next »

[treehugger1]

I've been losing hair very gradually, it seems, for at least a decade now. It's still not really noticeable (unless I get in a bad mood and scrutinize my hair line in a mirror). But both my mother and grandmother eventually had noticeable balding problems and I'd like to avoid what sometimes seems like the inevitable.

I'm fairly sure the hair loss is not related to any broader health issues -- except perhaps menopause which might be accelerating the earlier balding trend. I don't have any redness, itching, dramatic and sudden hair loss, etc. I'm not particularly stressed out. It's just an on-going issue which I happened to notice again today.

So, has anyone out there successfully dealt with a similar problem? Are there home remedies or dietary changes that might help?

I googled the issue and it seems that the internet teems with hair-related quackery. Even the official medical sites seem fishy to me. Maybe I'm just overly skeptical, but do any of these advertised solutions (lotions, medications, hair replacement, etc.) work at all?

[macaroon]

Treehugger1 - my suggestion is that you absolutely need to discuss this with your doctor.  There are two VERY common causes of hair loss in women, low thyroid and polycystic ovarian syndrome, which can have a hereditary component.  They are treatable, but if you have them, the hair loss is the least of your problems.  And if you treat the conditions, your hair will come back.  These conditions are way more common than androgenic alopecia anyway.  

I DO know which treatments for androgenic alopecia work (I have some inside information), but I'm not going to tell you until you've come back from the doctor with PCOS and low thyroid ruled out.

[treehugger1]

There are two VERY common causes of hair loss in women, low thyroid and polycystic ovarian syndrome, which can have a hereditary component.  They are treatable, but if you have them, the hair loss is the least of your problems.  

Hypothyroidism is something that my Mom loves to harp on and, in fact, she has been treated for it. So, I dutifully went to my PCP a couple of years back and asked what he thought. He basically rolled his eyes at me and said it was highly unlikely. Given than I had no presenting symptoms/complaints other than "my Mom suffers from this and is worried for me", I suppose that's not surprising. But really, what was I supposed to do? Make up symptoms I didn't have? I feel/felt fine. I could now add "hair loss," but like I said this isn't something that just started, I've been having low-levels issues with this since my 20s, without any other concomitant complaints.

I looked up the polycystic ovarian syndrome and similarly don't have any of the signs/symptoms. I am fully menopausal (back up by the requisite hormonal tests, etc.), so it's not clear how I would notice the tell-tale menstrual irregularities.


And finally, it's hard for me to describe how much I dislike going to get non-emergency medical help. I've discussed this on other threads. In brief: maybe I've just been incredibly unlucky, but hand to God, aside for the occasional antibiotic prescription, my health has *never* been helped by a visit to a conventional doctor and in fact has been harmed.

Note: my apologies to all the medical doctors on this forum. I'm sure you are all terrific!

[macaroon]

Okay!  Very well then.

Minoxidil works, and actually targets the cause of androgenic alopecia, but it doesn't work well and requires you to constantly pump money and product on your scalp.  Is it worth it for the small effect?  Only you can decide.

[collegekidsmom]

Treehugger, I was just in a shop for my very rare haircut, and they were talking about treatments for thinning hair. There was a person on the phone and they were offering something-I didn't really listen. I only mention this to say that a good hair salon might be a place where you could ask about this while getting a haircut. It seemed a comfortable conversation that I was overhearing and nothing out of the ordinary for them to be discussing. Of course they would also know all the tricks for the right cut or product for thinning hair.

[missemily]

I was in a Sally's shop recently. They sell products used in beauty shops, but you don't have to be a beautician to shop there. I saw a "system" for thinning and/or fine hair. It was three products -- a shampoo, a conditioner, and something else. I have been using just the shampoo because I have fine, limp hair, and I believe it has improved the texture of my hair. Can't speak to the "thinning" part of the equation, however. If you don't have a regular hairdresser or just don't want to go to a salon, go to a Sally's or some shop like it and ask for help.