The Hair Queries Thread

[namelesswonder]

Just in case anyone ever runs into a similar problem...

Starting at least several months ago, I noticed that my hair was shedding much more than usual. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized I'm actually LOSING hair. I could see that it's significantly thinned everywhere (fortunately no bald spots). I've been losing clumps in the shower and I avoid brushing because it just pulls out more. It comes out at the roots, there's no breakage.

The problem is most likely linked to my low iron levels. I'm not anemic, but I'm at the very, very bottom of a normal range. I've just started supplemented ferritin chelate and am hoping to see a change soon. Low iron can also mimic thyroid problems, so if you ever encounter random hair loss with no other symptoms, get your iron & thyroid checked!

Fingers crossed that this does the trick.

[NutMeg]

I have thyroid problems and Lupus. I lost enough hair to notice... main reason I wore a bandanna.It got so bad I shaved the sides. Bald... no guard... so it was less noticeable. IDK if it helped but the bald spots are gone. My scalp is still a mess but thank GOD no more excessive hair loss. I would cry every time I washed my hair watching clumps of hair go down the drain. Stress can also lead to hair loss. My job was stressful. Glad I got out... my health was not worth it. Any of you ladies losing hair? Don't ignore it. Could be something major... or a quick fix! Either way "take it to the doctor"!

[voiddj]

Tried spikes last weekend and wasn't happy. Went for a side parting of sorts today and feel I look a bit like Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List. I must experiment this weekend.

[kissmycombatboots]

i'll have to try iron suppliments. i've been losing hair for well over a year now. thought it was due to gluten, but no. thyroid checked out okay. no one's ever said i was anemic, but they've also never said whether i'm in a normal range or not. all i know is that i've never had a problem donating blood. thanks for posting this! my hair is so thin that you can see scalp all over. i look like an old woman.

[namelesswonder]

^You should be able to ask where you are in the normal range. Mine's pretty low, like 10 in a range of 7-300. Make sure you supplement with Vitamin C to help with absorption or you may get constipated!

[bethanphetamine]

are we talking about hematocrit levels? a normal hematocrit level for adult females is between 38% and 46%. most blood banks will turn you away females that are lower than 38%, though this does not always mean that you're anemic. you could also have a falsely higher hematocrit reading (dehydration is just one cause of this), and still be anemic. your best bet if you have symptoms of anemia is to up your iron intake. iron supplements will do that, but so will just consuming more iron rich foods (red meat, leafy greens like spinach, or beans).

there can be many reasons for hair loss in women, including genetics. it certainly can't hurt to eat some spinach though!

[namelesswonder]

I was talking about levels, I don't have the lab work in front of me so I don't know how it's measured off the top of my head (mg/something? ng/something? that's what I mean by 7-300). I eat a heavy protein diet and my iron levels are really low (but not technically anemic). My doctor thinks that something is blocking my iron absorption and I've got some other stuff going on too, so I'm special heh...

[bethanphetamine]

well good luck with that!! it's always fun to have a bit of a medical mystery. blah!!! i've got my own in different areas! i hope yours gets worked out soon!

[TheLadyDisarray]

Fun stuff, When I trimmed the sides of my hair down to half an inch long, I thought my hair was thinning....Just kidding, half of my head is naturally really light brown and the other half is almost black....dyed it and solved that problem.

Something that irks me though, since I cut all my hair off (about 2.5-3 inches at the longest) everyone's commenting on how thin my hair is. -_- Thanks guys. Thanks a bunch.


Also. Instead of using tons of styling product in my hair to spike it, I just use hair moisturizing lotion, and that seems to work just as well. Not sure how I manage that, but people compliment my hair on the days when I don't put any effort in (I pulled a knit hat off my head, and was told that my hair looked amazing...wooo...I guess I can pull off disheveled hat hair....)

[bethanphetamine]

^^i think with short hair styles, it can just show more scalp at times. i have ridiculously thick hair and just to keep it manageable and not suffocate myself in heat during the summer, i've kept mine short for years. but even mine at times, depending on how i style it or don't, mine can look think in places.

the BEST think about short styles is that i can wake up and kind of shake my hair most days and it's ready. the messy, bed head look is in. hahaha!

[TheLadyDisarray]

I think that's definitely what it is, because I know sometimes I wake up with half of it matted to my head in clumps from sleeping so it looks like half my hair fell out, and then I sqoosh it all around, and then my hair looks fine. I'll probably never go back to long hair though. Omfg. This is the greatest. I look at pictures of me with long hair....I think I look funny, haha. This is the shortest I've ever had my hair, and it's great.

But definitely just being able to get away with bedhead is the best...just unstick some of it from your head and you're all set!! haha

[kellieperson]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong!!! I dyed my hair on new years day so it hasn't even been TWO WEEKS and my hair has seriously faded a lot. I leave it in for a while, I haven't washed it yet, I've only ironed it twice, and I don't use any products in my hair.

Is there anything I can do to keep this shit from fading so quickly? I used manic panic ultra violet and it's starting to become a light grey already. :/ I'm bummed.

[TheLadyDisarray]

You can put a teaspoon of it in your shampoo.

That's what I used to do when I dyed my hair with manic panic. It adds a little extra in to keep the colour vibrant while still washing your hair. Beware: if it isn't mixed really well, it will stain your hands.
You can also wash your hair with cool water..


But I just read that you haven't washed it yet, so I'm at a loss.
Except it probably comes out on your pillows and stuff, I dunno.
:/
I stopped using Manic Panic for that reason...fades out way too quickly. :/

Good luck!

[Prettygrimm]

before you apply color and after you bleach use aphogee two step. you can get it at Sallys. it's a a heavy protein reconstructor. but for th elove of seitan, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. if you do it wrong your hair can break off at the roots.

[TheLadyDisarray]

before you apply color and after you bleach use aphogee two step. you can get it at Sallys. it's a a heavy protein reconstructor. but for th elove of seitan, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. if you do it wrong your hair can break off at the roots.

WHAT.
o.o That's scary. D: