How/why I Lost My Hair!

naturalfinally

Well-Known Member
@God_Favor, I had the same thing to happen to me. When my mother passed I did a nose dive and my overall health suffered. Particularly my hair. It came out in clumps. Nothing that I did helped. That was in 2005. I finally went natural in 2009 and began to try to stem the lose. It's still filling in on top with Rogain, Clobetasol Propionate and Yerba. I think I've tried everything. I even have the HairMax. I'm willing to try anything and have. Right now my combo is working slowly.
 

blackgurll

Well-Known Member
I hadn't thought of that angle... I lost my mom and had a baby last year and figured the hair loss was just the hormonal changes from the baby. It's lasted longer than the usual post-partum hair loss, and is only now tapering off. Perhaps the grief and stress of my mom's death contributed to it. Thanks for the insight, ladies.
 

Lisabell

New Member
Hi, I'm so glad that we have this forum. I joined a couple of years ago but I pretty much gave up on my hair. I have worn wigs for the past 2 years but now that's causing more damage. I stopped looking at this forum and I didn't take care of whatever hair I had but I really need to do something. But to answer the question. I suffered my first patch of hair loss on my left temple with a relaxer burn when I was a teenager. I have had central centrifugal alopecia now for 20 years. I have had the symptoms for 20 years and had 2 biopsies. However, my dermatologists told me I had a chronic folliculitis. Then I started seeing a new dermatologist who reviewed my previous biopsy results and my clinical picture and told me I had CCCA. It all made sense, I never understood why I had a chronic folliculitis with hair loss.
 

God_Favor

Well-Known Member
Hi, I'm so glad that we have this forum. I joined a couple of years ago but I pretty much gave up on my hair. I have worn wigs for the past 2 years but now that's causing more damage. I stopped looking at this forum and I didn't take care of whatever hair I had but I really need to do something. But to answer the question. I suffered my first patch of hair loss on my left temple with a relaxer burn when I was a teenager. I have had central centrifugal alopecia now for 20 years. I have had the symptoms for 20 years and had 2 biopsies. However, my dermatologists told me I had a chronic folliculitis. Then I started seeing a new dermatologist who reviewed my previous biopsy results and my clinical picture and told me I had CCCA. It all made sense, I never understood why I had a chronic folliculitis with hair loss.
Can you explain what ccca is? Thanks for sharing. We are in this together!
 

mrselle

Well-Known Member
The first time I experienced drastic hair loss was in 2014. At the time I would do a mild relaxer twice a year. I noticed my hair was shedding more than usual, but assumed it would stop once I got my relaxer. Well, after I got my relaxed I noticed severe thinning. My hair stylist pretended not to notice. For about a month my hair fell out in clumps. Around this time I was also experiencing some dizziness and feeling tired all the time. I went to my doctor for my annual physical and my blood work showed that my iron stores were extremely low. Doctors say that Ferritin levels can be as low as 15 and that is considered healthy, but I've read and heard from dermatologist that for healthy hair and hair regrowth ferritin should be at 70. I began to take an over-the-counter iron supplement. The dizziness eventually went away and the shedded disappeared. While my hair did stop shedding, it never went back to its original thickness. My hair has never been thick, but I had a nice head of hair that was relatively easy to manage.

Fast forward a year and a half later, I have surgery. I knew I would experience some shedding after the surgery, but I lost a tremendous amount of hair. My hair was coming out in massive amounts and it continued for about four months. I went to see a dermatologist and she was of no help to me. She did do blood work and my Ferritin had dipped down to 13. She told me to talk to my regular doctor about taking a supplement. He was of no help either. I decided to increased the amount of iron I was taking. I figured it couldn't hurt since I have heavy periods and have probably just been maintaining my current iron levels (which were borderline) instead of increasing my iron levels.

Through prayer and increasing my iron the shedding has stopped. I also do henna treatments once a month and black tea rinses during every wash. My hair is slowly filling back in. I have a ton of short hairs all over my head that won't lay down, my hair has been frizzy due to the humidity ( I live in the south) and I have a lot of different lengths. I don't ever wear it down, but I am grateful for the hair I have. I was certain that I would need to get a wig, but for now its ok and prayerfully it will continue to get better.
 

Prettymetty

Natural/4b/medium-coarse
Postpartum shedding took my edges every time (4 births). I was able to restore my hairline with Nioxin after my first son. I've pretty much given up on a thin spot on my left side. I still use growth aids and massage it, but my youngest is 3 now. Those follicles are probably dead now.
 

Misseyl

Well-Known Member
I've been experiencing shedding so I decided to wash every two weeks. That seemed to help but I'd still lose hair. Well, to my amazement, yesterday after I twisted my hair, the loss was minimal. It could be a combination of things or just one thing, not sure but since August, I began adding honey to my deep conditioners, use Aloe vera juice as a detangler and have been using a leave-in every night before re-twisting. Also, and I might need to mention this, after leaving henna on my hair for a couple of hours, my urine would turn black. During my last henna treatment on September 2nd, my urine did not turn black. This just proves what havoc relaxers have on not only your hair but also your scalp. Now that my scalp is completely healed, that might also be the reason for less shedding. Nevertheless, next week will be wash week, and if during my detangling I continue to loss less hair, then I know I'm on track to collar bone length by 2019.:afro:
 

Guinan

Re-Branding
My excess shedding, as some of you may know, is from Graves disease and anemia. I haven't figured out how to stop the shedding but I have figured out how to manage the shedding so that it doesn't cause any tangles. I've been doing MHM two times a week and if I don't have time to do MHM, I will finger detangle at least 2x's a week. I used to be able to go once a week, sometimes every 2 weeks but not anymore.

Also, I noticed that my growth rate has slowed down tremendously. I've been using WGHO to help stimulate growth. I haven't noticed any bald spots, just alittle thinning in the crown, but I am keeping a look out for them.

I have to get better at taking my vitamins. I take calcium and chorella.

I have been having difficulty with staying motivated to continue with this growth journey, but I tell myself that this will past. I just get so discouraged when I see balls of hair just coming out. I'm going to be optimistic
 
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blackgurll

Well-Known Member
@pelohello, I see you have anemia but take Calcium supplements. You may already know this, but...:

"Calcium makes it harder for your body to absorb either supplemental iron or iron from food, according to the National Institutes of Health. Calcium competes for absorption with iron in your intestines and reduces its uptake. This means that a multi-mineral supplement is likely not the best way of getting iron due to the negating effects of the calcium and some other minerals. Instead, eat iron-rich foods -- preferably without calcium-rich dairy products -- or take iron supplements separately from other minerals. Another rich source of calcium that can negatively impact iron absorption is antacid tablets, commonly taken for heartburn but also as an inexpensive calcium supplement to help prevent osteoporosis."
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/supplements-can-interfere-iron-absorption-9091.html

When I became anemic during pregnancy, my doc recommended taking the iron with a bit of orange juice, avoiding coffee or milk for an hour before or 2 hours after.
 

Guinan

Re-Branding
@pelohello, I see you have anemia but take Calcium supplements. You may already know this, but...:

"Calcium makes it harder for your body to absorb either supplemental iron or iron from food, according to the National Institutes of Health. Calcium competes for absorption with iron in your intestines and reduces its uptake. This means that a multi-mineral supplement is likely not the best way of getting iron due to the negating effects of the calcium and some other minerals. Instead, eat iron-rich foods -- preferably without calcium-rich dairy products -- or take iron supplements separately from other minerals. Another rich source of calcium that can negatively impact iron absorption is antacid tablets, commonly taken for heartburn but also as an inexpensive calcium supplement to help prevent osteoporosis."
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/supplements-can-interfere-iron-absorption-9091.html

When I became anemic during pregnancy, my doc recommended taking the iron with a bit of orange juice, avoiding coffee or milk for an hour before or 2 hours after.

WOW!!! I had no idea!!!! That's probably why my iron levels only increased by 2%. Thank you for this information.
 

ilong

God's Own
I've been experiencing shedding so I decided to wash every two weeks. That seemed to help but I'd still lose hair. Well, to my amazement, yesterday after I twisted my hair, the loss was minimal. It could be a combination of things or just one thing, not sure but since August, I began adding honey to my deep conditioners, use Aloe vera juice as a detangler and have been using a leave-in every night before re-twisting. Also, and I might need to mention this, after leaving henna on my hair for a couple of hours, my urine would turn black. During my last henna treatment on September 2nd, my urine did not turn black. This just proves what havoc relaxers have on not only your hair but also your scalp. Now that my scalp is completely healed, that might also be the reason for less shedding. Nevertheless, next week will be wash week, and if during my detangling I continue to loss less hair, then I know I'm on track to collar bone length by 2019.:afro:


@Misseyl - in this thread https://www.longhaircareforum.com/t...ional-60-divas-express-yourself.768671/page-3
@ElizaBlue mentioned that honey is good for hair, so it could the honey may be a big contributor to your hair's improvement. Start at post #76 for her mention of honey. Also read posts 103 and 119 in the same thread.
 

Kalia1

Well-Known Member
I have been suffering from hairloss for over 20 years! It's been one of the toughest challenges I have ever faced.
I believe my hairloss is hereditary, hormonal as well as stress related. I began noticing it after my tubal ligation surgery.
I know that years of relaxing also contributed. I went natural in 2003.

I am taking Diatomaceous Earth 10 days on and 10 days off. I am seeing some results.
My alopecia is similar to male patterned balding. After research I had my hormonal levels tested and my testosterone was VERY HIGH!
I began to research what cause elevated testoterone in women and one of the main culprits is SUGAR.

I sincerely believe that hairloss is an internal problem and to reverse it we must fix ourselves from the inside out.
I BELIEVE HAIRLOSS CAN BE REVERSED!
I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!!
 
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MWilson569

Well-Known Member
I began losing my hair in 2001. I probably lost about half of my hair density within 6 months from that time. I was in college at the time and EVERYTIME I would wash my hair I would clog the drain which was very distressing for me and embarrassing living in a dorm environment. I noticed that the hairs coming out had a white bulb at the end so I knew my hair was coming out at the root. I began taking hair supplements and I joined the forum which lead me to trying a lot of great products. My hair was moisturized, shiny and healthy outside of the fact that it wont stop falling out. In 2009, while researching my hair loss symptoms I discovered that my symptoms were in line with the diagnosis of PCOS. I went to my MD and it was official. It felt good to finally know why I lost my hair. I began metformin and birth control. I also decided to keep my hair cornrowed under a wig as a protective style. I did that for about 2 years on and off. That time period was also one of the most stressful times of my life and my hair feel out tremendously. My hair got so thin, you could now see my scalp. I cannot leave my hair out because Im terrified when the wind blows. My hair can only go into a bun with specified comb over techniques and sometimes I use that black hair powder. It's depressing because I had beautiful thick hair that was down my back in high school and if it wasn't for my condition I would still enjoy it. I began losing my hair at 18 and never got to enjoy my adult like without worrying about my hair......Now fast forward to today, I have almost given up on my hair because with all my trials my hair loss has become progressively worst. I am hoping to get some inspiration from this new forum to try again. I look forward to reading everyone's stories.
 

JJamiah

Well-Known Member
@JJamiah - glad to see you posting. I think about you from time to time and wonder how you're doing.
Awwww thank you. Big hugs. I'm battling health and trying to finish school. I miss you all. I am back trying to grow out this head of hair. I really could use all the tips on health and hair loss I can find. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts @ilong.
 

PJaye

Well-Known Member
My excess shedding, as some of you may know, is from Graves disease and anemia. I haven't figured out how to stop the shedding but I have figured out how to manage the shedding so that it doesn't cause any tangles. I've been doing MHM two times a week and if I don't have time to do MHM, I will finger detangle at least 2x's a week. I used to be able to go once a week, sometimes every 2 weeks but not anymore.

Also, I noticed that my growth rate has slowed down tremendously. I've been using WGHO to help stimulate growth. I haven't noticed any bald spots, just alittle thinning in the crown, but I am keeping a look out for them.

I have to get better at taking my vitamins. I take calcium and chorella.

I have been having difficulty with staying motivated to continue with this growth journey, but I tell myself that this will past. I just get so discouraged when I see balls of hair just coming out. I'm going to be optimistic


Have you ever tried bamboo supplements? https://www.amazon.com/Bamboo-Extract-300-120-capsules/dp/B014FNY5MG/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1475868023&sr=8-4&keywords=bamboo+extract&th=1

My hair began to thin after using some crappy hair products (I won't mention the vendor because some people tend to lose their minds when anyone disparages their favorite products/vendor). At any rate, I was shedding something fierce, so I took some bamboo supplements on a whim for a few weeks - one capsule every day with dinner. After the first week, I noticed that my shedding had reduced dramatically. Since this was the only change in my routine or diet, I attributed the outcome to the bamboo supplement. After a month, my shedding was under control. Now, I'm focusing on regaining the thinned out areas and, to that end, I've been using castor oil and JBCO. I will give this a solid six months before reassessing it's efficacy.
 

Guinan

Re-Branding
Have you ever tried bamboo supplements? https://www.amazon.com/Bamboo-Extract-300-120-capsules/dp/B014FNY5MG/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1475868023&sr=8-4&keywords=bamboo+extract&th=1

My hair began to thin after using some crappy hair products (I won't mention the vendor because some people tend to lose their minds when anyone disparages their favorite products/vendor). At any rate, I was shedding something fierce, so I took some bamboo supplements on a whim for a few weeks - one capsule every day with dinner. After the first week, I noticed that my shedding had reduced dramatically. Since this was the only change in my routine or diet, I attributed the outcome to the bamboo supplement. After a month, my shedding was under control. Now, I'm focusing on regaining the thinned out areas and, to that end, I've been using castor oil and JBCO. I will give this a solid six months before reassessing it's efficacy.

I will def give this a try!!
 

LostInAdream

Well-Known Member
I've had thinning edges since I was about 12. A combination of braids, super perms left on my edges, flat twists and tight ponytails were the culprit. I was left to care for myself at 12, hair included.
I'm 29 now and tired of covering them by swooping my hair over them. I've recently went to a dermatologist to see if it was repairable. My blood work was great but biopsy revealed traction alopecia and inflammation. Currently undergoing cortisone shots for the inflammation to see if that triggers growth. After 6 months of nurturing them along with the shots I will determine if I will undergo hair restoration surgery.
 

Michelle1971

Well-Known Member
My hair loss is due to discoid lupus lesions. I also have SLE and I am anemic.
I have multiple areas on my scalp where I have hair loss. Due to lack of insurance, I haven't been treated for it in quite some time.
It is getting to the point to where I can only wear my hair in certain styles. I wear wigs a lot of the time as well.
Thank you for getting this forum going @ilong
 
My hair thinning happened gradually over the period of 4 years and I couldn’t figure out what was causing my hair loss for the life of me. I got tested for everything under the sun and nothing came up in my blood tests to indicate why I was losing hair. I went to several doctors and dermatologists but to no avail. It wasn’t until years later that it dawned on me; my hair started thinning the same year that I started going to Dominican hair salons!!! I’ve lost 50% of my hair. I went from super thick hair that used to be hard to deal with to thin hair. Warning for you all- STAY AWAY from those salons! I think the super hot blow dryers that they use affected my hair follicles because I always remember wincing when the hot air from the blow dryer would graze my scalp during my blow out. Fast forward years later, even though I stopped going to those salons, my hair still hasn’t filled in 100%. There are areas on my scalp where there isn’t any hair growing. The only thing that’s helping is Rogaine. I was shocked but its actually working. I hope this helps someone.
 
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YvetteWithJoy

On break
Have you ever tried bamboo supplements? https://www.amazon.com/Bamboo-Extract-300-120-capsules/dp/B014FNY5MG/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1475868023&sr=8-4&keywords=bamboo+extract&th=1

My hair began to thin after using some crappy hair products (I won't mention the vendor because some people tend to lose their minds when anyone disparages their favorite products/vendor). At any rate, I was shedding something fierce, so I took some bamboo supplements on a whim for a few weeks - one capsule every day with dinner. After the first week, I noticed that my shedding had reduced dramatically. Since this was the only change in my routine or diet, I attributed the outcome to the bamboo supplement. After a month, my shedding was under control. Now, I'm focusing on regaining the thinned out areas and, to that end, I've been using castor oil and JBCO. I will give this a solid six months before reassessing it's efficacy.

Hi, @PJaye.

Can you PM me the name of the vendor? I won't share it with anyone. Thanks in advance.
 

Crystalicequeen123

Well-Known Member
Yup, surprised how long it took me to find this out because I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about vitamins + minerals. That spacing and taking my iron with OJ turned things around.

Why take it with OJ?? Just curious...





My hair thinning happened gradually over the period of 4 years and I couldn’t figure out what was causing my hair loss for the life of me. I got tested for everything under the sun and nothing came up in my blood tests to indicate why I was losing hair. I went to several doctors and dermatologists but to no avail. It wasn’t until years later that it dawned on me; my hair started thinning the same year that I started going to Dominican hair salons!!! I’ve lost 50% of my hair. I went from super thick hair that used to be hard to deal with to thin hair. Warning for you all- STAY AWAY from those salons! I think the super hot blow dryers that they use affected my hair follicles because I always remember wincing when the hot air from the blow dryer would graze my scalp during my blow out. Fast forward years later, even though I stopped going to those salons, my hair still hasn’t filled in 100%. There are areas on my scalp where there isn’t any hair growing. The only thing that’s helping is Rogaine. I was shocked but its actually working. I hope this helps someone.

YES. I can attest to that.

I only went to Dominican Salons about 3 times back during my "relaxer days". They made my hair super silky and bouncy (Yes), and they were DIRT cheap (wash & rollerset for about $20!) and they got you out of the salon within an hour (which, for a black woman is a BLESSING!), but I knew from my first visit there that they would NOT be blow drying my hair each and every visit. I even told them the ROOTS ONLY, but even that was too hot. One time I told them no blow drying at all, and they looked at me like I was crazy lol. I mean , my hair was already looking GREAT from the rollerset. Why do I need ADDITIONAL heat from a dryer on my hair? :confused:

After the 3rd visit, I was DONE. I could tell that if I went there on a regular basis, my already fine-textured hair would be next to nil.

It was the best decision I ever made. Plus, my hair was RELAXED at the time, there was no reason (imo) why they should insist that I "needed" a blowdry after a rollerset.
 
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