babygurl77
06-17-2008, 10:46 PM
Hello!
I have been having some serious issues with my hair. I give you a brief update...
I have PCOS, a hormonal imbalance condition..
In January, I decided to come off the pill, as i feel it has contributed to many other health issues..
I finally got a period the end of April, and again the end of May...so thats a positive!
BUT....since I have come off the pill, my hair has been falling out like crazy...it was thinning a bit while on the pill..but nothing like what I am dealing with now...i know its normal to lose hair after the pill...but what is normal? how many? how long is it normal to lose it for? will it grow back?
i saw a specialist and he said i have no damaged follicles, which is good i guess..but he did say i had early stages of miniturization..but the dermatologist said i didnt...so i dont know who to believe..
it is thin at my hair line and the sides...the back is ok..
I have a very healthy diet..and lots of supplements such as:
flaxseed oil
evening primrose oil
omega 3 oil
b complex
b12 & folic acid
iron (liquid)
digestive enzymes
probiotic
estrosense
biosil
zinc
so i feel i am doing so many positive things..and i thought my hormones were getting a bit organized, seeing as though i have had a period..
CAN ANYONE OFFER ME SOME INSIGHT, ADVICE, INFO...ANYTHING??
I currently use a hair mask that has nettle in it...i also use apple cider vinegar as a rinse sort of thing...
im not washing too much..
I also have acne on my scalp, itchness, flakes etc..but the derm just keeps giving me random shampoos that dont do much.
I have been having some serious issues with my hair. I give you a brief update...
I have PCOS, a hormonal imbalance condition..
In January, I decided to come off the pill, as i feel it has contributed to many other health issues..
I finally got a period the end of April, and again the end of May...so thats a positive!
BUT....since I have come off the pill, my hair has been falling out like crazy...it was thinning a bit while on the pill..but nothing like what I am dealing with now...i know its normal to lose hair after the pill...but what is normal? how many? how long is it normal to lose it for? will it grow back?
i saw a specialist and he said i have no damaged follicles, which is good i guess..but he did say i had early stages of miniturization..but the dermatologist said i didnt...so i dont know who to believe..
it is thin at my hair line and the sides...the back is ok..
I have a very healthy diet..and lots of supplements such as:
flaxseed oil
evening primrose oil
omega 3 oil
b complex
b12 & folic acid
iron (liquid)
digestive enzymes
probiotic
estrosense
biosil
zinc
so i feel i am doing so many positive things..and i thought my hormones were getting a bit organized, seeing as though i have had a period..
CAN ANYONE OFFER ME SOME INSIGHT, ADVICE, INFO...ANYTHING??
I currently use a hair mask that has nettle in it...i also use apple cider vinegar as a rinse sort of thing...
im not washing too much..
I also have acne on my scalp, itchness, flakes etc..but the derm just keeps giving me random shampoos that dont do much.
Sponsor
Ksusha77
06-27-2008, 11:41 AM
Hi,Babygurl!
I've been dealing with the same problems as you are. I also have a hormonal imbalance condition and hair loss. My doctor has prescribed me bcp(Yasmin),but I didn't like being on the pill,so after three months of taking it I switched off of Yasmin. My periods are still very irregular(because of the lack of estrogene and progesterone), but I think my hair loss was due to switching off my bcp. But I'm not sure bacause I'd had this problem before. It was terrible. I would go to drugs stores and check what medications they had to help me solve the problem and I was also very stressed and desperate. I've tried a lot of things(shampoo, masks, lotions,herbal medications) but nothing worked for me. However, a month ago I found out about one hardresser shop with a trychologist and I went there. Though they didn't tell me the reason of my disease,they promised to help me. The treatments includes making different procedures and it is really expensive. So,the main thing is that after a few procedures my hair does seem to get a little better!
Of course it is better to find the root of your problem,but it's also better to do at least something and not to give up.
I would suggest that you also find a trychologist and maybe he would help you,since this the only good espert in this field.
Well, I wish you all the best!!! Looking forward to hearing from you.
I've been dealing with the same problems as you are. I also have a hormonal imbalance condition and hair loss. My doctor has prescribed me bcp(Yasmin),but I didn't like being on the pill,so after three months of taking it I switched off of Yasmin. My periods are still very irregular(because of the lack of estrogene and progesterone), but I think my hair loss was due to switching off my bcp. But I'm not sure bacause I'd had this problem before. It was terrible. I would go to drugs stores and check what medications they had to help me solve the problem and I was also very stressed and desperate. I've tried a lot of things(shampoo, masks, lotions,herbal medications) but nothing worked for me. However, a month ago I found out about one hardresser shop with a trychologist and I went there. Though they didn't tell me the reason of my disease,they promised to help me. The treatments includes making different procedures and it is really expensive. So,the main thing is that after a few procedures my hair does seem to get a little better!
Of course it is better to find the root of your problem,but it's also better to do at least something and not to give up.
I would suggest that you also find a trychologist and maybe he would help you,since this the only good espert in this field.
Well, I wish you all the best!!! Looking forward to hearing from you.
Audrey-B
06-28-2008, 08:08 AM
Ksusha77 - like you i also resorted to a trichologist (after MANY unsuccessful doctors visits) he helped me initially with my very low iron and then diagnosed that my problems were all related to an auto immune thyroid condition called Hashimoto's. My main two symptoms were constant abnormal amounts of hair shedding and messed up hormones.
I would advise anybody suffering long term abnormal hair loss that vitamins, hair products etc etc will only take you so far. I stuffed myself for years with various vitamins from biotin to zinc and just about everything else inbetween to no avail. It's essential to find the root of the problem, just like Ksusha77 says, and only then can you start working on the problem. Regarding the pill, some may be able to stay on it successfully for years without a problem, but some of us seem to end up with even more problems due to it.
If you have PCOS and this contributes or is the cause of your hormonal disturbance which has led to your hair loss, then i'd say it's the hormone are you need to work on. Prior to finding out i had a hormonal disturbance due to my thyroid, i went to a naturopath and they put me on some liquid herbs to settle my hormones. It helped my periods to become a lot more normal, but didn't fix my hair issue. Then again, my case is different to yours as i'm dealing with my thyroid and other thyroid related issues, while you are dealing with the PCOS and that could be an entirely different thing. I'm no expert on PCOS. I know what it is, but that's about it. What have your doctors told you about your condition? What can you expect in the future? Can surgery or any other procedure help you with the PCOS? If your current doctor hasn't given you much information to go on then you might want to find one who can help you a lot more. Have you tried the Women's Health section of the boards? I think you would find a number of women on that board suffering from the same thing and they might be able to give your tips and ideas or you can compare and see if they have the same issues as you do with the hair shedding.
I would advise anybody suffering long term abnormal hair loss that vitamins, hair products etc etc will only take you so far. I stuffed myself for years with various vitamins from biotin to zinc and just about everything else inbetween to no avail. It's essential to find the root of the problem, just like Ksusha77 says, and only then can you start working on the problem. Regarding the pill, some may be able to stay on it successfully for years without a problem, but some of us seem to end up with even more problems due to it.
If you have PCOS and this contributes or is the cause of your hormonal disturbance which has led to your hair loss, then i'd say it's the hormone are you need to work on. Prior to finding out i had a hormonal disturbance due to my thyroid, i went to a naturopath and they put me on some liquid herbs to settle my hormones. It helped my periods to become a lot more normal, but didn't fix my hair issue. Then again, my case is different to yours as i'm dealing with my thyroid and other thyroid related issues, while you are dealing with the PCOS and that could be an entirely different thing. I'm no expert on PCOS. I know what it is, but that's about it. What have your doctors told you about your condition? What can you expect in the future? Can surgery or any other procedure help you with the PCOS? If your current doctor hasn't given you much information to go on then you might want to find one who can help you a lot more. Have you tried the Women's Health section of the boards? I think you would find a number of women on that board suffering from the same thing and they might be able to give your tips and ideas or you can compare and see if they have the same issues as you do with the hair shedding.
babygurl77
06-28-2008, 12:16 PM
Thanks for the replies ladies!
I do believe my hair issue is due to hormonal imbalance...thats why im taking estrosense and flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil....the naturpath says this should straighten my hormones out and stop the hair loss..but they say it takes a long time..same thing with my iron..
the only suggestion from all the doctors is to take the bcp...which i do not want to take at all...and my hair will just fall out again once i go off of it again...its treating the symptoms not the cause..
in order to treat my pcos..im eating a healthy diet and taking supplements but im still having hair issues...is it normal for it to take this long?
also, i went to a trichologist and he said i dont have any dead hair follicles which is good..but it says its definitely thinning...due to low iron and DHT....so im taking iron..but im not taking anything to stop the dht...cuz i dont know what to take..
and my naturopath says to just keep taking what im taking..
im soo sad about it all..
i used to hate my hair before..but now i wish i had it back..
i dont know who to believe in regard to dr, naturopath, nutritionist..
its so frusterating..!
I do believe my hair issue is due to hormonal imbalance...thats why im taking estrosense and flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil....the naturpath says this should straighten my hormones out and stop the hair loss..but they say it takes a long time..same thing with my iron..
the only suggestion from all the doctors is to take the bcp...which i do not want to take at all...and my hair will just fall out again once i go off of it again...its treating the symptoms not the cause..
in order to treat my pcos..im eating a healthy diet and taking supplements but im still having hair issues...is it normal for it to take this long?
also, i went to a trichologist and he said i dont have any dead hair follicles which is good..but it says its definitely thinning...due to low iron and DHT....so im taking iron..but im not taking anything to stop the dht...cuz i dont know what to take..
and my naturopath says to just keep taking what im taking..
im soo sad about it all..
i used to hate my hair before..but now i wish i had it back..
i dont know who to believe in regard to dr, naturopath, nutritionist..
its so frusterating..!
Ksusha77
07-05-2008, 01:23 PM
Hi,girls! It's so helpful to know you are not alone with your problems and that there is someone to hear you and give some advice. I very appreciate it. Well,I hope everything is going for the better for you both. Audrey is right - if nothing like vitamins or other supplements work for us, it's the hormones we have to work on. But this it the problem. Like Babygurl,I don't like taking bcp either but it seems the only solution to my hormonal issue. Doctors claim it is the best treatment, but I can't resign myself to it, why should I suffer from bcp everytime I go off of it? I know it's unfair,but I have no other choices. If my doctor prescribes me the pills and says if I don't want to have problems with having children in the future I have to take them,I will have to. And what's more,they disagree with the fact that any bcp may cause hair loss, they say it actually helps your hair and skin. It's really frustrating.... I don't know whom to believe either. As for my hormonal issue,it's tough to regulate their levels and there is such a mess with my periods,I don't have them while off hormonal pills,but I'll talk to my doctor and ask if there is any kind of treatment I need that doesn't require taking bcp(maybe some herbs).
Anyway, wish all the best for both of you and looking forward to hearing from you.
Anyway, wish all the best for both of you and looking forward to hearing from you.
Audrey-B
07-07-2008, 07:59 AM
The problem with birth control is that it will deplete your vitamin B's so you need to be on a multi vitamin B while on it.