New to this forum, how do I tackle my hair loss issue?

[Phloral]

Hello, I'm 22 and I'm female.

 

Ever since I was a little girl, my hair has always shed off really easily, but I never had to worry because my hair would grow really fast and I had a thick head of hair. I used to always complain about having too much hair and I would constantly wish for thinner hair.

 

My wish came true last year. After breaking up with my boyfriend, I decided to move back home. During this period, I stopped taking birth control pills, I stopped smoking pot regularly, I stopped drinking as much, I stopped being sexually active, and I began experiencing a lot of stress from living with my parents. I started noticing my hair thinning out 5 months after moving back in with my parents. It was during this time that I curled my hair for the very last time since I saw a lot of gap between the curls. I started exercising more, sleeping better, drinking more water, and eventually it got a little bit better.

 

Fast forward to the beginning of September, we moved, we had a host of family issues, I was preparing for the LSAT while also attending school full time. Things began getting really hectic. I stopped worrying about my hair simply because I had no time to think about it.

 

After Christmas, my home environment began getting really toxic due to my mother not agreeing with some of the decisions I was making, and then on top of that I experienced a really stressful semester. My friends began making comments on my hair... "Did you get a haircut? Your hair is so thin now!" I started looking at my hair again and noticed how bad it got... This was about 2 or 3 months ago? So the last 3 months, I've been taking vitamins and cod liver oil, didn't really help much... I went to the salon recently and they introduced me to a hair loss system (shampoo, conditioner, and leave on spray) that only made my hair loss worse. Now I no longer blow dry or straighten my hair. I can't straighten it anymore, it'll look even thinner. So I've either been wearing it up or in a braid. If I run my fingers through my hair, sometimes up to 6 hairs would come out! When I look at other girls... All I can notice is how amazing their hair looks. When I see a girl with some hair loss issues I think to myself "OH GOSH! Is this how I look like?!"

 

I want my old hair back, I take my old wish back, having thin hair sucks. I just want my thick black hair back again. I'm so scared about going bald and I've been avoiding hanging out with friends and going out because I don't want more people to comment on it. I can't live like this. How can I get my hair back? Should I keep on taking vitamins? Should I invest in better shampoo and conditioner? I've went to the doctors to get my blood checked and nothing is wrong. I just don't know what to do anymore. Please give me any advice you have. Thank you in advance!

[TakingThePlunge]

Phloral,

 

Welcome! You have mentioned that you consulted with a physician. Beyond performing a blood test, did your doctor discuss the various causes of female hair loss with you? What kind of doctor did you consult with? I recommend seeking the advice of a dermatologist specializing in hair loss or a hair restoration physician if you have not already done so.

 

Hair loss can occur for a number of reasons, both genetic and non-genetic. If your thinning hair is stress related, it may be temporary but it can take many months to return to its former fullness.

 

You may find this article by Dr. Parsa Mohebi informative:

 

Hair Loss – Diagnosis and Treatment of Stress Related Balding

 

You may also find Rogaine (minoxidil) beneficial. This is the only medical hair loss treatment clinically proven and FDA approved for use by females.

 

Best of luck!

Edited April 24, 2014 by David - TakingThePlunge