Hair Loss

[JeanM]

I'm not sure if this should go in Off Topic or Nutrition.....hopefully, it will be moved if I put it in the wrong spot.

My 29 yo daughter has been losing her hair more than what is considered normal. When she first complained to me about it, I didn't think much of it because she is a worrier and what she considers a big deal sometimes to me is not. However, I have noticed lately that her hair is thinner and it does not look healthy anymore. She's always had long, beautiful, fairly thick hair with a good amount of body. It's thin now, and hangs limp. She said she's done some research and one of the things she had been using that most say is a no-no is Pantene shampoo. She stopped using that and she says the hair loss seems to have slowed down significantly. She's a worrier, her diet is not horrible, but it could be better, and lastly, her grandfather (dad's side) and her dad and her uncle have the male pattern baldness thing going on. I don't even want to suggest to her that she might have something hereditary, but I'm wondering if any of you have any insight. I am researching natural remedies for hair loss and I've talked to a friend who went through it.....she said medical drs. were not helpful to her at all, she went to Nioxin shampoo and took biotin and hers slowed down.....she's not sure which did it or if it was a combination of both. Anyway, any suggestions would be so welcomed.

Thank you!

Jean

[pamelaw]

Any hair issues are considered JOY issues in the Healing Codes, in case you're interested in knowing and she'd find it helpful.

[BlessedMama]

Jean, a df of mine started losing lots of hair, and she started taking Rutin (500mg. twice daily) and using a keratin shampoo (Mill Creek, I believe? No parabens, etc.) and her hair quit falling out so much.

Of course, there's also the thyroid issue, and not eating enough protein can also contribute (both of those are part of my issues).

One other issue is anemia. I'm not sure if it's a specific kind of anemia that's the problem, but I know that also contributes. (Also from personal experience!)

I never had really thick hair, but it's sickening all the same to have long hair and have it breaking off or falling out! HUGS to her!

[adrianne]

Magnesium oil applied to the scalp may slow down hair loss and stimulate growth. I haven't done this regularly so I can't report on results but Joan (Health and Wisdom) may have some helpful information.

[rosetapper23]

I recently suffered from hair loss because of nutritional deficiencies following my inadvertent ingestion of gluten at a potluck, and it took me a while to pinpoint exactly which nutrients were causing the problem. I had also tried Biotin, but I didn't notice any changes in my hair growth. However, when I started taking BioSil (which is silicon, aka collagen stimulator), amino acid chelated zinc, chelated manganese, and co-enzyme B vitamins, my hair grew back all over my head. The new hair growth can be seen around the edges of my face (because the hair is shorter), and the fullness I feel throughout my hair indicates to me that new hair is growing all over my scalp. I need to caution you, though, that the zinc and manganese should only be taken for about a month. The other products can be taken regularly. Also, organic shampoos that include essential oil of Rosemary can be beneficial--it encourages hair growth and encourages volume. A good brand is EO, which can be found at Whole Foods and health stores. I LOVE their Volumizing shampoo, which contains oil of rosemary, and it's also gluten free.

Lastly, if you believe that your daughter might be vitamin deficient even through her diet is sufficient, she might try going gluten free to see if that may be causing nutritional deficiencies. People with celiac or gluten sensitivity can suffer from hair loss and even alopecia.

[JeanM]

Adrienne, Laura, Trisch, Pamela, thank you all very much. If anyone else has any experience I would greatly appreciate hearing about it. She is very upset about the way it looks right now and wants to be assured that it will grow back as thick as it used to be. Do any of you have any recommendations if she were to see a dr. what type and what tests should she ask for? I realize thyroid.....which drs. love to do that test and she wouldn't even have to ask, but what others? I know that a blood work up doesn't always include everything you might be deficient in. Laura, I assume that you saw some sort of dr. or nutritionist who determined that you needed the vitamins and minerals you were taking? I know Kelly will be encouraged by your statement that your hair is growing back. Trisch, I think Kelly was a little anemic when she had mono and she wondered tonight if having that might have had anything to do with the hair issue.

Thanks again, everyone.

Jean

[hjajck]

Is she currently on any medications? Side effects can include hair loss.

[ayj67]

If she is on cortisone or reason had a high dose of cortisone, that can also cause hair loss.

[onebzmomma]

[ I think Kelly was a little anemic when she had mono ]

How much time has passed since the bout with mono? It is possible this could be related but by all means I would encourage her to have a complete blood work up done including Free T3 and T4 and food sensitivities. She will will a better map to address her nutrition at that point.

Best of luck!

Heather M

[JeanM]

No, she's not on any medicines, rarely ever takes medicines. I think her mono was in the summer and she thought she was completely over it in 2 months (I had my doubts) and a couple of months ago, she thought she was getting a case of it again, but the symptoms only lasted for a few days.

Thanks so much for everyone's input.

Jean

[rosetapper23]

No, I didn't have any tests to determine the deficiencies (though, later my doctor DID do some testing and discovered that I was low in the Bs and Vitamin D). It would be unusual for a doctor to test for zinc, manganese, and silicon deficiencies--I had to go on symptoms. I knew that I was deficient in zinc from other symptoms and had taken zinc; however, when I discovered that a zinc deficiency caused "floppy tendon syndrome," (which was my primary concern--not the hair) the information I gleaned stated that I needed to take amino acid chelated zinc, which was NOT what I had been taking. My research showed that I was probably low in manganese, too, since it's very necessary for tendon health. When I was at the health store buying the zinc and manganese, I spoke to the nutritionist and told her of my tendon difficulties, and she recommended the BioSil, saying that she'd received good feedback from others with tendon issues. The fact that the tendons bounced back to normal after only a short while attests to the fact that I was probably deficient in one or more of these nutrients. The BioSil stated that it was for hair and nails, but I agree with the health store nutritionist--it worked wonders on my tendons, too. So....anyway, although I was VERY happy to see new hair sprouting all over my head as a result of the zinc, manganese, and/or silicon, my real goal was also reached--healthy tendons.

[BlessedMama]

Laura, that's really interesting! I'm glad you shared about the tendons! My dh has been having more issues lately--before we just thought it was his work (construction), but he hasn't been doing anything hefty to aggravate it at all. I'm going to try the supplements you mentioned for my hair, and I'll have him take some, too--for his tendons!

I really appreciate all you share with us here!

HUGS!

[hjajck]

Laura, that's really interesting! I'm glad you shared about the tendons!

Yes, thank you for the information! My husband has suffered from tendonitis in his right elbow for over three years, has taken prescription anti-inflamitory medications, had cortisone shots, and ultimately had surgery to correct it - and he is still having pain.

[rosetapper23]

Holly,

For the pain, your husband might want to consider taking Curamin (www.curamin.com) because it's natural and gentler than anti-inflammatories. The same nutritionist who recommended the BioSil told me that Curamin is considered the Cadillac of pain relievers in the natural market, and it relieved the tendinitis pain in her hips.

[JeanM]

Laura, thank you soooooo much!

Jean

[rosetapper23]

Oh, I forgot to mention that if you decide to take zinc, please take a little copper every few days--zinc depletes copper stores!

[JeanM]

I am going to try to find a dr. to see Kelly, one that is sympathetic with hair loss (no idea in the world how I'm going to do that). I have these things to ask for IF the dr. doesn't mention them first:

hormone panel (testing for free and total testosterone levels)
Thyroid testing
fasting insulin
metabolic panel (kidney and liver)
ferritin stores
CBC with differential
allergy testing


Can anyone think of anything I should ask for. After she gets the results of the test, we will probably go a natural route for treating the symptoms and start with diet. I feel like we should have a base to start from and there are too many ideas to choose from for me to figure out on my own what we should try first, without even knowing what the problem is. If it was me I would just start with diet, but we are talking about a 29 yo girl who had thick, beautiful shiny hair, and now it is stringy and dull looking. She wants to KNOW if you know what I mean what is going on and so do I. Thanks so much for all your all's advice and I will be letting you know what we find out and what we elect to do for her. No way do I want her on drugs if it can be helped, but that will be her decision to make!

Thanks again!

Jean

[casuallysweet]

Hello Jean,
Does she has some 'receeding' in the front and sides as well as the thinning all over? Insulin Resistance can cause that type of thinning, but if she's not really gaining weight I don't know. So maybe a post prandial insulin as well. Just an idea to throw out there.
My hair is very fine and thin, always has been. So I can commiserate with her current situation.
Nioxin works ok, the smell is kinda strong but has a pretty good tingle to it.
My sister is a hairstylist and she gave my mom a product called TherapyG I believe. It was a pretty good line.
I am a Medical Laboratory Scientist (Formerly known as a Medical Technologist) and I work in a hospital lab and run these tests all the time.
If you are concerned with anemia Folate, B12 and Iron/TIBC are also of concern.
I hope you figure it out.

[rosetapper23]

Don't forget a test for celiac! It's not an allergy and isn't part of an allergy panel.

Remember--hairloss can be directly related to celiac disease. Some celiacs even get alopecia.

[natrfrk]

Laura, which form of BioSil do you take? I've seen it in liquid and in capsules.

[rosetapper23]

I've only used the capsules--I just add them to my morning smoothie along with the zillions of other supplements I take.

[stilltrying]

I have hair loss as well. I have gluten sensitivity as well as food allergies. I don't know if I have Celiac. That being said, I noticed that when I get really mad/angry/upset that my scalp will get heated at the hairline and I can feel my hairs being pushed out. Luckily, I don't get that upset very often, but the hairs aren't growing back. I've been adding mag oil to my hair when I shampoo for months, so maybe I should've left it in? I'll look into the BioSil Rose mentioned.

Mary

[JeanM]

Hello, everyone. Kelly went to an MD last week and it was a waste of time. She refused to do some of the tests that the research I did said should be done. I found a holistic dr. about an hrs. drive from us that sounds excellent so we made an appt. to see him on the 28th of Feb. It will cost an arm and a leg but will be worth it if it gets Kelly on the path to good health. She has an appt with her ob/gyn in a week or two and may get a hormone panel done at that time, but we also might wait and have it done at the holistic dr's. I'll try to remember to let you all know what happens. Thanks so much for everyone's input.

Jean

[Clarity]

Wow Jean it seems you have a lot in your plate !!!!

So a holistic dr costs a lot in your area?
I'm sorry for that...

Wish you the best tests to help her to find what's gonna help her !

[BlessedMama]

Jean, I had forgotten about this tidbit I had read and posted about:

http://forum.t-tapp.com/showthread.php?69986-Interesting-Tidbit-on-D3-and-Hair-Loss

HUGS to you and your dd!