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[prefectionist]

OK, this may seem like a trivial topic, but I'd like to hear from those who have dealt with this. I'm in my late 30s and my hair seems to be thinning at the temples. I have to keep it at chin length because if it goes longer it looks stringy.  It was super fine to begin with so I don't have much to spare. It's a bummer.

I plan to see a dermatologist about it although I don't think there is much that can be done. I don't want to use that prescription stuff because of the scary side effects.

Has anyone had thinning hair that just turned around and started thickening again?

[elsie]

Mine seems to go through phases where I'm shedding a lot and it seems like it's thinning. I'm in one of those phases now, and I suspect it has a lot to do with stress.

[grasshopper]

Doesn't some hair get thicker when it goes gray?

One woman I know who had to deal with thinning hair went to a really good stylist who was able to help her find a cut that was flattering.

[thenewyorker]

My hair is considerably thinner than when I was in my twenties (forties now). My dermatologist told me that it can be due to stress (which is true in my case since in tends to come back somewhat after the stressful event is over: bad break-up and the final push when finishing that old diss). But it can also be caused by a hormonal imbalance. I was getting ready to be tested when my hair started growing back. It looks a bit funny now. I currently have a fringe of hair around my hairline about an inch long. It is going to take forever to catch-up! Its worse than growing out bangs.

[rubygirl]

There can be different causes.   Stress can definitely be one of them.  However, have your thyroid checked.  One of my friends had thyroid issues, got on medicine, and her hair is a lot thicker (several months later).  She's pretty happy with it.  There are probably other hormonal causes, too.

Good luck!

[collegekidsmom]

Could it be perimenopause/early menopause, side effects of medications, postpartum hair loss, alopecia, pattern baldness, family/genetic tendencies, thyroid issue?  I would start with an internest, and maybe you will end up with an endocrinologist. Could be just genetics, or maybe something that can be treated.

[yvesadeleharlow]

Ditto to everything that's already been posted.  Just wanted to add my own experience and two things that seemed to have helped me.

My hair had always been thick but fine (i.e., lots of skinny individual hairs).  It started thinning in my late thirties, and while nothing has really helped increase the number of hairs on my head, I have successfully fattened up the remaining hair to the extent that in my mid-forties I have healthy, shiny hair that reaches to mid-back, and strangers routinely stop me to compliment it.

The first thing I tried was a biotin supplement.  I've been taking 1000 mcg/day for several years, and it seems to help.  Most B-complex supplements and multivitamins contain only a smidgen of biotin.  I know of no adverse effects from the larger doses of the stuff.

The more dramatic improvement in my hair was achieved with henna.  My natural color is sort of a dishwater red shot through with white; henna makes my hair Irish setter red, and has dramatically thickened and strengthened the individual strands.  If red is not your thing, another plant called cassia obovata can do similar wonders for the texture and health of your hair, with no color change unless your natural color is extremely pale.  (I've tried the cassia also, with good results in terms of conditioning and thickening.)

I recommend checking out www.hennaforhair.com for lots more information, and links to reputable sellers (I buy my stuff from the owner of the site, but she also offers links to other sellers).  Whatever you do, do NOT buy any henna or other plant-based dye that offers you a range of shades to choose from.  Real henna, the plant, has just one dye molecule and just one color.  If you're offered a range of color choices, then you really don't know what other &%$* has been added to the henna.

Yves

[blunt_cut]

Beginning in my mid 20's, my hair started to become really thin and I started to become bald around my hairline.  At one period,  my eyebrow hairs also started to fall off, for some reason.  It was really unsettling, to say the least.  At one point during grad school, I looked in the mirror and burst into tears because I thought I was losing so much hair so rapidly.  I was estimating that within a few years, I might be bald.   

I know that much of the hair loss is stress related, so I began to eliminate the more toxic elements in my life, including toxic relationships.  I think that's helped.  My hair is still not thick and it will never be as thick as it used to be in my younger years, but it's not as thin as before. 

An internet search suggests that certain birth control pills will cause hair loss.  I've been on birth control pills for over a decade.  For a brief period recently, I changed my birth control and did notice that my hair began to grow again.  I had absolutely no idea that birth control pills could cause hair loss.  Unfortunately the new birth control cause me to break out.  Which is the lesser evil, pimples or hair loss?   I decided that I could live with hair loss and switched back to my old birth control brand.  I figured, it was only hair. 

Finally, hair loss, of course, is genetic.  Take a look at your own mother's hair.  My mother has extremely thin hair and I know she is self-conscious about it.  I suspect my hair will end up the same way.  Right now, I'm okay with it.  Of course, I prefer not to be bald, but I know it's not something I can control.  I'll wear a wig or hair piece if I have to, as long it's a cool wig/hair piece that makes me look sleek and dangerous.

[zuzu_]

I once worked with a woman who was going bald on top. She wore it shoulder-length, and had a huge variety of fantastic, funky hats.

Men are certainly lucky that they have an easier time going bald and still being viewed (possibly) as good looking. While women aren't that lucky, at least we are allowed to wear hats indoors.

[threadkiller]

Ditto to everything that's already been posted.  Just wanted to add my own experience and two things that seemed to have helped me.

My hair had always been thick but fine (i.e., lots of skinny individual hairs).  It started thinning in my late thirties, and while nothing has really helped increase the number of hairs on my head, I have successfully fattened up the remaining hair to the extent that in my mid-forties I have healthy, shiny hair that reaches to mid-back, and strangers routinely stop me to compliment it.

The first thing I tried was a biotin supplement.  I've been taking 1000 mcg/day for several years, and it seems to help.  Most B-complex supplements and multivitamins contain only a smidgen of biotin.  I know of no adverse effects from the larger doses of the stuff.

The more dramatic improvement in my hair was achieved with henna.  My natural color is sort of a dishwater red shot through with white; henna makes my hair Irish setter red, and has dramatically thickened and strengthened the individual strands.  If red is not your thing, another plant called cassia obovata can do similar wonders for the texture and health of your hair, with no color change unless your natural color is extremely pale.  (I've tried the cassia also, with good results in terms of conditioning and thickening.)

I recommend checking out www.hennaforhair.com for lots more information, and links to reputable sellers (I buy my stuff from the owner of the site, but she also offers links to other sellers).  Whatever you do, do NOT buy any henna or other plant-based dye that offers you a range of shades to choose from.  Real henna, the plant, has just one dye molecule and just one color.  If you're offered a range of color choices, then you really don't know what other &%$* has been added to the henna.

Yves

I was going to say also that highlights or other hair dye will thicken up hair.

[anthroid]

I have found that taking a SuperB complex has really taken care of any thinning.  I was having a bit of thinning at my forehead, particularly around what can be a significant shock of white hair there.  But SuperB made a big difference--though dying my hair did as well, and, perhaps, ramping up exercise.  Whatever it was, the issues with hair thinning are gone, and both my hairdresser and I put it down to the SuperB complex vitamin.  Give it a shot!  It's heart-healthy too....

FWIW, I just turned 50 and have had very thick and curly hair all my life.

[bluezebracat]

A 'pull' test is something you could do over a month or so to gather two or more data points to see if it's getting worse or not.

Also, there is often a delay between the stress event and the loss of hair, so you may be reacting to something that happened three months ago.

Good luck

[bookishone]

Iron deficiency can cause hair loss. Many American women are anemic and don't realize it. Your internist will doubtless include this in the checkup if you go.

[martynh]

don't use oily, dense hair products - steer clear of anything containing 'serumide', 'silicon', waxes and gels. These will weigh hair down and make thinning obvious.
honestly, you should not waste your time trying to find other things just use the M.Gardson's method. during the first month (maybe more), my hair has become fuller.  I'm certain it will do the trick

[tuxedo_cat]

Eat, especially protein.  Calculate how much protein you should be eating every day and then start tracking it.  Women who are dieting, even moderately, are very likely to experience thinning hair.  I have noticed that the majority of very thin women I see also have very thin, frail hair.