I’ve been quite busy lately, doing a research about my hair loss problems.
First of all, I diagnosed myself, so I know what desease I have: Alopecia, also known as Diffuse Hair Loss. (I wouldn’t call it diffuse hair loss though, it’s more like Massive Hair loss! ) That was the easy part of it.
Then we come to the question of what caused it… and that’s where I get stuck for the moment. There is a lot of things that can cause it, so I had to read a lot about it and sort out the things that don’t fit my situation.
I came up with some possible or alternative causes in my case, that I can’t sort out – yet:
1. Severe infection. I had that when we were in Paraguay-Brazil. The hair loss often starts 2-4 months after the infection, which corresponds to this actual time factor.
2. Diet.I lost 3 kilos when we were in the U.S. and then further more 6 kilos in Paraguay-Brazil, that’s 9 kilos all together within 2 months, which I haven’t been able to get back yet. That’s a lot on my body! Nutritional deficiencies – maybe lack of certain vitamines, iron, minerals etc. I do eat Multi-vitamines every day, but maybe that’s not enough after this.
3. Side effects of medicines.I’m taking two medicines (not every day) that both of them can cause hair loss in rare cases. I really have to take them. The only strange thing is why it appears now and not earlier in that case.
4. Physical or mental stress. I’m crazy, need I say more 
Seriously, I’ve been under a lot of stress the last year, not only because of my back pain, but a lot of other things around us too. Pneumonia, appendix surgery, different familymembers and friends having a lot of big problems, the month in U.S was very problematic, illness in Paraguay and Brazil, total car break down… Let’s just stop there and say that it has been one thing after another, because I could go on and on. I don’t think that I have been that upset that it would have caused hair loss, but hey what do I know?
5. Thyroid disease. My sister got it. I have some of the sympthoms, but they are rather common so it’s hard to tell. My chronical back pain is doing it more difficult for me to decide what is what.
Planned measures so far:
1. Go to doc, take blood tests to see what’s missing
2. Take nutrition complements
3. Go to the hairdresser for advice
There is a medicine (without prescription) to use against the hair loss, Rogaine, but I’m not so fond of medicines, so I’ll don’t think I can persuade myself to do it… It’s applied to the scalp, so it sounds like a mess to me. If it continues maybe I’ll get desperate enough?
NOTE: One important fact that made me very happy was that the hair loss is NOT permanent and the hair can grow out again, but it can take about 6-12 months before it does.
Secret whisper: Maybe I can cancel the order of the cool wig now
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Czech Republic
Denmark
England
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Monaco
The Netherlands
Norway
Paraguay
Portugal
Russia
Scotland
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United States
I am glad for you that the hair loss is not permanent but I am not glad for me that my hair loss is being a baldy git!
I hope things get better for you soon, I have had three friends in the past who have sufferd from it with total hair loss but I am not sure what brought their symtoms on.
Glad you like my photos, love yours too!!!
I am off to bed now so sleep tight folks!
M
Strange thing really, to suddenly have hair loss like this… You hardly beleive your eyes when it starts…. I’d be very lucky if it stops, I must admit that!
We’ll sleep as rocks, hope you too.
Hair loss paniced me enough that I actually went to the doctor, which is something I try to avoid at all cost. Usually, it takes me being in a lot of pain to get me there.
My doctor, upon hearing my concern, didn’t seem to be overly sympathetic. Then I realized I said all this to a man who was pretty much bald up top…lol.
Before going to the doctor, I did the same thing as you, and was busy cruising the internet trying to come up with a self- diagnosis. When I came across the thyroid possibility, a light bulb went off in my head, “A-ha, THAT’s gotta be it. I haven’t taken my thyroid medication in months.” And as it turned out, as soon as I started taking my medicine everyday, like I should’ve been doing all along, my excessive hair loss stopped. WOO HOO!!!!!
I hope it turns out to be that simple for you, MrsL!
The back issues would be worsened also with a thyroid problem. And thyroid disease (or anything with the endocrine system) is hereditary. I was amazed at how many things were affected.
I only know because I have it. I won’t do internet research because I scare myself into thinking my head will explode or my feet will fall off.
Self-diagnosis is not good; you better go to the doctor like you plan and have it checked out. When you mentioned the weight loss, I think that’s more worrying. I don’t mean to scare you, but in all the people I knew who had cancer (touch wood!), they started losing a lot of weight in a short period of time. Hope you see the doctor soon & keep us posted!
Self-diagnosis can be difficult to get right, but in this case it was a piece of cake, there is no doubt that it’s Alopecia. It’s the cause that is difficult to say and that’s where I’m going to get help, but since it take some time, I like to be prepared and know as much as possible before seing the doc and discussing it with him. I always do like that to be sure that I got the best care I can get. Too much bad experiences I guess. If you’rent prepared you can’t argue with a doc that is going to treat you wrong (read do nothing).
Good luck with the doctor!
Hey this thread hasn’t been updated in a while so I don’t know how it went for you (well I hope!) but I’ve been looking into hair loss solutions and an interesting one I ran across was LED/laser light treatment— have you heard of this?
I’m no doctor, but many scientific studies have been done on this (even by NASA, would you believe?) and while the jury is out, there might be something to it. These light treatments definitely seem to help with skin healing, for instance. Neolighthair.com is the name of the site I put together as a collector for the info I’ve found on the subject, just fyi. All the best to you. –Tom
Toms last blog post..Neolight hair brush–does NASA have an opinion?