Hair thinning? Loss?

[CloudBee]

Over the last year my hair has thinned significantly. DS will be 8 in March, so it's not postpartum related.

I find that I have to wind my hair elastic around my hair an extra time. If anything this year, I'm actually eating MORE produce and more whole foods. (Ok, in addition to the added pandemic comfort foods...) Being home 24/7 I have a little more time to prep healthy meals. This AM I had oatmeal cooked with berries and hemp hearts. Zero added fat or sugar. Loads of nutrients.

Is it my age? I'm nearing 40.

I don't know if I've lost hair, or if it's just thinner? 

Supplement recommendations?

Thanks!

[cleo29]

I definitely was shedding a lot around that age too. I am now using a scalp scrubber in the shower, to help with creating better circulation in the scalp and I have cold pressed castor oil which is supposed to help create a healthier scalp too.

[VillainV]

Is it thinning, or are you maybe experiencing breakage? If you’ve been noticing more frizzing or whispies, it could be breakage. If so, it could be as simple as switching to a different kind of brush, changing up your products, switching to new hair ties or trying to tie your hair back less.

[thedutchgirl]

I was having a lot of breakage for a year or two, which made it seem like it was thinning. My stylist confirmed it was breakage, not thinning. I just turned 43, and 3 things helped me to get to really healthy hair again. 1. I started coloring less due to covid. I'm a blonde, and was getting highlights, and after too many years even more gentle Aveda bleach was just hurting my hair. 2. I stopped blowdrying most of the time with working from home. 3. Prenatal vitamins. Although I'm old, we want to have a baby, and I've been taking them for about a year and a half. Even my eyelashes are much longer and stronger. It is kind of crazy.

So, if you don't use heat or color, I might actually try prenatals!

[pisces]

I would ask your dr. for a blood test on your hormone levels. I am also experiencing hair loss and am taking spirolactone for it.

Unfortunately, I haven't found anything that helps with hair regrowth except rogaine which was recommended to me by my dermatologist. However if you start using it, you basically have to for the rest of your life or your hair will fall out again.

[abs]

Hi. I started experiencing significant hair loss around the age of 39/40. I had a ton of blood work done and yeah I think it's age. I am inching closer to menopause and hair loss is definitely worse at certain points in my cycle. I also have alopecia. SO that's fun. I have tried basically everything--scalp injections, rogaine, spiro, expensive vitamins, creams, etc. All it has really done for me is spend lots of time and money. Nothing has worked for very long. I have lots of visible bald spots and have moved on to just covering it up with cute headbands and hats. Next up is hair pieces and probably wigs. It really sucks.

[CloudBee]

Jan 21, 2021 12:37:47 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Is it thinning, or are you maybe experiencing breakage? If you’ve been noticing more frizzing or whispies, it could be breakage. If so, it could be as simple as switching to a different kind of brush, changing up your products, switching to new hair ties or trying to tie your hair back less.

You know what, as someone with really thin/fine blonde hair, I am prone to breakage. But... I don't notice more whisps. I definitely have them, but not more than usual, I don't think?

I am, however, wearing my hair up a LOT more than I ever used to.

I'm going to try wearing it down fairly consistently, massaging my scalp, and seeing if that makes a difference.

[dancingnancy]

I recommend bloodwork to see if it can be pinpointed and a Doctor can recommend treatment. I had hair loss from being on methotrexate. My doctor put me on folic acid and I buy biotin OTC to help.

[CloudBee]

Jan 21, 2021 12:45:31 GMT -5 thedutchgirl said:

I was having a lot of breakage for a year or two, which made it seem like it was thinning. My stylist confirmed it was breakage, not thinning. I just turned 43, and 3 things helped me to get to really healthy hair again. 1. I started coloring less due to covid. I'm a blonde, and was getting highlights, and after too many years even more gentle Aveda bleach was just hurting my hair. 2. I stopped blowdrying most of the time with working from home. 3. Prenatal vitamins. Although I'm old, we want to have a baby, and I've been taking them for about a year and a half. Even my eyelashes are much longer and stronger. It is kind of crazy.

So, if you don't use heat or color, I might actually try prenatals!

Thank you! I didn't think about prenatals. People rave about those and hair! I hadn't thought of that.

I'm also a blonde and my hair is naturally very fine. I don't bleach it or dye it. I might start moisturizing it.

Over the last 1-2 yrs I've gone from washing daily, to washing every other day. Maybe I should go back to my old routine and see if that's part of it. Maybe the oil is weighing it down and causing breakage?

My eyelashes have also changed! They went from very thin and almost blonde, to nearly black and thick!

Great suggestions.

[CloudBee]

Jan 21, 2021 13:13:19 GMT -5 dancingnancy said:

I recommend bloodwork to see if it can be pinpointed and a Doctor can recommend treatment. I had hair loss from being on methotrexate. My doctor put me on folic acid and I buy biotin OTC to help.

I actually had a full panel of labs (including hormones) come back yesterday. Everything is normal.

[Velar Fricative]

Just commiserating. I’m 38 and have noticed it for more than a year. It’s both thinning and breakage (including a really awkward spot where I have no idea why there is so much breakage there - it’s as it an entire section of hair fell out and I don’t know how or when that happened). I have never colored my hair, and my vitamin levels are fine. I just chalked it up to getting older.

[thedutchgirl]

Jan 21, 2021 13:14:12 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Jan 21, 2021 12:45:31 GMT -5 thedutchgirl said:

I was having a lot of breakage for a year or two, which made it seem like it was thinning. My stylist confirmed it was breakage, not thinning. I just turned 43, and 3 things helped me to get to really healthy hair again. 1. I started coloring less due to covid. I'm a blonde, and was getting highlights, and after too many years even more gentle Aveda bleach was just hurting my hair. 2. I stopped blowdrying most of the time with working from home. 3. Prenatal vitamins. Although I'm old, we want to have a baby, and I've been taking them for about a year and a half. Even my eyelashes are much longer and stronger. It is kind of crazy.

So, if you don't use heat or color, I might actually try prenatals!

Thank you! I didn't think about prenatals. People rave about those and hair! I hadn't thought of that.

I'm also a blonde and my hair is naturally very fine. I don't bleach it or dye it. I might start moisturizing it.

Over the last 1-2 yrs I've gone from washing daily, to washing every other day. Maybe I should go back to my old routine and see if that's part of it. Maybe the oil is weighing it down and causing breakage?

My eyelashes have also changed! They went from very thin and almost blonde, to nearly black and thick!

Great suggestions.

Less washing and the moisture from a bit more oil should really be good for your hair, so I personally wouldn't go back to more washing. 

You could buy a silk pillowcase too, and be sure not to sleep with your hair up.

[ssmjlm]

Mine has seemed a bit thinner, so I've just made sure to regularly take my vitamin and added biotin in daily as well. I haven't had a ton of growth, but my hair/nails are healthier.

[sicilygirl]

Also this - www.allure.com/story/covid-stress-induced-hair-loss

I feel like I'm dealing with the same thing and think it might be the prolonged stress. :/

[HoneySpider]

I'm 39 and dealing with this too!

I am using Nioxin shampoo 1-2/week and I take a biotin pill daily. I've also been trying to not put my hair up as much (I realized at one point I was doing it A LOT)

It's working at least somewhat since I've seen some regrowth along my hairline. I also had one eyebrow that got really thin that has filled back out.

[lurkie22]

I'm almost 43 and have definitely been losing more hair lately. My bloodwork showed I had low iron and apparently that can cause hair loss, too.

[Cappy]

Same! My hair just started falling out and breaking off and got a strange texture for no reason around age 41. I had blood work done, changed shampoos, stopped coloring it, took vitamins, switched to cloth scrunchies vs. rubber bands. My doctor and stylist were baffled. It's getting better but my gut feeling is that it's hormonal. My cycles are shorter, I have more chin hair, and way more rage. But the way it came on was very sudden.

[gummybear]

Jan 21, 2021 15:41:44 GMT -5 HoneySpider said:

I'm 39 and dealing with this too!

I am using Nioxin shampoo 1-2/week and I take a biotin pill daily. I've also been trying to not put my hair up as much (I realized at one point I was doing it A LOT)

It's working at least somewhat since I've seen some regrowth along my hairline. I also had one eyebrow that got really thin that has filled back out.

I’m quoting you bc my one eyebrow in thinner than the other (and my eyebrows are almost nonexistent to begin with). I figured out that was the side of my face I sleep on!

I also have very thin fine hair that’s gotten much worse recently (I’m 43). It depressing. All my bloodwork is normal. I attribute some of it to using that Revlon hair dryer (which I love). I would do anything to have thicker hair. I’m generally a low-haired person (very little body hair, can go long without shaving, also see eyebrow sitch) so I think it’s just not in the cards. I work out every day so my hair is constantly pulled back, maybe I should stop that.

[ksun]

possibly female pattern balding which can be caused by a hormonal/endocrine issue.

[VillainV]

Jan 21, 2021 13:47:01 GMT -5 thedutchgirl said:

Jan 21, 2021 13:14:12 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Thank you! I didn't think about prenatals. People rave about those and hair! I hadn't thought of that.

I'm also a blonde and my hair is naturally very fine. I don't bleach it or dye it. I might start moisturizing it.

Over the last 1-2 yrs I've gone from washing daily, to washing every other day. Maybe I should go back to my old routine and see if that's part of it. Maybe the oil is weighing it down and causing breakage?

My eyelashes have also changed! They went from very thin and almost blonde, to nearly black and thick!

Great suggestions.

Less washing and the moisture from a bit more oil should really be good for your hair, so I personally wouldn't go back to more washing. 

You could buy a silk pillowcase too, and be sure not to sleep with your hair up.

Depends on hair type. I have very fine curly hair, and sleeping with my hair in a top knot secured with an invisibobble on a silk pillow case has reduced my breakage a LOT.

[brooke77]

I’m 38 and I felt like my hair never grew back PP. (My DS is 3). I started drinking collagen with my coffee and switched my shampoo/conditioner to Olaplex and I’ve noticed a big difference.

ETA: I tried biotin, but it made me break out so badly that I had to stop.

[mrssandro]

I was wondering which shampoo you use. I have had also a recent issue with hair falling out but I think in my case it was directly related to the shampoo that I was using. I also turned 40 recently. I have sense changed my shampoos out and using more deep conditioners and I think it could be helping but it will be a few months before I can fully tell.

www.snopes.com/fact-check/tresemme-shampoo-lawsuit/

[cuadrado]

Do you eat a vegetarian/vegan diet by chance?

Androgen testing, thyroid check and ruling out low ferritin would be my first suggestions.

[wanderingback]

I would recommend going to the dermatologist.

I thought my hair was kind of thinning but since I wear it in an afro, I kinda didn’t pay attention since I still have a lot of hair.

Then mid last year I noticed a large bald spot.
I saw the dermatologist and the type of alopecia that I have is not reversible, so that bald spot won’t grow back. So yeah my thinning isn’t just normal thinning.

I’m on a treatment regimen that’s kind of keeping things stable for now, but I could go bald in the future if more large spots pop up.
Anytime anyone comes to me as a patient with hair loss it’s important to do a good exam to try to figure out what’s going on, you can tell by what phases the hair growth is in. Derm is usually good at picking up on subtle changes.

So it could certainly be just "normal" hair loss, but seeing a doctor for a good eval of up scalp isn’t a bad idea. I wouldn’t waste time with vitamins and whatnot before seeing the doctor.

[CloudBee]

Jan 21, 2021 17:41:07 GMT -5 mrssandro said:

I was wondering which shampoo you use. I have had also a recent issue with hair falling out but I think in my case it was directly related to the shampoo that I was using. I also turned 40 recently. I have sense changed my shampoos out and using more deep conditioners and I think it could be helping but it will be a few months before I can fully tell.

www.snopes.com/fact-check/tresemme-shampoo-lawsuit/

Oh. My. God.

I use Tresemme. I've been using giant jugs of their shampoo and conditioner since before the pandemic hit. I'm switching to another brand tonight, and tossing what I have left. I'm pretty sure we have something else in the back of the closet.

I am in utter shock.

I'm not one to spend a lot of money on my hair. It's stick straight, and I rarely even blow-dry it after a shower because it dries so quickly. I am content with the color. Drugstore shampoo has always been fine so I'm not picky. This is why when Amazon had a good deal on liters of Tresemme I ordered two double packs of their shampoo/conditioner.

OMG OMG OMG

[CloudBee]

Jan 21, 2021 18:57:10 GMT -5 cuadrado said:

Do you eat a vegetarian/vegan diet by chance?

Androgen testing, thyroid check and ruling out low ferritin would be my first suggestions.

Nope, I'm a meat eater!

My thyroid was included in the blood panels that were run this week. I'll log into my patient portal and check to see if androgen or ferritin were run, too.

[CloudBee]

Jan 21, 2021 19:21:49 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

I would recommend going to the dermatologist.

I thought my hair was kind of thinning but since I wear it in an afro, I kinda didn’t pay attention since I still have a lot of hair.

Then mid last year I noticed a large bald spot.
I saw the dermatologist and the type of alopecia that I have is not reversible, so that bald spot won’t grow back. So yeah my thinning isn’t just normal thinning.

I’m on a treatment regimen that’s kind of keeping things stable for now, but I could go bald in the future if more large spots pop up.
Anytime anyone comes to me as a patient with hair loss it’s important to do a good exam to try to figure out what’s going on, you can tell by what phases the hair growth is in. Derm is usually good at picking up on subtle changes.

So it could certainly be just "normal" hair loss, but seeing a doctor for a good eval of up scalp isn’t a bad idea. I wouldn’t waste time with vitamins and whatnot before seeing the doctor.

I never thought to mention this to my dermatologist. I'm due for an annual checkup so I will add that to my to-do list tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!

[CloudBee]

Jan 21, 2021 17:41:07 GMT -5 mrssandro said:

I was wondering which shampoo you use. I have had also a recent issue with hair falling out but I think in my case it was directly related to the shampoo that I was using. I also turned 40 recently. I have sense changed my shampoos out and using more deep conditioners and I think it could be helping but it will be a few months before I can fully tell.

www.snopes.com/fact-check/tresemme-shampoo-lawsuit/

Again, thank you so much for posting this link.

I found the law firm that's handling the class action lawsuit. I filled out their online form and sure enough, when I grabbed my bottle of shampoo it does in fact list the ingredient "DMDM hydantoin, which is known to leach formaldehyde when it comes into contact with water". Which... after Googling, has caused many women with long hair to effectively lost half the thickness of their ponytail.

I used to get away with wrapping my hair elastic around 2-3 times. Now I'm needing to wrap it around 4 times! 4!

I shower at night, and will immediately stop using this shampoo. This is so upsetting. The class action lawsuit is brand new. I'm so thankful you posted that link, because it may be MONTHS before this hits the news. And... the only thing on the news these days is politics.

[sent]

I was thinking about this exact same question lately! I'm 41 and noticed I am losing hair way more very suddenly. I experienced some hair loss like this in my mid-20s. At that time a doctor suggested I stopped using hair products with SLS and I feel like that helped. This time I have no idea. I thought maybe I'm drinking too much diet Dr. Pepper and have a poor diet in general due to stress so I'm trying to fix both of those bad habits. I'm due to get full blood work, I have to make an appointment for it. Maybe it's something else, or maybe I really am finally getting old. I go in between coloring longer now so I don't think it's that either.

I'll check my current shampoo for that ingredient, but (confession) I barely wash my hair, like once a month. I've decided to go back to washing it once a week and that I should go to Whole Foods and find an equivalent to the shampoo I used in my late 20s/most of my 30s. The particular one I used was discontinued, of course.

[mrssandro]

Jan 21, 2021 20:22:37 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Jan 21, 2021 17:41:07 GMT -5 mrssandro said:

I was wondering which shampoo you use. I have had also a recent issue with hair falling out but I think in my case it was directly related to the shampoo that I was using. I also turned 40 recently. I have sense changed my shampoos out and using more deep conditioners and I think it could be helping but it will be a few months before I can fully tell.

www.snopes.com/fact-check/tresemme-shampoo-lawsuit/

Again, thank you so much for posting this link.

I found the law firm that's handling the class action lawsuit. I filled out their online form and sure enough, when I grabbed my bottle of shampoo it does in fact list the ingredient "DMDM hydantoin, which is known to leach formaldehyde when it comes into contact with water". Which... after Googling, has caused many women with long hair to effectively lost half the thickness of their ponytail.

I used to get away with wrapping my hair elastic around 2-3 times. Now I'm needing to wrap it around 4 times! 4!

I shower at night, and will immediately stop using this shampoo. This is so upsetting. The class action lawsuit is brand new. I'm so thankful you posted that link, because it may be MONTHS before this hits the news. And... the only thing on the news these days is politics.

I am glad I mentioned it now. I saw it on a hairdresser's facebook page that I trust so I figured it was real and didn't think she would sway me. Only found a few articles about the lawsuit so I was a bit cautious about posting. I too purchased a double sized ogx  coconut curling shampoo and a few months in I was losing hair from the root. Like chunks of it. I have a lot of hair though. I really thought it was pre menopause. I am only a few weeks in to the new shampoo but I am noticing less hair falling out. So I am hopeful the damage is temporary.