My Hair Loss – Managing Alopecia
I feel a bit nervous writing this post, but here it goes……..
I have suffered from hair loss for the last 5 or 6 years. Its something I have wanted to blog about for a long time but to be honest I was worried about what people may think. In the end I thought if anyone else is suffering too then they may benefit from this post.
The type of hair loss I have is female pattern hair loss and its also made worse if I am stressed. I am coming to terms with it and how to handle it – thankfully I had a lot of hair before the alopecia started and so I still have a considerable amount of hair.
My hair loss is something that has really depressed me at times and also made me really paranoid. When I meet people, I cant help but think to myself have they noticed my hair? Are they looking at my hair?! At times it really gets me down but I am trying to overcome that as much as possible. Its just not something I would have ever expected to happen to me when I was growing up. This started in my mid 20s and it took a long time to sink in that it was happening.
When people meet me they will see I am a confident person, but I am not as confident as I may appear, my hair loss is something that makes me feel really insecure. For a long time I couldn’t talk to anyone about it without crying, even now I have good days and wobbly days.
When it first began no one else noticed it – my family thought I was imagining it and basically didn’t believe me. I didn’t tell my friends as I was so embarrassed about it. Its still something I don’t really talk about – well until now that is!
My hair is not falling out in clumps, nor do I have a bald patch, I just have thinning hair. Its particularly bad on my crown and at the front of my hair. As a teen and up to when this started it was hard for me to find a parting as I had SO much hair, but now my scalp is fairly noticeable I am losing hair (just like anyone else) but I am not seeing new hair replace the old. I think by now I have lost about 35% of my hair. I am just glad I had a lot of hair to begin with!
My focus now is looking after my hair and maintaining what is left of my hair, to try and reduce the hair loss.
As my hair loss is stress related I have *tried*to not let things affect me so much, reducing stress but its easier said than done.
I have found at the following things really help, so if you too think you may be suffering I hope these are helpful:
Use gentle shampoos and conditioners which do not irritate the scalp.
Avoid too much SLS in products, this contributes to my point above.
Avoid using too many heated hair products like straighteners and blow dryers.
Avoid using permanent hair dyes, perming or bleaching the hair, its better to semi-perm dyes if you are going to colour your hair.
Make sure your diet is healthy and in particular, is rich in Iron, Omega 3 and vitamins – these foods can really help.
Use deep conditioning treatments such as coconut oil etc to nourish and pamper the hair.
Scalp massage can really help with hair loss, in particular if combined with natural oils like argan or coconut oil, some essential oils like rosemary are good for hair growth and conditioning, so you could add some to the massage.
Have some layers cut into your hair to add volume.
Dry shampoo can be used to add volume too.
Avoid washing your hair too much – when the hair is wet it is more prone to breaking, and more damage.
Invest in a good quality hair brush, this will ensure the damage is lessened when you have to brush your hair.
There are some chemical treatments for hair loss which I have tried and only had minimal results with. One of these was Regaine. This works for about 40% of users, but it didn’t work for me. I do use a product called Fullmore, its a coloured spray which I use to mask my hair loss, without this I wouldn’t be able to leave the house. No joke. I don’t know what I would do without this spray. I will review Fullmore in detail in another post.
Over the next few months I will be trying out more hair care products targeted at hair loss sufferers. I hope these reviews will be helpful for anyone else who is going through the same thing as me.
I still think there is a lot of stigma about hair loss, particularly in women. Its pretty much accepted that men will lose their hair, but its much less accepted and talked about that women will. All of us will experience some hair loss in life, its natural – but abnormal hair loss is something said to be increasingly common and a lot of people are experiencing it, I have been told. There is even an awareness week from 18th Feb!
If you think you are experiencing hair loss then its important to find out the cause of it. Some illnesses like Polycystic Ovaries can cause increased hair loss, as well as some thyroid conditions (I have very recently been diagnosed with a thyroid condition but this doesn’t effect my hair loss). Even when I went to my GP about my hair years ago I was told I was wrong and I didn’t have any hair loss – if this happens to you, keep going back until you get to see a specialist.
In a lot of cultures a womans hair is a big part of her perceived beauty. Celebs like Gail Porter have been so brave and gone out there without covering up in wigs. If my hair ever gets that bad I don’t think I would be able to do that so I have a huge amount of respect for her.
One way I have overcome some of anxiety caused by losing my hair is that I think about all the people out there with much much more serious problems than hair loss. I am extremely grateful for everything I have in my life and the fact I am more or less healthy in other ways. I have so much to be happy about and not so much to complain about. I also dont take anything for granted any more. Not one thing.
I wanted to post pictures of what my hair is really like, without the spray that I use to try and disguise my hair loss, but I cant bring myself to do it. Maybe one day I will be able to do it, but not right now.
I really hope this post helped anyone who is also going through hair loss and I hope the reviews will help in due course too. I’m sorry for the long post.
If anyone wants to email me about this because you are going through something similar, rather than leave a comment, please do – my email is allthatslap@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!
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Grace
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Grace – thank you for sharing. Both my mum and a friend of mine have had stress related alopecia and I know how hard it is to talk about. I think the worst thing for them was trying not to stress even more about the hair falling out as it turned into a vicious cycle.
Having met you briefly, I would never have known, and to be honest I thought you had lovely hair! Thanks for sharing your story and i’m sure it will reach a lot of people xx
Kat
January 10, 2013
Brave, very brave. I would never, ever, in a million years think that you suffer from this condition!
I still have a “similar” skin post in my drafts, haven’t yet found the courage to post… can totally relate to the feelings – not being able to talk about it without crying, having better and wobbly days…
xxx
Dani Dutra
January 10, 2013
Grace, this almost made me cry! Women and their hair are so seriously linked that I can only imagine what it must be like to feel this way and to lose hair. I do lose hair, clumps of it in fact, when I’m severely stressed but it only happens every so often and luckily I have very thick curly/wavy hair that grows back rapidly. I don’t consider it to be something very serious but I do try to use gentle shampoos during that aftermath of it.
It was very courageous of you to post this and I hope its made you feel better knowing that this post is going to help so many people! Thank you for writing it and letting us into your world!
Helen xxxx
Helen
January 10, 2013
Grace! Am so glad you posted this , so many people will be so grateful as it effects so many. I know how upset about this you were from speaking to you about it (you hid it from me for like EVER!!) so this must have been hard xxxx
Laura
January 10, 2013
Grace,
what a great post – really honest, and absolutely fascinating. I don’t think I have alopecia, but my hair is extremely thin and I have become far more aware of that since weaves and extensions have taken off. Do you think female hair loss has become more common in recent years, or women are just more open about it now than previously? I will be very interested to hear about the Fullmore when you’re ready to write about it. I agree with Helen that a lot of people are going to benefit from your courage in writing this. Well done! x
iBeheld
January 10, 2013
Thanks for sharing this, and I would just like to say that it is not obvious to anyone else. I don’t suffer from alopecia but my hair falls out a lot and is very thin. Thanks for the tips xxx
http://www.unstitchedd.blogspot.co.uk/
Maddy Cane
January 10, 2013
Thanks for sharing Grace, you’re very brave. I know it’s more common for men to lose their hair but I know how upsetting it was when I started loosing mine. At least I had the option of embracing it & shaving it all off, although I still wish sometimes I had the option of hair again. I can only imagine how difficult it is for women, where hair is often their pride & joy.
I’ve heard there will be some very effective hair loss treatments coming to market over the next 12-24 months for men, lets hope they’re effective for women too x
Pampered Prince
January 10, 2013
Inspirational and very brave post Grace, I’m glad you did it. I’m sure there are a lot of ladies out there suffering with this problem and your post will be a help to them I’m sure. I have naturally fine hair and from years of bleaching I have noticed that it falls out a lot and it never grows past the ends of my shoulders. I now rely on extensions for length and volume. I use deep conditioning masks but I’m not sure how great they are at this stage. Thanks for such a great post and never be ashamed of your hair or this problem, you’re beautiful no matter what xo
Fiona Naughton
January 10, 2013
After meeting you I would never thought you had a hair loss condition, you have lovely glossy hair! I suffer with anxiety and I know that at the height of it my hair does come out more, as well as my scalp gets more sensitive.
xx
You had nothing to be afraid of, you have a lot of love and support in the community for you. You’re awesome Grace
Unevenlemming
January 10, 2013
Amazing post grace, there are a lot of woman out there suffer from this and don’t know what to do about it. Now they know thanks to you:)
Great post xx
Nokhuthula
January 10, 2013
Fabulous post Hun. I think it’s always good to share these kinds of issues, you will reach so many people. Xxx
Annie Bean
January 10, 2013
Well done for posting this my lovely. Very brave
x
Sam
January 11, 2013
I completely understand how you feel.
I suffer from alopecia areata. I’m lucky as i only have 2 or 3 bald patches which started when i was 22 (i’m now 24). I didn’t notice it myself and didn’t notice a difference until my boyfriend pointed it out, and i looked in the mirror. Ofcourse i cried and stressed out and couldn’t believe that my hair was falling out. This one bald patch at the back of my head turned into 4 different ones around my head because of the stress.
I was at university at the time (so you can imagine how distressing this was) and went to the doctor and had a thyroid test to see if this was affecting my hair loss but it wasn’t. Instead the nurse just told me not to stress – which is easier said than done!
After 2 years my alopecia comes and goes. Some bald patches stay whilst others have had re-growth. I’m not entirely sure why this has happened to some and not others. I’m extrememly lucky as although i have several bald patches my hair covers them so people don’t even know i have alopecia. I think this in itself has given me room to de-stress and made me re-think my entire perspective in life. I used to worry about such little things with it not affecting my health whereas now i i’m so much more relaxed and try not to worry or stress. In a way the alopecia has made me a calmer more mature person and i am grateful for that as i see life differently. Why stress about my favourite shoes that have just broken? Life is so much more than that.
I just want to thank you for posting about your hair loss experience. It’s made me happy knowing that they are other people out there that have been in a similar situation to my own. I don’t know of anyone (probably because no-one talks about it) that’s been in a smiliar situation to my own and because of that i haven’t had any advice or tips on what i can do to help my hair. Thanks again for your wonderful, inspiring post and i’m sure it will help a lot of people.
My advice – don’t let you’re hair get you down or stress you out anymore. I don’t know you but you’re worth so much more than that.
Tahira x
Tahira
January 11, 2013
Well DOne on being brave enough to post about it. I dont personally know how you feel because I don’t have alopecia, but my partner does/did and it really really affected him. It led to low self esteem and many other thing thats why I done this post http://www.joytotheworldblog.com/2012/04/what-is-alopecia.html your post is great because it shows people that they are not alone in it.
Joy
January 11, 2013
Hi Grace,
Thank you so much for sharing such a personal post.
Although I’ve never had alopecia, this is something which I can relate to with my hair. Over the last few years it has dropped out around the front and become really thin (I think this was part of the grieving process). I think that you are extremely brave and a great example of how you can learn to make the best of such an bad problem.
Always remember that you are beautiful no matter what.
Love and blessings,
LiLi Xx
LiLi Julian
January 11, 2013
great post! my hair used to fall out at a ridiculous rate and the only thing that stops it is taking cod liver oil tablets every day.
without them i’d still be able to pull my fingers through my hair and get SO much hair coming out with it! xx
helen
January 12, 2013
Great post!I’ve gone through the same thing since my early 20′s (I’m 29 now). It’s especially affected my crown and front as well. I’ve used Minoxidil for years and I think it’s somewhat helped but I have to keep using it every day. There’s months where I lose hair like crazy and other months where it’s not as much. I have small parts in the front where my hair has never grown back. I’ve been to dermatologists and specialists and have been basically been told that I’m healthy and not lacking anything, and it’s probably genetic. Hopefully there will one day be a treatment that works and is affordable.
Nadia
January 12, 2013
Grace, what an inspirational post. What an amazing change to read something so real on a blog. You’re a beautiful girl & I hope that all of these comments give you a little more confidence. You’ve got to remember that as horrid as it makes you feel, your hair is not what makes you, you!!
Lindsey xxx
Lindsey
January 13, 2013
Hi Grace,
Just discovered your blog and seen this post. I suffered from hair loss which I now have under control thankfully. The most important thing to do is to activate the scalp. And as weird as is it sounds I used chilli oil for my scalp which I have created at home by leaving chillies in olive oil ( you can use other oils too) and applied it to my scalp every other day. It starts warming your scalp and stinging and it really activates your scalp and your hair starts to grow back. You can also research online that capsaicin which is found in chillies helps growing back your hair and also stops hair loss.
Further I used lots of natural oils ( rosemary essential oil, bay leaf essential oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, almond oil) which I ordered from Amazon and they helped a lot too. I also take vitamins and especially Biotin and Omega 3 every day. I also read that taking Gingko tablets can activate blood circulation on scalp which helps hair grow back and reduce hair loss. I have also stopped dying my hair with chemical dye and am using Henna from Lush for 6 months now and my hair is growing back thicker.
Hope you have great results soon and don’t worry too much as hair grows back:)
Xxx
Escha
January 13, 2013
Thank you so much for sharing this! I always lose hair in the shower but it doesnt come out in big lumps either my hair is getting thinner at the ends then at the scalp which I really dont like!
Sofia x
Sofia
January 14, 2013
Awwww Hunni you are so amazing and strong for sharing , i sit here feeling for you and wishing you could feel that confidence we all see in you. I moan about my hair being too thick (after i lost my haairr in my teen years) and have not stopped to think how it use to be back then or how others without hair or losing it feel
The information you have given to take care of your hair is amazing, i hope it can help many other women with the same problem, i have heard a couple of my friends with alopecia mention stress makes it worse but as you stated its almost imposible to avoid stress. I am sorry the treatment did not work i am glad you have found confidence in that fullmore product. I had no idea you got diagnosed with a thyroid problem either hunni i am so sorry. You are such a beautiful person inside and out and everyone who knows you is with me there, you say about confidence but i think your confidence comes from within from your strength, i love your confidence and your sense of humor and thats what makes you a great friend and a friend for life i believe. Im so proud of you for writing this and respectful, i will look forward to your post on the fullmore product hunni, keep smiling beautiful
Missy xo
Missy
January 19, 2013