - Welcome to NMP. If you are young and female, the chances of you going bald are absolutely minimal. Everyone sheds hair every day. If you notice lots of hair around, it's actually a sign that you have a thick and healthy head of hair.

No-one has taken your life from you. It's right there waiting for you, but you must overcome irrational anxiety to be able to accept it.

NervUs

18-09-17, 15:50

OMG, I am going through this too!!!!

I have had a lot of stress since May (all health/ health anxiety but actual testing for possible cancer). I am also going through perimenopause.

IN the past couple of months, I have noticed my hair shedding and it is definitely thinner all around. In my case, I don't know if it's stress, perimenopause, or a combination of the two!! I spent yesterday looking at wigs online, lol!

I think you should definitely see a doctor, as there can be multiple causes of this AND you don't want to go too high on iron. HOw old are you?

p.s. I am worried about it BUT, at the same time, it isn't as worrying to me as a real health issue. I have had a persistent cough for months, keep getting colds, wheezing, and I am MUCH more worried about that than my hair. Maybe you could make a pact NOT to count the hairs? You will see them fall out with or without counting, and the counting and checking is just bringing your mind back around to it.

melfish

18-09-17, 16:11

I've had numerous episodes of telogen effluvium throughout my life, starting in my early 20s. Usually I notice the shed about three months after the triggering stressful event. There really isn't much to be done about it, apart from trying to keep healthy and waiting it out. IT WILL STOP. I take a biotin supplement, zinc a few times a week, and all the other B vitamins.

I know what you mean about washing your hair. Try to cut back to about twice a week and remember, the longer it is between washes, the more hair you will notice. Stop counting. Try to put it to the back of your mind. It IS self-limiting.

I remember, the first time it happened, I called my mother in tears, sobbing "You have to help me pick out a wig." I'd just come from the GP, a man with the worst bedside manner. He grabbed a chunk of my hair, tugged, put in down on a white A4 sheet of paper and shook his head, saying, "That's a LOT of hair." I FREAKED OUT.

I subsequently went a saw and very respected and very old dermatologist, who explained telogen effluvium to me. His advice? Eat jellybeans, lol. Also, massage my head for 10 minutes each day. He said to slide my scalp back and forth over my skull, if that makes sense. It said it will loosen the area up from all the tension and bring more blood flow.

Sure enough, within a few admittedly LONG weeks, I could see all the little baby hairs coming in. Now, I don't have much hair to begin with. I have even less now that I'm in perimenopause, which is a whole other thing when it comes to thinning hair. But I promise, it will stop and you won't need a wig.

NewYorkgirl

18-09-17, 16:14

Thank you for your replies. I'm 41 and not experiencing any other symptoms to suggest postmenopause. I have suffered HA on and off for years and have previously taken Citalopram, which I was prescribed in June. But them read it can cause hair loss!..i have no idea why I have fixated on this. Throughout June I totally convinced myself I was developing psorasis and had the same intense overwhelming fear that I have with this. I saw a gp who alleviated my panic and suggested CBT. I have read up on this and think it could be beneficial as I don't talk to anyone (including my partner) about this. I say every day don't count the hairs and reading what I'm putting I realise how bloody shallow and superficial I sound, worrying about my hair..Thank you for your kind words

NervUs

18-09-17, 16:18

I did NOT mean to imply you are shallow for caring about your hair! Absolutely anyone and everyone would care about this!!! I mean, I certainly do and didn't mean to imply I don't- it's just if I have to rank my paranoia, hairloss is not my #1. I am certainly not happy about it, at all!!!

We will get through this!!!

NewYorkgirl

18-09-17, 16:34

Oh I didn't think you meant that at all! I simply meant I realise that to worry about my hair so much makes me look incredibly shallow and only concerned with my looks. With my children, partner and family I am the level headed rational one they all come to, If only they knew!. I am debating with myself whether to see a gp or to continue to wait it out.. my trigger was March 31st so I'm guessing the timing is right..i don't want to be dictated to by this..thank you all again

cattia

18-09-17, 20:14

Oh my goodness, I have been through this exact thing since June. I totally could have written every single word that you wrote. I spent my entire summer counting hairs, panic attacks every time I had to have a shower, taking the most expensive vitamins ever, constantly (and I mean constantly) checking my scalp in the mirror and doing the pull test, reading hair loss forums... basically I sent myself mad. I spoke to a number of other women about this and they ALL told me that they lose big balls of hair in the shower AND a heap more when they are brushing and drying. My daughter, who is a healthy 7 year old with long hair, loses 70-80 every day in the brush (obviously she has no idea that I have counted her hair because i don't want her to go insane like me) but somehow, in the end, I managed to talk myself down from this fear (probably by developing a new fear that I have ovarian cancer which has distracted me). I still believe that my hair has got thinner although you can't visibly see my scalp other than at the parting. I am still not totally OK with this but for the time being it has taken something of a back seat. I think for me this is symptomatic of a massive increase in my anxiety. I am 40 and I also wonder to myself whether this has to do with my fear of getting older and losing my attractiveness. Not that I am saying older women can't be attractive, but healthy hair is kind of a sign of youth and vitality, for me I think that this OVERWHELMING obsession with my hair could perhaps be linked with a fear of aging.
I don't know when the perimenopause starts, but I do know that since turning 40 my anxiety has gone crazy. I have just started Sertraline. Like you, I read all the horror stories about anti depressants causing hair loss, but from what I read, prozac is the drug most likely to cause this and as I have been on that in the past and I didn't lose my hair then I am hoping for the best. Happy to chat on PM if you like as I totally relate to what you are going through.

Magic

18-09-17, 22:59

I have the same trouble. Now I am looking at my hoover brushes. I am taking vitamins, but I believe it takes time for them to work. I have certain medications to take and on all the leaflets it says hair loss.
I have noticed that women of a similar age to me have thinning hair, but I have also some women 's hair has gone thicker and causer as they get older.
I remember telling my GP about the hair loss and she gave me a different drug, but it still said hair loss on the instruction paper. Can't win!!

au Lait

19-09-17, 06:32

The same thing happened to me about 6 years ago. It lasted maybe about a month and then normalized. My hair has since thickened back up and somehow looks healthier than it did before it happened. You won't go bald, don't worry. :) You just have to wait it out, take a multivitamin and eat good for you foods. Those things will help your over all health and mood anyway, so it's a win/win.

swajj

19-09-17, 12:20

GPs don't have much of a clue about hair loss. My experience has been that if you have a good head of hair they don't even take it seriously. That's what happened with me. I had lots of hair. I lost lots of hair. I agonised over my hair loss for months but because I still had lots of hair the doctor didn't take it seriously. Go to a dermatologist. Probably not an ancient one who tells you to eat jelly beans though lol

NewYorkgirl

20-09-17, 10:16

Midnight-mouse

20-09-17, 10:37

Thank you for all your replies...Had my usual anxiety about washing my hair this morning, woke up before alarm, stomach churning etc. However I forced myself to NOT count any hairs which I haven't done in so so long. I still feel my anxiety bubbling away under the surface but I'm desperately trying to calm myself and keep busy.

You did great to break the compulsion and not count. I too have a fear that I am loosing my hair and I seem to want to avoid brushing it, but obviously I have to eventually.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Magic

20-09-17, 13:29

Hi, Does anyone think that using a conditioner on your hair after washing is good or bad? I have so many products I just don't know whish to choose.:doh:

Girl18

20-09-17, 13:58

I shed like crazy before my wedding earlier this year. I thought I'd be bald by my wedding day! It normalized during my honeymoon. Stress can do a number on our bodies.

I also seem to lose a bit of hair when season transition. I always thought it was common.

NewYorkgirl

20-09-17, 14:19

Girl18

20-09-17, 14:35

It is reassuring to read everyone else's experiences but the nagging voice if anxiety always speaks louder and says nope you're gonna go bald!..I always condition my hair but that's when I notice it all coming out..but I've always conditioned after shampoo just to keep it soft.

Hair does come out daily, it's just natural. I think you are hyper aware of it now and it's giving you anxiety but there is nothing wrong. :)

NervUs

21-09-17, 02:48

JUst a FYI- I just bought this shampoo called Argan, and it really poofs up the hair. Doubt it will stop the loss, but it helps hide it!

Mine is still hemorrhaging, BTW.

NewYorkgirl

22-09-17, 08:52

Just had the worst panic attack whilst checking my hair and scalp...it looks so thin on the sides and on top. My heart is racing, I'm hot I want to cry..i hate this so much

swajj

22-09-17, 15:47

If you are that worried about it go and see a dermatologist.

Mojo61

22-09-17, 16:31

I had this too, especially around my hairline at the front. It all grew back eventually.

NewYorkgirl

07-10-17, 18:40

I wanted to check back in as i have felt like I was really starting to make progress with this...however in the last 2-3 days I have really noticed the anxiety creeping back. I've started checking again, counting hairs, checking my hair for thinness. I had started taking a hair, skin and nails supplement but it's made my skin breakout in horrendous spots (which obviously adds to my anxiety) I'm also still taking an iron supplement. But I'm dreading showering and washing my hair again. Or anyone touching my hair unnecessarily..i don't know why I have took such a huge step back..

MoleHill

11-10-17, 14:41

I e been losing hair since July too! I think mine is from a very stressful event in April. But I still can't stop checking. And I've lost perspectives e on how much hair is normal to lose after a shower, blow drying, etc.

NewYorkgirl

14-10-17, 22:37

Molehill..i know exactly what you mean. I can't remember how much was normal before I became so obsessed with losing my hair. I'm so hyper aware of any hair fall that I'm at a loss to what is normal. I just want to have normal rational thoughts. I wake up 2-3 hrs before my alarm dreading my morning shower. I'm constantly checking, now with an led torch, my head, floor, bed and pillow when I get up. I know how crazy I sound. It's making me so ill..

---------- Post added at 22:37 ---------- Previous post was at 21:58 ----------

I've also been to my doctors and had blood tests..im awaiting those results hopefully after the weekend..

Makeetelich92

23-01-22, 21:25

There is a difference between permanent and temporary hairloss. Hairloss that is connected to stress is temporary if you don’t have genetics of the permanent variant. The stress one in itself is not permanent your body is just being put in a certain mode where the hair follicles are less active due to the survival mechanism of stress where ur body prioritizes other aspects of your body instead.