Female hair loss - am I going bald??!!

[CalvertNewbie]

For the past two weeks I've noticed a huge increase in the amount of hair loss while/after swimming or washing my hair. I don't have any "bald spots" but I'm worried that's the direction I'm headed in. I need to find out if anything is wrong and if so, take care of it right away.

I already have my regular 6 month dermo appt scheduled for Tuesday. Is a dermo the correct doctor to speak with about these concerns or do I need a different type of specialist? I'm nervous about what could be causing this. I did have a baby 3.5 months ago, and I've heard that some people do experience hair loss from that, but 3 months later? Also, my Mom has Lupus which can cause hair loss but I have no other symptoms of Lupus. Any ideas? TIA.

 

[cattitude]

Didn't you just have a baby? Get your thyroid checked...also could be hormonal.

 

[depechemode]

Hair Loss and Pregnancy : American Pregnancy Association

Hair loss that is connected to pregnancy usually occurs after delivery. During pregnancy, an increased number of hairs go into the resting phase, which is part of the normal hair loss cycle. This condition is not serious enough to cause bald spots or permanent hair loss, and should begin to diminish within 3-4 months after delivery. If you feel that you are experiencing unusual hair loss while you are pregnant, this may be due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency.

I would guess it is still related to your recent pregnancy. Definitely still talk to your demonologist and get more advice from them.

 

[frozenrain]

It is very common to have hair loss after having a baby. I remember literally pulling a clump of hair out of my hair and crying because it was falling out like crazy every time I washed my hair. It will slow down . It should also grow back again where the bald spots are appearing.AlsoTry not to panic as stress can make your hair fall out.
Go to doctors just to get checked out for any medical reasons.
Make sure you eat healthy.I find that if I lose weight too quickly my hair falls out like mad. Being too thin can cause it in some people.
Just make that doc appointment but be reassured it will grow back if it is just post partum hairloss.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

I lost hair after I had my son, which my doctor told me was normal, but I got checked anyway. It's better to be safe than sorry with these things. I'd get checked out just to be safe. I went to my gyn with the concerns and she referred me to specialists.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

Thanks everyone. I figure it very well could be related to my recent pregnancy but I had just assumed that if I was going to lose hair afterwards, that it would have happened sooner - baby is 3.5 months old now. Luckily, no blad spots yet so that's a plus.

Thanks Catt, for the advice about getting my thyroid checked. I'll look into that as well.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Thanks everyone. I figure it very well could be related to my recent pregnancy but I had just assumed that if I was going to lose hair afterwards, that it would have happened sooner - baby is 3.5 months old now. Luckily, no blad spots yet so that's a plus.

Thanks Catt, for the advice about getting my thyroid checked. I'll look into that as well.

Hey, mine is about to turn 2 in August and I'm STILL pretty sure the hairloss I have is 50% him, because he stresses mommy right the hell out of town.

 

[Wenchy]

Calm down Calvert It is bothersome when more hair falls out than you are used to.

I lost a lot several months after I had my first child and a lot more when I went through a divorce. Hormones and stress.

I did try Rogaine long ago. The hair growth I got back was "frizzly" (frizzy/curly) and gross.

Once my life got back on track the hair grew back.

I did get a blood test done to see if I had a thyroid problem or something else going on. Results showed nothing, just lots of long black hair on my pillow and wherever I went.

Since you have just had your first child I would suggest to wait a few months (unless you have really good insurance...my dermatologist did the tests for me and I had great insurance)

Good luck!

 

[CalvertNewbie]

Hey, mine is about to turn 2 in August and I'm STILL pretty sure the hairloss I have is 50% him, because he stresses mommy right the hell out of town.

I'm sure! I have many years of stress ahead, no doubt!

Calm down Calvert It is bothersome when more hair falls out than you are used to.

I lost a lot several months after I had my first child and a lot more when I went through a divorce. Hormones and stress.

I did try Rogaine long ago. The hair growth I got back was "frizzly" (frizzy/curly) and gross.

Once my life got back on track the hair grew back.

I did get a blood test done to see if I had a thyroid problem or something else going on. Results showed nothing, just lots of long black hair on my pillow and wherever I went.

Since you have just had your first child I would suggest to wait a few months (unless you have really good insurance...my dermatologist did the tests for me and I had great insurance)

Good luck!

I'm the only one who notices this so far, hopefully it slows down soon. I've always heard that many people lose hair because of high stress levels but it's never happened to me in the past. I'm surprised I'm not completely bald from the year I had in 2008 - the worst year of my life (except for getting pregnant)! So far, 2009 is 100% better for me.

I'm thinking it's just my hormones out of whack since having our son. I'm going to ask my dermo about it anyway on Tuesday. I already had an appt scheduled for my regular 6 month skin cancer screen.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

I'm the only one who notices this so far, hopefully it slows down soon. I've always heard that many people lose hair because of high stress levels but it's never happened to me in the past. I'm surprised I'm not completely bald from the year I had in 2008 - the worst year of my life (except for getting pregnant)! So far, 2009 is 100% better for me.

I'm thinking it's just my hormones out of whack since having our son. I'm going to ask my dermo about it anyway on Tuesday. I already had an appt scheduled for my regular 6 month skin cancer screen.

Don't forget that just after pregnancy, your body is still sorting things out, kinda trying to figure out where the hell the baby it just incubated for 9 months went, so your hormones are not only out of whack on the physical level, but they can make you hyper sensitive to things you only see/hear/notice as well. I used to get all emotional over things that never would have occured to me right after I had the baby. Gotta love bursting in to tears and when people ask whats wrong, not having an answer for them =/

 

[tabboo9]

Buy a really nice human hair full or front lace wig to wear until it grows back. They look so real now that no one will know. There is a hair replacement place in Waldorf. A little pricey but if your vain then it is worth it. You can also check some out on eBay.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

Buy a really nice human hair full or front lace wig to wear until it grows back. They look so real now that no one will know. There is a hair replacement place in Waldorf. A little pricey but if your vain then it is worth it. You can also check some out on eBay.

You're right, wigs have come a long way. I'm far from vain, although I don't consider women who buy wigs due to health issues to be vain either. Both my parents went through cancer. My Mom opted to buy a wig after chemo caused her to lose her hair. My Dad wore a hat out.

It's nowhere near as bad as me needing to go wig shopping. Nobody but me even notices. I don't have any bald spots, I just notice more hair than usual falling out when I swim or shower and I'm hoping it slows down soon.

 

[pixiegirl]

You're right, wigs have come a long way. I'm far from vain, although I don't consider women who buy wigs due to health issues to be vain either. Both my parents went through cancer. My Mom opted to buy a wig after chemo caused her to lose her hair. My Dad wore a hat out.

It's nowhere near as bad as me needing to go wig shopping. Nobody but me even notices. I don't have any bald spots, I just notice more hair than usual falling out when I swim or shower and I'm hoping it slows down soon.

Baby #2 was the end of my nice thick hair. He'll be 5 in a couple weeks and I still lose hair by the handful in the shower. Luckily it "was" thick enough that no one notices but me but I literally have half the ponytail I use to. PMS is a nightmare now (Never had it before) and my face breaks out about a week before my period (I didn't even break out during puberty). I've had my thyroid checked and it's normal. After my neck surgery at the end of the month I'm going to have my progesterone and estrogen levels looked at.

 

[KWAK]

7.5 months after having the twins I am STILL losing some hair - although the volume of loss has decreased some (which was good or I'd have been bald!). I could just run my fingers through my hair and could pull a ton of it out - unfortunately, totally normal!

 

[CalvertNewbie]

Baby #2 was the end of my nice thick hair. He'll be 5 in a couple weeks and I still lose hair by the handful in the shower. Luckily it "was" thick enough that no one notices but me but I literally have half the ponytail I use to. PMS is a nightmare now (Never had it before) and my face breaks out about a week before my period (I didn't even break out during puberty). I've had my thyroid checked and it's normal. After my neck surgery at the end of the month I'm going to have my progesterone and estrogen levels looked at.

5 years later??!! I'm lucky that I also had plenty of hair but I do notice a thinner pony tail. Dermo said to keep taking prenatal vitamins for a year after giving birth - I had stopped taking them for a few weeks when I noticed my hair thinning. Luckily, I don't have issues with PMS or breakouts. Thank God!

7.5 months after having the twins I am STILL losing some hair - although the volume of loss has decreased some (which was good or I'd have been bald!). I could just run my fingers through my hair and could pull a ton of it out - unfortunately, totally normal!

Glad to hear this is normal. Ahhh, the things we go through for our babies. Hope all is well for you, hubby and the kids!

 

[czygvtwkr]

I dont know if this will work for you but it worked for my dad when he was getting chemo/radiation treatments. He used Neutrogena T-Gel as recommended by my moms hairdresser. It stopped his hair loss and some even came back while he was still getting zapped. He recommended it to a friends wife who had breast cancer and was more worried about her hair loss than her cancer and hers also stopped.

I used it just because it was what was in the shower and its nasty looking brown and it stinks but hey if it helps.

 

[HouseCat]

I lost hair after I had my son, which my doctor told me was normal, but I got checked anyway. It's better to be safe than sorry with these things. I'd get checked out just to be safe. I went to my gyn with the concerns and she referred me to specialists.

And to piggyback on that... NEVER leave the doctor's office until you have factual test results to prove his diagnosis.

A lot of doctors will make you feel like you're a hypochondriac and just shoo you off mumbling that its your hormones and you had a baby and to quit making a big deal. Now days you really need to make the doctor prove that you're ok.


T-Gel is awesome stuff. Works great for my daughter's eczema and scalp problems.

 

[glowingmurtle]

My hair falls out as it is. Imagine if I had a kid, I'd go ballistic.

 

[Purplefox]

I know that....

Everyone here is on the path of "pregnancy" to explain female hair loss, which is possible.

That said, I do not want to be a gloomy guss, but better safe than sorry. If you are female and start to lose your hair, a lot of your hair, please have your doctor run a Western Blot test for Lyme disease. This is one of the first symptoms that I experienced before I was diagnosed with chronic late stage Lyme.

It's only a simple blood test, and the "spot" Lyme test that most docs do will NOT catch Lyme if the spirocetes (little buggers that cause Lyme) have been in your system longer than 30 days.

Please insist on the Western Blot.